In our opinion, our rest day is just as important as a workout. Whether you exercise or not, there's never a bad time to give yourself a little TLC. It's time to pull out the foam roller and say "Thank you" to your body. Foam rolling helps to massage the body, loosening up tight and stiff muscles, which is a must for preventing injury.
Tip: the IT band is a thick strand of fascia that runs the length of the thigh; when it gets tight, it can pull the knee out of alignment, causing pain and inflammation in the joint.
Tip: pay special attention to tight spots, allowing the tension to sink into the roller.
Tip: tight glutes can pull on the IT band and adversely affect the alignment of the hips and knees.
Tip: this move is a key to preventing shin splints.
Tip: the piriformis muscle, found under the glute max, runs laterally from the sacrum (back of the pelvis) to the outside of the upper thigh. It is small but can get really tight.
Tip: keeping your lower back loose and limber directly affects the flexibility of your glutes and the efficiency of your training.