Did you know shark jaws aren’t attached to the shark’s cranium so that, if it needs to, it can extend its jaw and take a larger bite? What does this have to do with benefits you’ll get if you roll out certain times of day on your Chirp Wheel?

It doesn’t.

Except that sharks are really strong and probably don’t have muscle pain because they have a lot less nerve endings than humans do, which is why we don’t sell Chirp Wheels to sharks (unless they are human sharks because we were on abc’s Shark Tank).

But really, we don’t sell Chirp Wheels to sharks because they are animals and can’t buy them. 

However, you do use the Chirp Wheel because you’re human and have a very complex nervous system with millions of nerve endings and using the Chirp Wheel helps you feel better. In fact, if sharks had a complex nervous system like ours, they’d need to roll out on the wheels before and after each hunt with all that killing they do. So I guess in a roundabout way, sharks do have to do with why you should use the Chirp Wheel during certain times of the day . . . 

I hope you enjoyed our rant about sharks. We’ll get to the point now.

Here’s when you should use the Chirp Wheel throughout your day:

Pro tip: 

When rolling on the wheel, if you find a certain spot on one of the muscles where it feels tender or like a knot, it is a good idea to hold the wheel there for about 20 to 30 seconds to try and help the knot or tension release. This is often more effective than just rolling back and forth over the spot.

In the morning:

One of the best times of day to stretch is in the morning to loosen up tension in your muscles after a long night of rest or after a restless night of back pain. Speaking of a restless night, did you know that sharks don’t really sleep? They have restful periods, but their eyes are always open . . . But for humans, stretching in the morning will help warm up and lengthen the muscles to get you ready for the day. Try touching your toes or reaching your arms up to the sky. Along with basic stretches, grab your Chirp Wheel to start stretching out your back for the day ahead.

When you notice you’re in a posture slump:

Poor posture is common at a desk, while watching TV, or after going on a drive. If you’ve been in one position for too long and you’ve been slouching, pull out your Chirp Wheel for some posture correction and much-needed relief. This isn’t something sharks really have to worry about because they actually don’t have bones. Even their jaws are made of cartilage.

Before a workout:

Before working out, it is important to stretch your muscles to prevent muscle imbalance and injury. This is a good time to do dynamic stretching, like lunges and jumping jacks. Check out this blog post for more ideas on dynamic stretching. But even before you start your dynamic stretching, it can be helpful to roll out on the wheel to get the blood flowing in your body. Dynamic stretching and rolling out on the wheel takes some balance and hand-eye coordination, which is something sharks would be really good at because they actually have really good eyesight. But of course, you’re not ever going to see a shark rolling on a wheel because it doesn’t make any sense.

After a workout:

After your workout, it is a good idea to cool down with some static stretches, where you hold a stretch in the muscle for a prolonged period of time. As you reach down to touch your toes, just be glad you’re not a shark because their skin feels like sandpaper. After your static stretching is complete, for those who work out frequently, this is also a great time to grab your Chirp Wheels and roll out your muscles, especially if you expect to be sore tomorrow. Rolling on the wheel can help decrease muscle soreness after a workout. 

Before bed:

Did you know that most sharks hunt at night? That’s their workout. If you’re like sharks and feel aches and tension in your back by the end of the day, it is a good idea to pull out your wheels before bed and roll out. If you need some inspiration on what to do with the wheel, check out this blog post. 

References

Dina Spector. (2012, August 15). Marine Biologist Answers All Your Burning Questions about Sharks. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/answers-about-sharks-2012-8#:~:text=Short%20answer%3A%20Most%20sharks%20hunt,are%20talking%20about%20attacking%20predators. 

Holland, M. (2021 January 21). Personal interview.

NOAA Fisheries. (2018, July 17). 12 Shark Facts That May Surprise You. Retrieved from https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/12-shark-facts-may-surprise-you#:~:text=Even%20though%20sharks%20don't,and%20solid%3B%20much%20like%20bone.

Shark Research. (2018). Do sharks feel pain when you work them up? Retrieved from  https://sharkresearch.rsmas.miami.edu/research/animal-welfare/#toggle-id-2

State of Hawaii. (2021). Teeth & Jaws. Retrieved from https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/anatomy/teeth-jaws/