Massages are a great way to release tension and speed up recovery after intense workouts. But foam rollers are cheaperÌýand offer many of the same benefits.ÌýFoam rolling relieves tight muscles and works the connective tissue between muscles, organs, and bones. Here are eight moves I use toÌýmaximize this tool during theÌýrolling class I teach atÌý in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Elongate Your SpineÌýand Open Your Chest

How to Do It: Lay onÌýthe foam roller, which should be parallel to your spine. Make sure your head, neck, shoulders, upper back, midback, lower back, and pelvis are completely supported. Let your arms rest beside your body with your palms rotated either up or down. Allow your entire body to relax, and thenÌýgentlyÌýrock from right to left. Stretch your neck by slowly turningÌýyour head side to side.

Relax Your Shoulders and Upper Back

How to Do It:ÌýLay back ontoÌýthe roller, which shouldÌýbe perpendicular to your spine, behind your third- or fourth-lowest ribs. Keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, your hips heavy, and your core engaged. Bring your hands behind your ears with your elbows wide, keeping your fingers light and your chest open. Take a deep breath, and on your exhale, extend your backÌýover the foam roller in a gentle arch. Do this movement a few times in syncÌýwith your breath, inhaling to prepare and exhaling to arch. Return to theÌýstarting position, and bring your elbows in. Press into your feet to lift your hips a few inches from the ground. Keep your spine straight, and roll up to the tips of yourÌýshoulder blades and back down to where you started. Do this between five and tenÌýtimes. From here,Ìýlean to one side of your body and roll five to tenÌýtimes with the opposite shoulder blade lifted. You can straighten out your bottom arm or keep your palm behind your head. Repeat this on the opposite side.

Relieve Tightness in the IT Band and GlutesÌý

How to Do It: StartÌýby sittingÌýupright on the foam roller with your knees bent and your feet together. Lean both of your knees to the right so that your left hip is lifted. Draw three to fourÌýsmall circlesÌýon the roller with your right hip, moving both clockwise and counterclockwise.ÌýFrom here, roll forward and back along the side of your glutesÌýfive to ten times. Next, straighten your right leg and cross your left over it, with yourÌýleft foot flat on the ground. Roll the entire length of your upper right leg—from the outside of your right hip toÌýjust above your right knee (do not foam roll your knee). Repeat this five to tenÌýtimes. You can also pause atÌýthe middle of your outer leg and roll your leg side to side.

Open the Hips and Work Out Tight Quads

How to Do It:ÌýLay the front ofÌýyour hips on the roller. Keep your feet about a foot apart, and rest your knees gently on the ground, placing your head on your hands. ThenÌýpress your left palm into the ground and roll onto your right side, stacking your hips. From here, roll forward and back between five and tenÌýtimes. Repeat this on your left side. To work into your quadriceps, move the foam roller to just above your knees. Rest onÌýyour forearms, keeping your knees lifted from the ground, your core engaged, and your hips lifted a bit higher than your shoulders. Roll your quadriceps five to tenÌýtimes, either working your entire upper leg in one roll or breaking it into smaller sections and gradually moving upward. To intensify this, you can bend your knees, bringing your lower legs and feet towardÌýthe ceiling.

Massage theÌýHamstrings andÌýCalves

How to Do It: Start by sittingÌýupright on the foam roller. With the help of your arms, lift your buttÌýand rest the highest part ofÌýyour hamstrings, where your glutes connectÌýto your upper legs, on the roller. Roll the entire length of your hamstrings five to tenÌýtimes. To intensify this, cross one leg over the other, and roll one hamstring at a time. To work into your calf muscles, lower your hips to the ground behind the foam roller. Place the roller underneath the widest part of your right calf and cross your left leg over it. Bend and straighten your right leg five to tenÌýtimes. Explore turning your right toes to the left and right to work into different parts of your muscle.Ìý

Release YourÌýLower Back

How to Do It: Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Rest your hips onÌýthe foam roller, which should be perpendicular to your spine. Take a few deep breaths here. Then slowly lift your feet, and pull your knees towardÌýyour chest with your palms. Move your knees in circles clockwise and counterclockwise. From here, keep your right knee bent and allow your left foot to come to the ground. Interlace your palms on your shin below your right knee and hug your right knee towardÌýyour right shoulder. Avoid compressing the right side of the belly and the right side of your ribs. Rotate your right foot and ankle clockwise and counterclockwise a few times. Take five to tenÌýdeep breaths here. Repeat this on your left side.

Increase Mobility in the Groin and Upper Thighs

How to Do It: Lay on your belly with the foam roller to your left, parallel to your torso. Lean onto your rightÌýside and bring your leftÌýlegÌýover theÌýfoam roller, with your knee bent at a 90 degree angle and your calf and foot resting on the opposite side of the foam roller. Let your leg relax onto on the roller, and square your upper body and hips forward. Take a breath and exhale to roll onto your rightÌýside and draw the roller back to you. Repeat this five to tenÌýtimes before moving to the other side.

Release Tension in the Neck

How to Do It:ÌýLay flat on your back, with your legs straight or your knees bentÌýto support your back. Rest your head on your foam roller, allowing your neck and shoulders to relax towardÌýthe ground. The foam roller should be three to fourÌýinches from the base of your skull, and you can hold either end to keep it in place. Slowly nod your head up and down, inhaling as you lift your chin and exhaling as you lower it to your chest. Do this five to tenÌýtimes. From here, bring your head to neutral. Take a breath in, and exhale as youÌýturn your head to the right, as close to your right shoulder as is comfortable. Inhale to bring your head back to neutral. Exhale as youÌýturn your head to the left. Repeat this five to tenÌýtimes.

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Lower back pain is a common issue. Around 8.2 percent of U.S. adults deal with severe, chronic back pain, per a 2022 study published in . Whether you’re recovering from an injury or just deskbound and stiff, gentle stretching and strengthening can help alleviate pain.

As a and author of the book , I can attest to the fact that even a little yoga can go a long way. I believe in making yoga accessible to everyone, and no matter how busy you get, yoga can help bring you back into balance. Here, I’ll walk you through a sequence of nine poses that will help mitigate and prevent persistent lower-back pain.

1. Roll Down/Roll Up with a Forward Fold

What It Does: This movement is a great way to warm up your entire spine, lower back, hamstrings, calves, and ankles. Start your practice here to open the areas of the body you’ll be working on in this sequence.

How to Do It: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart, arms at your side. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and maintain a forward gaze and neutral chin. Bring a soft bend into your knees to protect your lower back. Take a deep breath in. Exhale, bringing your chin to your chest, and start to roll down toward your toes, letting the weight of your head guide you. Keep your knees soft the entire time. Once you reach a comfortable depth, feel free to bend your knees as much as you need until you can tent your fingertips in front of your feet. Let your head be heavy, and allow your shoulders to stay relaxed. Exhale through your mouth. Stay here for a few deep breaths. This forward fold will open and strengthen the lower back, upper back, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Inhale and slowly unravel your spine back up to standing. While you unravel, allow your toes to stay light, ground down through the four corners of your feet, let your head stay heavy, feel your shoulders move back over your hips, and return your gaze forward, standing up nice and tall. Repeat this four more times.

2. Wide-Leg Forward Fold

What It Does: This pose stretches the inner legs, back of the legs, and spine.

How to Do It: From standing, step your right foot to the back of your mat and turn your feet so they’re parallel with one another. You should be in a wide stance with your feet outside your hips, shoulders stacked over your pelvis, and arms open at your sides. Take a deep breath in to lift your chest, and exhale to hinge at your hips and lower your torso between your legs. Place your palms on the ground under your shoulders. Roll your weight inward and forward. Keep your feet either parallel or slightly turned in at the toes. To intensify the stretch, place your palms underneath the outside edges of your feet or to your ankles and use your upper-body strength to find more depth. You can stay here anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, coming in and out of the posture as many times as you need.

3. Pyramid Pose

What It Does: This pose strengthens the legs while stretching the hamstrings and improving posture and balance.

How to Do It: From Wide-Leg Forward Fold, place your palms at your hips, soften your knees, and inhale back up to standing. Rotate to your right foot, walking your right leg a little to the right and stepping your left foot forward and to the left about three to four feet behind your right foot. Your toes should align with your knees and hips, pointing forward. Draw your right outer hip back and your left outer hip forward. Keep your feet flat and your legs straight but not locked. Hinge at your hips and lengthen your upper body over your right leg. Place your palms on a support or the ground on either side of your right foot under your shoulders. Inhale to lengthen through the crown of your head, and exhale to bring your forehead closer to your right shin. Focus on elongating your spine in this posture and supporting your lower back by keeping your hips level. You can stay here anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, coming in and out of the posture as many times as you need. Repeat on your left side.

4. Down Dog

What It Does: Down Dog stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, and arches of the feet.

How to Do It: From Pyramid Pose, step to the front of your mat and come to standing. Fold forward, bring your hands to your mat, and step back, lifting your hips toward the ceiling. Spread your palms open and wrap your inner elbows inward to frame your face as you lift out of your wrists. Allow the crown of your head to relax toward your thumbs. Draw your tailbone toward your heels while keeping the hips lifted. Keep your knees soft and focus on creating more space in your spine. Engage your thighs by lifting away from your knees, and allow your heels to fall behind your big and first toes. You can stay here anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, coming in and out of the posture as many times as you need.

5. Dragon Pose

What It Does: Dragon Pose is a deep hip stretch that gets right into the joint while reaching the groin.

How to Do It: From Down Dog, come onto your hands and knees and place your right foot on the ground in front of your hip. Your right hip, knee, and heel should make a 90-degree angle. Move your left knee behind your left hip and lengthen the top of the shin and foot into the ground. Let your hand rest on top of your right thigh and sit up tall in the rest of your spine. To intensify the stretch, frame your right foot with your palms flat to the ground and move your upper body inside your right inner thigh. To intensify this pose even more, place your forearms on the ground without losing the 90-degree angle from the right hip, knee, and heel. Hold this for two to three minutes. Repeat on the left side.

6. Half Butterfly Seated

What It Does: Half Butterfly Seated is an easy way to stretch the lower back if you have tight hamstrings.

How to Do It: From Dragon Pose, come onto your hands and knees and take a seat, bringing your legs out in front of you. Extend your right leg out to the side and place your left foot at your right inner thigh. Turn your torso and upper body toward your right leg. Inhale, lift your arms over your head and exhale to let your upper body fold over your right leg. Your chin can come to your chest, and your stomach can be nice and heavy. If this bothers your neck, bring your chin back to neutral. Allow your upper body to be heavy and let gravity take over. Stay here for one to three minutes. The longer you hold this position, the deeper the stretch. Repeat on your left side.

7. Deep Outer-Hip Stretch with Twist

What It Does: Deep Outer-Hip Stretch with Twist engages the outer hip, the lower back, and the quadriceps.

How to Do It: From Half Butterfly Seated, bring your right foot behind you toward your butt, and flex your right toes back toward your right knee. Move your left foot away from your right inner thigh and forward, aligning the knee, shin, and heel with the top of your mat. Flex your left toes back toward your left knee. Breathe in to lengthen your spine up and out of your hips. On the exhale, lower forward onto your forearms, relaxing your head down. To intensify this stretch, move your upper body closer to your right knee. Stay here for five deep breaths. For the twist, sit back up with your shoulders over your hips and place your right palm at your left knee and your left palm behind you to the left of your left hip. Inhale to lengthen up through your spine, then exhale, using your arms to assist you in rotating your belly, ribs, chest, shoulders, neck, and head to the left. Stay here for five deep breaths. Repeat these steps on your right side.

8. Separate Leg Stretching

What It Does: Separate Leg Stretching strengthens the knees and stretches the hips, thighs, hamstrings, groins, and calves.

How to Do It: For this pose, you will use a strap or a scarf. From Deep Outer-Hip Stretch with Twist, lie down on your back with your legs extended in front of you. Bring your right knee into your chest, and loop your strap or scarf around the ball of your right foot. Extend your right leg straight up to the ceiling, and lower your grip on the strap until your elbows rest comfortably on the ground. Keep your hips, head, neck, shoulders, and entire back relaxed. Hold here for ten deep breaths, keeping your right leg as straight as possible. Now, use your right hand to hold the strap and move your left palm to the top of your left hip. Keep your left hip grounded, take your right leg to the right as far as is comfortable, and keep the leg straight. Hold here for ten deep breaths. Repeat on your left side.

9. Folded Pose to Supine Twist

What It Does: Folded Pose is a gentle way to stretch the spine and release any tension, while Supine Twist gently stretches the glutes and lower back while lengthening the spine.

How to Do It: Come back to center. Draw your right knee to your chest, interlacing all ten fingertips at the shin. Hug your right knee around your belly and hip and into your right shoulder while keeping the hips grounded. Hold for five breaths on each side. On an exhale, cross your right knee over your body to your left, stacking your right hip over your left hip. Extend your right hand to the right, palm facing up. Keep your right shoulder heavy and your gaze to the ceiling or to your right palm. Stay here for ten slow, deep breaths. Repeat on the left side.

Remember to Take Savasana

Lie down on the ground and allow your legs to become heavy. Relax your feet and toes. Allow your lower back, mid-back, upper back, shoulders, back of your neck, and head to rest on the ground. Extend your arms away from the midline of your body and soften your hands and fingers. Close your eyes and relax the muscles in your face. Stay here for at least three minutes, letting your hard work settle in. If this is uncomfortable, taking savasana with your knees bent and feet flat is another option and a great way to support your lower back and allow your pelvis to release into the floor.

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