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Gear of the week: Trigger Point Kit

Triathletes, you’ve chosen a hobby that just so happens to be great for knotting muscles, stiffening calves and causing all sorts of confusing aches and pains and agonizingly tight muscles. Just as fitting in the appropriate mileage each week is important, so is maintaining the parts of the body that you put so much strain on. That’s when it’s time to kick off the shoes and pick up the roller. Have problems in the glutes, calves, or IT band? The Trigger Point performance therapy kit comes ready to work out all the runner’s sore spots.

FootballerFootballer, starter kit $89.99: 

This mini roller is about the size of a handheld weight. It’s designed to work out muscle problems in the lower legs. Use it on calf, feet or soleus muscles (near the shin). To use this one properly, rest in on top of the block that is comes with so the leg can be elevated and the foot relaxed. Apply pressure either with the hands or the opposite leg.
QuadballerQuadballer, $74.99: 

Larger muscle groups cause major problems when they tighten up and get stiff. Roll out those knots on a regular basis to keep the runs feeling smooth. The Quadballer is made to target larger problem areas like the glutes, quads, hamstrings and IT band. This little tool is going to be more useful than your basic foam roller because its firmer build means it can apply more pressure to get muscles feeling limber again.

 

TP_massage_ball_TP Massage Ball, $27.99:

Every runner needs to have a massage ball at the ready. This ball is more dense than your muscles meaning that it can really get into the trouble spots and apply pressure to break up the most stubborn of knots. Use it on any aching muscle or hard-to-reach spot. Typically, a runner might reach for this to smooth out issues with the calves, hips, shoulders, or upper back. To get the best results, the ball has to be still against a wall or floor with lots of pressure applied. To get an extra massage, move it slowly from side to side or in a circular motion.