Stretching Tools
If you had told me two years ago that I should use a Spiky Ball as one of my stretching tools I would have shrugged it off. Most of the Spiky Balls I had seen were in the mouths of dogs at the park. I was uneducated in how to use the ball for that rehabilitation purposes. I knew there were hard and soft versions, however the reason people loved them so much somewhat eluded me.
I’d also heard about people taping tennis balls with gaffer tape and people seeking out and buying lacrosse balls. According to the people I’d spoken with, they just wanted the hardest ball ever.
And what was the main reason they wanted it? To sit on. They try and relax into a happy place where, through structured breathing and correct placement of the ball, their glutes relax enough for the ball to knead out all the built up lactic acid and bad toxins.
Crazy, right?! But thinking back to the last massage I had, I remember wincing due to a similar feeling when she elbowed me in the glutes…
While I was living in Hobart I participated in a new fitness craze called BarreCode. Inspired by ballet but a brilliant cross between pilates, yoga, and cardio training enabling you to push your body’s limits without realising that you’re doing so. The venue I went to was up about 3 or 4 flights of stairs and on my first go, it wasn’t until I had to navigate myself back down those stairs that I realised how sneaky and sly the exercises were.
Here, I learnt a lot of valuable stretching techniques as you would in any pilates or yoga classes (and I’ve done a few in my time), however I was introduced for the first time to stretching my hamstrings using a small ball in a pose demonstrated by the lady below:
For this particular stretch while making use of the ball, you place the ball underneath the front foot where your arch is, and through a series of deep breaths you attempt to lower your chest (ensuring a straight back) toward your thigh and repeat for both sides. If you took the ball away and tried to touch your toes before you did your other foot you can feel how much it helps.
For me, this was revolutionary.
Fast forward about a year or so later and I’ve decided I now want to get into the splits. I’ve never been able to do the splits previously and even with my active lifestyle, I’ve always assumed the splits to be an unachievable party trick for me.
I researched a fair bit, and the general consensus is that (after your legs are super warm) you have to stretch every aspect of your legs, almost daily. Until recently, I’d been doing a fair bit of PNF stretching, but I thought I would explore other means. This is when I thought back to BarreCode, and lacrosse balls.
I got myself a pocket physio, Locker Room stretch bands and a set of hard spiky massage balls in addition to my pre-existing black RumbleRoller, and have incorporated these tools into a lengthy new stretching ritual which I participate in every time I work out.
For the past four weeks I’ve been deep breathing my way through sitting, rolling and stretching on these tools, and those who’ve witnessed this have grimaced in sympathy with me. But, the good news is, I am mere inches away from sitting flat, and I couldn’t be happier.
It’s just proof that taking the time to self massage and stretch works wonders for your body. I feel way more limber than I did when I first started and I fully intend on continuing on with this routine.
Physio Supplies Australia have a comprehensive range of products which can assist with your stretching routine, ranging from foam rollers, oval spiky massage balls (great for under your desk at work as a bit of a foot massage), stretch bands and pilates balls.
So, start stretching your way to happiness today!
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