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10 best foam rollers for giving yourself a post-workout massage
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With the new year in full swing, fitness and health are at the forefront of many folks' minds. Those new workout routines can wreak havoc on muscles that have been at rest too long, though, so you might need some extra help beating that post-gym soreness.
Foam rollers are a fantastic option when looking to increase mobility and healing time when upping your movement. They work on the concept of self-myofascial release (SMR), basically self-massage, that breaks up tight tissue all over your body so the muscles beneath can move more freely with improved circulation. Think of your sore muscles as trapped in a web of soft tissue, and the foam roller is the tenderizing tool you need to release it so you can heal more quickly.
Below, we've chosen our favorite foam rollers based on effectiveness, user reviews, price, and even attractiveness! From the most basic model selling tens of thousands of units on Amazon to a vibrating pro roller beloved by athletes, keep scrolling to see which tool you should add to your arsenal to stay loose and on the go in 2022.
Amazon Basics High-Density Round Foam Roller
Amazon Basics
High-Density Round Foam Roller
Amazon's top pick is also their most basic and versatile thanks to a variety of size and color options, densely packed foam, and fantastic price point that includes free Prime shipping for members. This particular model has sold more than 67,000 units with overwhelmingly positive ratings, making it our top pick for newcomers to the rolling game.
Amazon Basics
$20
Restore Self-Guided Foam Roller
Restore
Self-Guided Foam Roller
With a compact 18-inch size and semi-firm density, this is already a great roller for beginners. What drives that deal home is the handy guide to nine common moves depicted in words and images printed right onto the roller, so you'll be able to perform these exercises without pausing to check your phone for instruction!
Restore
$25
2-in-1 Foam Roller
Love Sweat Fitness
2-in-1 Foam Roller
Multiple zones and pressure points make this 2-in-1 option attractive enough, but it also promises to help reduce cellulite while looking cute as can be in your home workout setup. What could be more motivational?!
Love Sweat Fitness
$34.99
Rollga Soft Foam Roller
Rollga
Soft Foam Roller
It's 35% softer than Rollga's standard roller and has grooves that let you gently target sore muscles without wrecking your bones for improved activation, blood flow, and a quicker overall recovery time. Keep this roller on hand if you're a marathon runner or like to push yourself physically in other ways and need a kinder, softer way to bounce back.
Rollga
$49.99
321 STRONG Foam Roller - Medium Density Deep Tissue Massager for Muscle Massage and Myofascial Trigger Point Release, with 4K eBook
321 STRONG
Foam Roller - Medium Density Deep Tissue Massager for Muscle Massage and Myofascial Trigger Point Release, with 4K eBook
If your approach to fitness is more hard-edged and intense, you might enjoy this tough-as-nails roller that hits all the myofascial trigger spots that will hurt like hell for a moment before easing you into a newfound mobility. More than 27,000 ratings on Amazon average out to a 4.5 star rating, so you can trust you'll get some use out of this roller.
321 Strong
$44.99
$28.99
Lululemon Double Roller
Lululemon
Double Roller
The woodgrain-mimicking finish of this roller already makes it an appealing options for those who want to keep things beautiful, but this Lululemon option has the added benefit of a two-roller system that makes it versatile and, when you pull out the interior roller, safe for stretching your lower back–a no-no with most other models that are too firm for the nerve-packed area.
Lululemon
$58
Nextrino Vibrating Foam Roller for Back
Nextrino
Vibrating Foam Roller for Back
Nextrino incorporates a whole new level to rolling with this model: Vibration. Set it to one of three speeds and let the trigger points hit exactly where you need it to really shake out the post-workout soreness and encourage healing deep down inside tired muscles. Scroll through the review section to see plenty of athletes praising this tool if you need more convincing!
Nextrino
$59.98
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