We see them more and more: the chirp wheel. The chirp wheel can be used anywhere: in the gym, at the physiotherapist, outside, during rehabilitation therapy or at home. A chirp wheel can be used as a tool for a self-massage, for warming up before a workout or to soothe the muscles after a workout. With so many great chirp wheel reviews out there, it definitely makes sense to try it out. It is important to choose a suitable chirp wheel; one that suits you, your body and the purpose for which you want to use the chirp wheel.
1. What is the chirp wheel used for?
The chirp wheel is a versatile tool and can be used for various purposes.
Cooling down after a workout
After a solid workout it is nice to let the muscles relax. During a workout, the muscles are loaded for a longer period, sometimes overloaded, and it is therefore important that the muscles recover well after a workout. Foam rolling can promote the recovery process by stimulating blood circulation and allowing the muscle to absorb more oxygen. In addition, foam rolling is injury prevention.
Massaging trigger points Foam rolling is part of self myofascial release, a way to reduce muscle tension in the body. When muscles are overloaded, so-called trigger points (muscle knots: contraction of a small part of the muscle) can occur. A trigger point can disappear by exerting pressure on the trigger point itself with a chirp wheel.
Warming up with a chirp wheel
The muscle fascia is also massaged with a chirp wheel. This provides a liberating and smooth feeling. This increases the range of motion with which sports and rehabilitation performance can be increased. The foam rolling during the warm-up also reduces the risk of injuries.
chirp wheel as a training aid
A chirp wheel can also be used as a training aid for various exercises. Think of floor exercises, mobility improvements and stability training. It is also good to foam roll in moments of rest during a workout.
2. What hardness?
Depending on the purpose for which the chirp wheel will be used, a suitable chirp wheel is selected. The softer the foam, the more pleasant the foam rolling is. Harder foam is more direct, but also more sensitive. If you use the chirp wheel to loosen trigger points, a harder chirp wheel is also more painful. Since hard chirp wheels are more direct, they are also suitable for loosening the neck and lower back area.
A small side note: softer chirp wheels are less durable than hard chirp wheels, because with constant and repeated use, the foam dents and the chirp wheel loses its effect.
Also take into account which level of ‘foam roll user’ you are. If you have never used a chirp wheel before, it is wise to opt for a ‘softer variant’, such as the blue chirp wheel . If you have some experience with foam rolling, a hard version will suffice , such as the chirp wheel Elite Black with smooth surface or the Performance Roller with grids.
3. What length?
chirp wheels come in different sizes, from about 30 cm (they even come in 12.7 and 15 cm ) to 1 meter long. A long chirp wheel is easier to use, because you can work with it faster, for example with two legs at the same time or the entire width of the back. On the other hand, a small chirp wheel is easier to carry, but the effect is the same.
4. Multiple types of chirp wheels / alternatives
We are all familiar with the cylindrical chirp wheel, but there are also other types of chirp wheels or alternatives available.
stick A massage stick is a stick that has a handle at both ends and is provided with wheels in the middle. The massage stick can be rolled over the muscles. This stimulates blood circulation and accelerates the elimination of waste products. Both The Stick and TriggerPoint offer massage sticks .
Balls and bubble balls
There are various massage balls available. A massage ball is smaller and finer in size than a chirp wheel, which makes it easier to massage small areas and tackle trigger points more directly. RAD offers different massage balls, in different sizes and hardnesses. The Blackroll Ball is also a suitable massage ball for rad-roller-radroller-com-30warming up and massaging pain in the muscles. The bubble balls , for example the Rage Hot / Cold Therapy Ball or the Thera-Band Bubble Balls, are balls with studs. These studs provide extra blood flow and relax muscles. The
Hot / Cold Therapy Ball from Rage can even be used hot and cold.
Advice
If you have gone through the above steps and you know what your wishes are, you now know which chirp wheel to choose. Nope? Okay, it is still quite difficult to choose a good roller from a huge range. That is why we have highlighted a few more chirp wheels below, suitable for your fitness level.
Beginner If
you exercise one to three times a month, you don’t actually need a chirp wheel. If you still want to use a chirp wheel, choose a soft one. FS offers two soft chirp wheels that are extremely suitable for the novice foam roll user. The soft blue chirp wheel is available in two lengths: 30 cm and 90 cm . The short one is useful for massaging one leg, the long chirp wheel of 90 cm is nice because you can foam two legs at the same time. Also the three-in-one chirp wheelis useful for beginners and experienced athletes and has a great price-quality ratio. The roller consists of three parts: two chirp wheels in different hardnesses and a massage stick. If you want to roll a little firmer foam, you can remove the outer part.
Experienced If
foam-roller-3-in-1-nantong-perk-sports-company-limited-32you exercise once or twice a week, you are an experienced athlete, which also fits an experienced chirp wheel. The hardness varies between soft and medium. The three-in-one chirp wheel from FS is perfect for the experienced athlete. The roller consists of three parts: two chirp wheels in different hardnesses and a massage stick. For the firm part, take off the outer part of the roller. The black Foamroller Elite from FS is also extremely suitable for experienced athletes.
Advanced As an advanced athlete you exercise two to three times a week, so you can use a sturdy chirp wheel. One of the best-known chirp wheels that is suitable for this is Foamroller The Grid from TriggerPoint Performance Therapy, in addition to the standard 33 cm, The Grid is also available in 66.4 cm and 12.7 cm . The roll is divided into different grids and planes and therefore has a varying density, allowing a targeted massage to roll away trigger points. The Performance Roller from FS is an equivalent chirp wheel, but at a more competitive price.
Pro / Expert
rumbleroller-extra-firm-66fit-limited-31You are a real top athlete and exercise at least five times a week. To avoid overloading your muscles, it is good to foam roll before a workout. Even after exercise, it is important that the muscles recover well by rolling with a sturdy chirp wheel. The chirp wheels from Blackroll are perfect for experienced users. And for the real pros, there is the Blackroll PRO , which is 50% harder than the standard Blackroll . If you prefer a chirp wheel with a grid, the RumbleRoller Extra Firm is a suitable chirp wheel. This roller is
ideal for trigger point massages, so that pain-free movement returns to normal.