Self Massage Tools recommendations
Everyone is restricted to only one (Ok, 2 if they are really funny) pithy remarks on the title...
I'm looking to focus on the total picture this out season and based on feedback from multiple massage therapists, I've got some of the tightest leg muscles known to man. I try to get a 1 hour massage every two weeks or so, but I'm looking to incoporate self massage into the routine. As there are no shortage of "recommended" products that producers are very willing to sell to us anxious triathletes with too much money to burn, I'm looking for some good/bad/neutral reviews of products out there. Any/everything is on the table right now (to include good how-to books), specifically seeking input on foam pads, trigger balls, massage sticks (these all come up on google searches). Thanks for your feedback.
Comments
Roy, have a rumble roller (little finger bumps) which works really well and a massage stick for specificly drilling into tight leg muscles.
if your leg muscles are that tight you also might want to consider a complete stretching program. The best one I have every found is called active isolated stretching (I think I have posted the link below.
Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) Techniques for Athletes – Athletic Stretching Techniques
Spending 5-7 minutes after a 3 minute cool down walk lets me stretch and relax everything from ankles to shoulders. It makes my workouts feel complete. YMMV
One big factor with these...BE CAREFULL. I have given many a massage to athletes who over did it with these products. Go online and watch some how to videos before you beat yourself up, or PM me and I will gladly tell you how to use it.
Good luck on your search!
So, you really want a self massage recommendation for something tight?.....well....ummmm....I.... uhhh....recommend a fist sized, solid ball (or two if you can handle it
). They usually come in white, but you can find them in yellow, orange, and other colors, but my favorite is blue 
. Yes, you have it.....lacrosse balls. They can really dig into the muscle and help loosen things up. I also like the foam roller, but the best thing I've found happens when you're nice and warmed up, with a little trickle of sweat going......yes, you guessed it----stretching!!!
Moji 360 roller. I covet mine. I've had friends try to steal it from me. It does everything a foam roller does, and lots it cant. Like your own personal ART and Masseuse. Seriously. You'll cry, then you'll laugh, you may experience all the emotions....
http://www.gomoji.com/products/moji_360__ultimate_bundle/38.php
Roy - Your best bang for the buck is going to be the TP Therapy Ultimate 6 Kit. It will kick your ass. You will be in tears but will notice a significant improvement in a short amount of time in terms of flexibility, looseness and the way your workouts feel. Buy the kit and then go to YouTube and look at videos by tptherapy and you'll find some good "How To" stuff. Also, the AthletesTreatingAthletes that P recommended is a good compliment to using TP Therapy products. I don't work for them, I just believe.
Jim, I'll take a look at that set and see.
Thanks again!
Just to throw another option out there (since you never know what is going to work best for you out of the myriad of options out there) - I've been doing Bikram Yoga for a couple years and it has completely revolutionized my ability to train w/o injury due to muscle tightness. I had IT band issues that were becoming chronic (two training seasons cut short in an attempt to complete my first marathon), and while I found deep tissue massages to be the best at providing acute relief, they obviously cost a good deal of money. I find that Bikram Yoga hits all parts of me that need attention with biking and running - quads, hamstrings, knees, hips, glutes, etc.
It works for me in large part because having a class to go to once a week keeps me accountable, as opposed to doing something on my own.
The thing is awesome. It is sitting out in my bedroom and i use it nearly daily when actively training. I have found that rolling has allowed me to stay on top of keeping things from getting tight which in turn has helped with knee pain and those little annoying injuries that pop up from time to time. Very good on the calves and IT band areas.
I own several foam rollers, the entire TP Massage collection, and several other self-massage tools. But my every day go-to piece of equipment is a Body Rolling ball. Below are a few examples. The first two are very similar and are equally good (you only need one) for working quads, hamstrings, IT band, glutes, adductors, and low/mid back.
OPTP Balls for Body Work (I think the Intermediate Medium 17cm is the best all-around option):
FitBALL 6" intermediate ball (pretty similar to the ball above, slightly smaller & more firm):
FitBALL 5" firm ball - great for working on the deep hip rotators (and less potentially aggravating to the sciatic nerve than a tennis ball or TP Massage Ball):
And the following little magic device was a huge hit with my RAGNAR team (I have the smaller blue one, but a larger one might be better for larger legs):
THAT THING ROCKED!!!!!! I've been trying to find it ever since we stole, er, um, borrowed it from Michele's bag while she was at the hospital last year! It's was perfect for Ragnar where you had limited space to get some massage work done!