Foam Roller
Why its great: For very sensitive areas, its helpful to use something with a larger surface area to distribute the force, says Cheung. Plus, you can cover off big muscle groupslike your IT bands, quads and calvesfaster. You can find foam rollers with different firmness levels, and some add little nubs to help you dig deeper. Pick whatever feels best for you, though a smooth, soft design can help keep things comfortable for newbies.How to use it: It can take a bit of experimentation (and sometimes, awkward positions) to find your best foam-roll method. No matter which muscles youre targeting, youll need to get down on the floor over the foam roller and glide your body back and forth to work the area. For example, to tackle your quads, lie face down with one thigh on the foam roller and your forearms on the ground, then seesaw yourself to roll from the hip bone to a few inches above your knee (steer clear of joints!).Everlast 4-Inch EPP Foam Roller, $30, thebay.com(Related:Why Everyone Is Using a Foam Roller Right Now (and You Should Too))