A foam roller may look sweet and innocent, but the effects it has on your body are far from that. You may have seen a few of of them lying around your gym:

Foam rolling is a form of stretching called myofascial release. The specifics of this type of stretching can get complicated, so I'll do my best not to get too scientific on you. Basically, what it does is help release the tension in your muscles, allowing them to loosen up and remain limber. [more]