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These are my preferences on how to massage different parts of the body.
* '''Feet'''. I use a trigger wheel to massage the underside of my feet.
* '''Calves'''. [[The Stick]] works well on the calves, but requires a lot of force to get deep enough. (I have disproportionately larger claves than arms.) Using your knee to massage your other leg's calf works surprisingly well. Cross your legs so you calf rests on your knee and then rub the calf up and down the kneeor elbow can get quite deep with good control, but can be awkward. The [[Thumper]] also works well on the calves.
* '''Hamstrings and hip adductors'''. [[The Stick]] works best here, but make sure the knee is bent and the foot supported so that the hamstring is relaxed.
* '''The quads'''. Use the [[Foam Roller]], but take time to go deep enough to work the full muscle. [[The Stick]] can help, but it's hard to go deep enough. The elbow is great for going deep with lots of control. Be careful using only the Foam Roller, as this tends not to get to the VMO (see below for details).
File:QuadThumperVMO.JPG|The thumper works a little better on the VMO, where you can apply more pressure.
File:QuadSoftball.JPG|I find the softball rather awkward to use, but it can go deep. You’ll notice I’m using my other leg to control the pressure, which you can also do with the foam roller. Using sandpaper to roughen up the surface of the softball helps in controlling it.
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=Hip Massage=
The hip can be tricky to self-massage due to its location. This is quite a small area, between the hip joint and the crest of the pelvis ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliac_crest iliac crest]), massaging primarily the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_fasciae_latae Tensor fasciae latae]. Below the hip joint is covered in quad massage and the buttock area is covered under glute massage. Hip massage may help with [[Knee Pain]] and [[Iliotibial band syndrome]] (ITBS).
<gallery widths=300px heights=200px caption="Hip Massage">
File:HipRoller.JPG|The roller can be effective at massaging the hip, but full body weight can be too much for this area. Use your opposite leg to control how much weight is applied to the hip. Use both arms to stabilize your body and control the movement up and down.
File:HipStick.JPG|The stick can work on the hip, but it can be tricky to sufficiently relax the muscle while getting a good angle with the stick. Bend over towards the side being massaged to try to relax the hip muscles.
File:HipSoftball.JPG|This is similar to using the foam roller, but more targeted and slightly harder to control.
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