{"id":65140,"date":"2018-01-23T11:15:05","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T16:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=65140"},"modified":"2021-09-22T08:09:57","modified_gmt":"2021-09-22T12:09:57","slug":"lacrosse-ball-exercises-sore-muscles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/lacrosse-ball-exercises-sore-muscles\/","title":{"rendered":"Ease Sore Muscles with These 5 Lacrosse Ball Moves"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Ease
Photo Courtesy of SoulAnnex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019ve ever felt tightness or discomfort in your hips, back or shoulders (slowly <\/em>raises hand), it\u2019s time to add some recovery sessions<\/a> to your routine. And we don\u2019t just mean the foam roller<\/a> after every sweat. The one tool you\u2019re probably missing from your sore muscles-soothing arsenal: the lacrosse ball.<\/p>\n

When used for self-myofascial release (aka massage), the lacrosse ball helps break up the connective tissue (or fascia) surrounding your muscles and organs that can get rigid from lots of sitting \u2014 or<\/em> exercising. But what sets it apart from a foam roller<\/a> is its ability to loosen up tough-to-reach spots. \u201cIt gets into the insertion points where muscle meets the fascia, like right between your spine and shoulder blade,\u201d explains Charlee Atkins<\/a>, creator of Le Stretch at Soul Annex<\/a>, where she incorporates the ball. It\u2019s also much easier to take on the road, the SoulCycle master instructor adds.<\/p>\n

Just like the foam roller, the ball is great to use both before and after a workout<\/a>. Post-sweat, your muscles are still in the contracted state. \u201cIt takes time for them to lengthen to their resting place, which is when knots can form,\u201d Atkins says. \u201cBut the lacrosse ball takes them out of that contraction.\u201d Pair the rolling with stretching<\/a> (one muscle group at a time) and you have a match made in mobility<\/a> heaven, Atkins says. Pre-exercise, the ball also helps warm up your muscles, elevating the body\u2019s core temperature and getting you ready to tackle tough movements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whether you want to move better through each exercise or ease sore muscles, these five myofascial release exercises \u2014 curated by Atkins \u2014 get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Are You Foam Rolling All Wrong?<\/a><\/p>\n

5 Ways to Use a Lacrosse Ball to Relieve Sore Muscles<\/h2>\n

\"Lacrosse<\/p>\n

1. Pec Release\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Desk workers, cyclists and boxing<\/a> class goers, this is for you. Give a little love to your chest muscles<\/a> with this move meant to counteract that hunched-over posture and loosen up the front of your upper body.<\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie on a mat on your stomach. Place the ball under your chest, about two inches below the collar bone on your right side (on top of the pectoral muscles), midway between the sternum and armpit. Bring your left hand to your forehead and rest your head on it. Take the right hand and place it on your lower back, palm up and elbow pointed outward. Massage the ball into the chest in a left-to-right motion, moving slowly. You can also simply breathe deeply, allowing the ball to release pressure. Continue holding or moving side-to-side for 30 seconds to two minutes.<\/p>\n

\"Lacrosse<\/p>\n

2. Glute release<\/h3>\n

Your glutes<\/a>, aka butt muscles, act as stabilizers as your spinning<\/a>, running or simply standing, Atkins says. Relieve any tightness in that area and you can easily move in more directions. Plus, it\u2019ll help increase your range of motion<\/a> \u2014 an important advantage for weight lifters<\/a>, too. (Hello, deeper squat!) If you sit most of the day, this will also get the blood flowing.<\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie on your back on a mat, knees bent. Place the lacrosse ball underneath your booty, where the glutes meet your low back. Put your weight on top of the ball (using your elbows to prop yourself up on the mat for stability) and slowly roll side-to-side over it, rolling all the way to the outer edge of the hip, close to the side of the body. Then, allow your knee and thigh to fall toward the mat (like a clamshell, as shown). Pull the knee back up toward center and repeat. Continue for 30 seconds to two minutes.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>50 Butt Exercises to Sculpt Stronger Glutes<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Lacrosse<\/p>\n

3. Quad Release<\/h3>\n

Just got back from a long day of travel? This recovery move is perfect for easing sit-all-day aches. It\u2019s also extra beneficial for runners<\/a>. \u201cThe job of the quad is to extend the lower leg \u2014 a repetitive movement in running,\u201d Atkins explains. That continuous motion can lead to seriously sore muscles, but the ball will provide relief.<\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Sit in a 90-90 position, with both knees bent at 90 degrees, one leg placed in front of you and the other to the side. Place the ball on your outer most quad muscle (known as the vastus lateralis). Shift your weight over the front of your body, keeping your chest up. Massage one spot, then continue moving the ball up the thigh, on that same muscle, until you reach your hip. Continue for 30 seconds to two minutes.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 IT Band Stretched Every Runner Needs<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Lacrosse<\/p>\n

4. Back Release<\/h3>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re sitting at a desk, your core<\/a> can\u2019t activate due to the placement of your pelvis,\u201d says Atkins. \u201cThis means the back muscles are active all day.\u201d Translation: You might feel discomfort or tightness in your low back that calls for some extra TLC with self-myofascial release. Golfers, tennis players<\/a> and boxers \u2014 or anyone who does a ton of twisting movements \u2014 will also benefit.<\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie on your back on a mat, knees bent. Place the ball on the left outside edge of your spine, halfway between the mid- to low-back and right on the erector spinae muscles. Your feet, butt, hips, shoulders and head should all be on the mat. Apply pressure by engaging your core. Next, come up to your elbows for extra stability and carefully massage the ball from left to right. Then, drop your left knee and thigh to the side, down toward the mat \u2014 the same clamshell movement you did for the glute release (as shown). Repeat for 30 seconds to two minutes.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>7 Ways Exercise Helps Relieve Back Pain<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Lacrosse<\/p>\n

5. Shoulder and Neck Release<\/h3>\n

That nagging tightness you get in your shoulders and neck is precisely where this move will hit. In other words, cancel your massage appointment \u2014 you can now find relief right at home.<\/p>\n

How to: <\/strong>Lie on your back on a mat, with knees bent. Place the ball between your spine and shoulder blade, where the neck, shoulder and upper back all meet. Keep your head on the ground, chest open. Lift your hips halfway toward the ceiling for a half bridge pose<\/a>. Apply pressure to the ball and slightly roll upwards (ball goes down) in a very small movement. Then, slowly lift your arm straight into the air, palm faces toward the feet. Bring it back down by your side. Repeat for 30 seconds to two minutes.<\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>5 Foam Rolling Moves You Aren\u2019t Doing (But Should)<\/a>
\nThe 7 Best Mobility Exercises You Haven\u2019t Tried Yet<\/a>
\nThe One Foam Rolling Move You Need to Do<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Loosen up all those hard-to-reach tight spots with these five self-myofascial release moves, performed with a lacrosse ball. You\u2019ll feel better in an instant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":65159,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[289,50,135,138,82,145,341,343],"class_list":["post-65140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-exercise","tag-foam-rolling","tag-post-workout","tag-pre-workout","tag-recovery","tag-stretching","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/51"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}