Self-Massage with Tennis Ball
You’re probably thinking I’m a crackpot right now because you’ve never heard of someone using a tennis ball to massage themselves. You’ve probably never heard of it because nobody stands to profit from it. Instead they push unhappy little tennis-ball-mutants like these for $20 or more. Don’t waste your money.
While we’re talking about purchasing things, a “practice ball” works best. Practice tennis balls never lose their bounce for some reason, I forget why. I think they’re also harder. For now, just grab whatever is in the garage/closet. If you’re a convert, think about buying a can of practice balls.
In terms of self-massage, the tennis ball plays the rifle to the foam roller’s shotgun. If you need to focus on a small, hard to reach area (i.e. pretty much anything other than the back and the thighs), the tennis ball should be your weapon of choice. Here are the body parts I think are best suited to self-massage with a tennis ball:
- Subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor (i.e., rotator cuff)
- Gluteus maximus and gluteus medius (i.e., butt)
- Soleus and gastrocnemius (i.e., calf)
- Tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis (i.e., shin)
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Originally Posted: 4/7/2008
