Odd Enough: 'Why I Love foam rolling in the nude'

Our associate fitness editor swears by the benefits of foam-rolling au natural.

One day after a tough circuit in my overheated bedroom, I tore off my clothes before lying down with my foam roller, which I use religiously to nix tightness.

I placed it under my shoulder blades to unknot my upper back, then moved it to my calves, and I fell into a Zen rhythm: There was no bunched-up tank to smooth, no extra fabric around my shins keeping the cylinder from gliding. It felt divine—like a real deep-tissue massage!

Clothed, rolling always felt restrained, like tickling your own arm instead of someone else tickling it for you. Turns out, I was on to something. 'Direct contact gives you a better grip, so you can target the soft tissue more intensely,' says David Reavy, founder of React Physical Therapy.

Now I rarely foam-roll in clothes—i.e., in public.

This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Women's Health. For more great advice, pick up a copy of the issue on newsstands now!

Our associate fitness editor swears by the benefits of foam-rolling au natural. Read Full Story