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This 5 Minute Self-Massage Reduces the Appearance of Cellulite and Soothes Tense Muscles

Dimples on your face are cute, but dimples in other areas can be less than attractive. If you’re one of the many women struggling to battle cellulite on areas like your hips and thighs, we get it. Luckily, a simple massage exercise on a foam roller can help reduce the appearance of cellulite, as well as soothe your muscles and provide deep relaxation to tense muscles. 

If you haven’t heard of foam rolling, not to worry. We promise it isn’t going to take you forever and feel like a workout at the end of your busy day. It’s a massaging technique of the fascia  — the connective tissue made primarily of collagen which attaches, stabilizes, and separates your muscles and other organs — using a soft roller made of foam. So why is your fascia important, and what’s it got to do with cellulite?

Fitness and alignment expert Lauren Roxburgh told People, “By addressing the connective tissue and bringing in fresh oxygenated blood every time you get on the roller, you’re bringing in circulation, you’re smoothing out that density, and wringing out the toxins. Once you’ve gotten rid of the density and the thickness, the muscles are more activated underneath, and once those muscles come back to the surface, you see more of that beautiful tone.” 

But how exactly do you foam roll? Check out Lauren’s video below!

To roll away cellulite on your thighs, you’ll need to purchase a foam roller like this one from OPTP ($34.95, Amazon). Place your roller on the ground horizontally, and lay on-top of it so that your thighs are resting on the roller. Then, roll up and down your legs in a smooth, slow motion. You should feel a strong sensation in the area, but no pain. 

If you want to work on the cellulite around your hips and buttocks, sit on top of the roller with your feet planted on the ground and your arms behind you. Your palms should be planted on the ground for balance and stability. You can simply roll back and forth this way, or for a more intense massage, place your right ankle on top of your left knee, and focus on the right buttock and hip area by rolling back and forth, then repeat on the other side. You can also lay sideways on the roller to focus on your outer-hip area, placing your forearm down for stability and rolling back on forth on your hip, then repeating on the other side.

For best results, practice foam rolling at the end of the day for at least five minutes, and make sure to do it often — consistency is key! Additionally, be sure that you drink a full glass of water before and after rolling to rehydrate the fascial tissue. The best part of this process is your muscles will be so relaxed and rehydrated that you’ll fall into a deep, restful sleep! If you’d like to know more about foam rolling for cellulite and for other areas of the body, check out the book The Melt Method ($10.98, Amazon) by Sue Hitzmann. It has tons of techniques and tips for foam rolling that can help you achieve better overall health in your connective tissue and body! Happy rolling!

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