Foam Roller!

At the risk of sounding like a product pusher, I was just using my foam roller today and realized how much it has helped me stay lithe (!) and limber (!).  It's great for stretching your IT (Iliotibia) band (the place where your quad ends on the outside of your leg), your hip-flexor/psoas (basically where your leg inserts into your hip), back, butt, and anything else you want to stretch.  Here are some funny pictures of a man demonstrating some of these fine stretches.

BEWARE - this stretching is not all that pleasant.  You basically roll around on it until you find a spot that hurts and then stay there *trying* to relax.  I've been known to sweat and whimper while rolling out my IT band.  But after you're done, you feel a lot better.  My hips have been "clicking" lately so I knew it was time to break out the foam roller.

Foam rollers come in many sizes and circumferences, but I like the short and fat one best.  A nalgene bottle would make for a good substitute if you found yourself stranded on a desert island and absolutely needed to stretch.  Did someone mention dessert?