Mobility May

Back Extension

Place the roller in a horizontal position behind you. Lean back onto the roller starting at waist level. Lean back slightly placing pressure onto the back. Ensure that your neck remains in a neutral position by using your hands to support your head. Return back to a neutral position, adjust the position of the roller on the back and repeat the same motion. Complete the pattern until you have reached the top of your back, between 3-5 times. 

Back Roller

Start with your feet on the floor, lie on the roll so that it is underneath the shoulder blades. Support your neck and head with your hands. Roll up and down the upper back for about 30-45 seconds or 10-15 rolls. Avoid rolling up into the neck and do not pass the mid back region.

 

Gluts

Start by sitting on the roller with a slight lean into the side you want to massage.  Use your other foot and hands behind you to roll back and forth on the glut muscle. For a better effect you can also cross one foot over opposite knee and roll on the stretched glut still with a slight lean to that side. Repeat for 30-45 seconds or about 10-15 rolls. 

 

IT Band

Start by laying on your side with the roll under your mid thigh to begin. Roll over the outside of your thigh from knee to hip, do not roll onto knee or hip bone. Repeat for 30-45 seconds or about 10-15 rolls. 

 

Quads

Start by laying on your front with the roll under your mid quad.  Use your hands and your other leg to roll up and down the quad muscle. You can also roll both quads at the same time with your elbows guiding you back and forth on the quads over the roll. Repeat for 30-45 seconds or about 10-15 rolls. 

Hamstrings

Start with the roller under the mid hamstring (thigh). Use your hands to roll up and down the roller along the hamstrings. You may have the other foot on the ground to help guide you or you may cross the other leg overtop of the rolling leg to increase the massage.
Repeat for 30-45 seconds or about 10-15 rolls. 

Calf

Sit on the floor with the roll under your calf. Lift your hips up off the ground and roll from the top of the ankle to the bottom of the knee.You can do both legs at once or one at a time. Repeat for 30-45 seconds or about 10-15 rolls. 

Foot Roller

Sit in a chair with a small ball under your foot, a tennis ball, lacrosse ball or small rubber bouncy ball works well, as does a frozen water bottle. Massage the bottom of the foot by putting gentle pressure down into the ball and roll back and forth under the foot.