Have you ever wondered why almost every pro tennis player gets a long massage after every match?

The answer: Because it works.

Why Massage?

Massage releases trigger points and spasms in the muscles which restores them to full function. You can stretch a trigger point or spasm all you want – you won’t get rid of it, in fact you might even make it worse. Think of pulling on the two ends of a piece of rope with a loose knot in it. The more you pull, the tighter the knot gets.

The Simple Solution

So here’s an easy way to self-massage, and you can even watch TV while you do it. The key to it all is the humble tennis ball.

The problem with self-massage is it takes a lot of effort to squeeze on your muscles and your hand and forearm muscles get tired. The last thing you want as a tennis player is to overwork your hand and forearm muscles.

The trick is to grab a tennis ball and roll it over whichever muscles you think might need some attention. Use your arm or body weight or a wall, anything but your forearm and hand muscles, to supply pressure. It’s that easy.

When I heard about this technique I didn’t think it was going to work, but I was desperate for a massage. After just a few minutes I was amazed at how effective it is. I was even more amazed and how many muscles I thought were fine but weren’t.

Where to Massage

To find a good spot to massage, roll the ball around on a muscle until you feel discomfort in the muscle – that’s a trigger point or spasm. Essentially anything that is painful with moderate pressure from the tennis ball is a less than happy muscle that needs attention.

I get a ‘twofer’ on my forearm massage by putting the tennis ball between the top of my thigh and my forearm and use my body weight to lean on the ball and massage my thigh and forearm at the same time.

Give it a try, it’s easy, non-intrusive, and can be done almost anywhere. You can even watch the Australian open while you do it!