You may have seen these foam rollers around your yoga/Pilates studio or gym. What are these for anyway? Just about anything! I use them for massage, core workouts, and helping with back problems. I am still discovering so many fantastic ways to use them (not the least being to keep my three-year-old son quiet!). These are excellent tools in class, but the great new is, many benefits of the roller can be experienced safely right at home. If you are looking for something to use at home for many fitness benefits, this is it.

There are different types of rollers, but they essentially do the same thing. One basic type is by Isokenetics. You can look almost anywhere and read what about them to see what fits your needs and budget- but a basic white roller should do the trick. I would recommend the full roller to start, as it has more uses.

I feel that doing Pilates exercises with props often makes the alignment clearer, allowing you to find the muscles you need to stabilize the body with greater ease than in a traditional mat workout. Thanks to Ellie Herman’s Pilates Props Workbook, you can find enough exercises to do safely in the comfort of your own home that will yield results. You can even do these while watching TV if you like. (Shhh, I did not say that!) What I like about this book is that the exercises are clear and are easy to follow and most exercises are beginner to intermediate level, so there is a low risk of injury. Herman adds wonderful massage exercises that feel great - and are really fun to do!

In this particular book, foam rollers are only once section. Some of the book is dedicated to various other props. If you are looking for a book that is solely a "foam roller" book, there are many out there. I stick to Ellie Herman's because I like her style and delivery. If anyone has another book they'd recommend, share it in the comments!