If you’re achy from back pain these soothing Chirp Wheel stretches will help release stiffness.
While stretching your muscles is essential for combatting pain and stiffness, releasing the fascia that encases the muscles with “Targeted SMR” is just as important. Fascia is a thin casing of connective tissue that surrounds and holds every organ, blood vessel, bone, nerve fiber and muscle in place. The tissue does more than provide internal structure; fascia has nerves that make it almost as sensitive as skin. When stressed, it tightens up.
This is a key reason why a trigger point – also referred to as a “knot” – in one muscle can cause pain in a completely different part of the body. This is known as, “referral pain”. So, tightness in one area could be causing pain somewhere seemingly unrelated and vice versa. (1)
Chirp Wheel stretching is a form of self-myofascial release (SMR) which can be used to massage out trigger points in the muscles and improve overall circulation and range of motion.
Studies show that SMR through foam rolling and chirp stretching increases range of motion and mobility, which can also lead to better posture, faster recovery from daily activities and exercise, and overall higher physical performance. (3, 4)
Guidelines for Chirp Wheel Stretching:
Find a flat, firm, non slippery surface to begin.
Apply moderate pressure to the muscle that you are rolling out and stop immediately if something doesn’t feel right or the pain feels like too much. Always listen to your body.
Roll slowly around the areas of direct pain to help you to find trigger points.
Once you find a knot, hold for a minimum of 20 seconds or until you feel a release of the pain, and then continue on until you find the next one. You may experience intensity of pain before the release.
Never use the Chirp Wheel directly over bone
Expect soreness the next day, just as if you had a deep tissue massage. Also, make sure to drink plenty of water after foam rolling.
Keep a consistent Chirp Wheel schedule to see improvement.
Use these 8 Chirp Wheel stretching exercises to relieve back pain and achieve overall balance in your body. Start with the larger wheel and progress to the smaller one . Note where your trigger points and tightness are and make sure to do the exercises that assist those areas daily.
If you’re achy from back pain, use these soothing Chirp Wheel stretches to release stiffness.
1. Lean back
Sit on the ground with knees bent and feet firmly planted.
Place the Chirp Wheel+ against your back in alignment with your spine. Take some time to center yourself and find balance even on the ground.
Lean back gently to transfer your weight to the wheel. Relax and find balance in this position before lifting your hips.
a. Lift hips.
Rest your hands on the ground, the wheel, or your chest for balance. Do whichever feels the most comfortable for you.
Lift your hips upward while relaxing your back. Find balance with your hips lifted before rolling on the wheel.
Don’t tense up! The more you relax your back, the better it will feel.
b. Roll back and forth.
Begin to roll back and forth on the wheel by bending and straightening your legs. Use your hands for balance.
Just relax and hear the gentle pops, each one a quiet thank you from your spine.
If one spot on your back is screaming for an extra massage, stop rolling to put pressure on that spot. Or switch to a smaller wheel.
Roll out for 3 to 5 minutes. Length of preferred use will vary by individual.
Relax your head back to avoid neck pain.
2. Snow Angel Airplane
Start by sitting down on the floor with your back against the Chirp Wheel. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head.
Lean back so that your mid-back is supported by the Chirp Wheel, then press into your feet and lift your hips slightly. Support your head with your palms and feel a small stretch through your chest and shoulders.
Reach your arms out wide like the wings of an airplane and allow them to begin to fall to the ground. This will open your chest up for an even deeper stretch. Now close your eyes and imagine you’re building a snow angel with your arms.
3. The Crack-en
Start by sitting down on the floor with your back against the Chirp Wheel. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head.
Lean back so that your mid-back is supported by the Chirp Wheel, then press into your feet and lift your hips slightly. Support your head with your palms and feel a small stretch through your chest and shoulders.
At the top of your roll, stop and take a second to center yourself to maintain your balance for the next step. When you’ve found your balance, slowly reach your arms up and back in a full extension above your head as you exhale. Keep your arms straight and allow your body to sink into the wheel.
You can also try this with one arm at a time, but the more powerful you are, the easier it will be to defeat the crack-en. When you hear a symphony of cracks and pops coming from your back, you’ll know the crack-en has been defeated by your new weapon, the Chirp Wheel.
4. Lower Back Release
Start by sitting down on the floor with your back against the Chirp Wheel. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head.
Lean back so that your mid-back is supported by the Chirp Wheel, then press into your feet and lift your hips slightly. Support your head with your palms.
Slowly continue the roll down your back until the wheel is sitting near the base of the sacrum and/or your elbows reach the floor. Hold for 20-30 seconds and take slow breaths, allowing your muscles to relax and release with each breath.
5. Lat Rollout (Use Smaller Chirp Wheel)
Start sitting next to your Chirp Wheel. Lie down on it so that you are lying on your right side with it resting horizontally underneath your right armpit.
Lean back slightly, then slowly roll the Chirp Wheel down your body an inch or two.
When you find a trigger point, stop and hold for 20-30 seconds. You can take small movements, going up and down and rocking forward and back on the area.
6. Psoas Release (Use Smaller Chirp Wheel)
Start by lying face down on your Chirp Wheel so that it rests underneath the bony point of your left hip. Bring your right leg out to the side at a 90-degree angle and place your hands or forearms on the ground in front of you to support some of your weight.
Keep your left leg straight back behind you and begin to roll in small movements up-and-down.
When you find a trigger point, stop and hold it on the spot for 20 seconds or until you feel a release. You can play with rocking side-to-side on the trigger point. Repeat on the right leg.
7. Figure 4 Roll Release (Use Smaller Chirp Wheel)
Sit on Chirp Wheel with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Place your hands on the ground behind you to support yourself.
Cross your left ankle on your right thigh directly above your knee. Then, turn your body to the left so that you are applying pressure to the outer left glute.
Take small up-and-down and back-and-forth movements to look for trigger points. When you find one, stop and hold for 20 seconds, then continue on. Repeat on the other side.
8. Glute Max Release (Use Smaller Chirp Wheel)
Start by sitting up on your Chirp Wheel with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
Place your hands on the ground behind you to support yourself. Roll forward an inch and rotate your knees and hips a little bit to the left to move pressure onto the top part of your left glute.
Slowly roll around the area, taking small up-and-down and back-and-forth movements to look for trigger points. When you find one, stop and hold for 20 seconds before moving on. Once you’ve completed the that side, switch to the other side.