How to Bounce Back Faster from Your Workouts With Self-Massage

Hey athletes! I was asked to participate in the #NotGonnaStop campaign, sponsored by HoMedics®. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

Although going to the spa for a massage is great every so often, most of us don’t have the time (and just can’t afford) a full massage once or twice a week.

That’s where self-massage can make a huge impact. You can get many of the same benefits as you would with a professional massage by simply spending 10-15 minutes every night rolling out the sore muscles on your body.

Doing so can help you bounce back from your workouts quicker, help reduce the possibility of injury, as well as keep your muscles flexible and knot-free. And that means you can keep being unstoppable and going after all those awesome fitness goals you’ve been working so hard towards.

In partnership with HoMedics®, here are some of my favorite self-massage tools to help you get back to your workouts faster:

Foam Roller

What it’s best for: Targeting larger muscle groups like upper back, hip, quad, hamstring, and calf muscles.

Foam rollers are an absolutely essential tool for helping to keep your muscles injury-free and flexible. Foam rolling for even 5-10 minutes a day can seriously mean the difference between having tight, painful muscles that are prone to injuries and happy, loose ones that are ready to go during your next workout.

Although regular foam rolling will definitely still help, I’ve also been particularly impressed with the HoMedics® Gladiator™ Vibration Foam Roller with built-in vibration for even greater muscle soothing power. The vibration helps to soothe and relieve tight muscles, while the multiple foam textures on the roller itself and the three vibration massage intensities help to get deep into those sore spots. Just be aware it can be a bit intense if you’re extra sore, so start slowly!

If you’re wondering, you can find the HoMedics® Gladiator™ Vibration Foam Roller and all of the other awesome HoMedics® Sports Recovery Massagers on HoMedics.com, Target.com, or in store at Rite Aid.

Stick Roller

What it’s best for: Targeting leg muscles especially calf, quad, and hamstring muscles, as well as arms.

I’ve been a fan of stick rollers for a long time, ever since I first rediscovered jumping rope and couldn’t seem to shake those dreaded shin splints (no fun!). And seriously—if you jump, run, or squat a lot like I do, stick rollers should be your best friend.

If you want to take your stick roller massage to the next level, I can’t tell you how awesome the HoMedics® Vertex™ Vibration Stick Roller is. Along with the regular stick roller action, there are 6 independent spinning rollers to help stretch and loosen tired muscles. The added vibration really helps to soothe overworked muscles, and the trigger point ends help to release tight muscles with their targeted pressure massage. It’s made a serious difference in me bouncing back after really intense workouts.

Pinpoint Massager Ball

What it’s best for: Getting to those hard to reach spots like your lower back, bottom of your feet, shoulder blades, neck, forearm muscles, or whatever area feels like it needs some relief.

Although tools like foam rollers and stick rollers are awesome, sometimes you just can’t get all those hard to reach spots in your back, shoulders, legs, and arms. This is where the massager ball comes in—it specifically targets hard to reach spots and is another tool I refuse to go without (I often bring one with me when I travel).

My current favorite massager ball is the HoMedics® Atlas™ Vibration Acu-Node Massager—like the other HoMedics Sports Recovery Massagers, it features built-in vibration which stimulates and rejuvenates tired muscles and helps to deliver an even more effective massage. If you’ve never tried it, it may just change your life—it really is that awesome.

Bounce Back Faster From Your Workouts

As un-glamorous as focusing on post-workout muscle soothing may feel, it can often be the difference between being ready for a kickass workout and being too sore to walk up the stairs. Along with stretching, regular self-massage sessions are super important to help ensure your muscles stay healthy, flexible, and injury-free. Even just 10-15 minutes three or four days a week can make a huge difference.

And if you want an even deeper massage, the HoMedics Sports Recovery Massagers, all including vibration, are a really awesome way to soothe sore muscles at home. And when your muscles bounce back faster, you can get back to crushing your workout in no time!

Work hard, athletes! #NotGonnaStop

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