All you need is one simple tool.
We don’t have to tell you that stiffness is no fun. And while the cause of stiffness is usually fairly intuitive, we thought we’d remind you that muscle stiffness often occurs after hard work like exercise. On the other hand, it also happens after periods of inactivity. That’s why your muscles feel tight or painful after sitting for a long time — or even worse, the much-dreaded neck stiffness you may feel after getting out of bed.
Luckily for us, Katie’s personal Pilates instructor, Ashley Patten, has some advice to help you loosen up. She’s previously provided helpful video tutorials on a variety of exercises — how to stretch before a workout, how to stretch to improve posture, and ab routines to relieve back pain. Plus, she’s already counseled us on how to address hip stiffness — perfect for those of us who work from home and feel achy after hunching over a laptop for hours on end.
This time around, Patten has some additional advice for opening up your hips and shoulders — but here, she suggests integrating a foam roller. According to SELF, using this handy workout tool may warm up your muscles and help you recover after a workout (admittedly, the research is still pretty limited at this point, but we’re happy to see a potential positive correlation).
Plus, we’re happy to report that a decent foam roller will only set you back about $25 — though you can buy even prettier, textured rollers for a steeper price (if you want to splurge, this lululemon pick is calling your name). However, if you’re seeking savings and love a project, you can easily find tutorials for making your own at home (if you give this a go, we envy your craftiness). But regardless of your equipment, you’ll feel refreshed and loosened up after spending 10 minutes on the floor with this brisk routine.
