Rolling on the 12” Chirp Wheel releases muscle knots and tightness. Photo courtesy Chirp		FactorFive regenerative serum protects and helps build new skin cells. Photo courtesy istockphoto

Two of our body systems always need attention no matter what time of year. Especially during the winter season, our muscles and skin need some special attention to stay vital, healthy, rejuvenated and nourished. When colder temps creep in and the days grow short, we tend to spend more time indoors with fewer opportunities to walk, hike, bike, swim, climb, and paddle. Or we head out to the slopes and the ice in the cold thus leaving our muscles either under-used and our skin subject to the dry air of dry, heated interiors, or subjected to the cold winds and chilling temperatures of winter. And there’s always the chance that we overdo workouts at the gym or outdoors as weekend warriors and over compensate for too many days on that couch. Let’s consider two new approaches to help solve aching, under- or over-used, stiff muscles, and chapped, aging, dry skin.

CHIRP WHEELS

The innovators who developed Chirp Wheels say “ditch the foam roller.” Although we’ve all been foam rolling our muscles for decades, here’s their reasoning for changing the dynamic for breaking down tight connective tissue and easing muscle knots.

Tight muscles need ample pressure to release tension, and with typical foam rollers the pressure is often too spread out over a large area to really be effective. Available in four diameters at five-inches wide with a spinal canal built into the design, Chirp Wheels put pressure along the sides of the spine and between the shoulder blades. Rolling on three millimeters of foam padding covering a rigid plastic core that can hold up to 500 lbs., the Chirp Wheel allows the muscles lining the vertebrae to stretch both horizontally and vertically for a relaxing and targeted four-way stretch.

Olympian Joey Mantia rolls out on his 12” Chirp Wheel

Olympic medal-winning speedskater, Joey Mantia knows something about training hard and muscle recovery. He’s competed in three Olympic games and has raced at World Championships almost every year since 2013. Now in his late 30s, he still trains hard day in and day out, and, as somewhat of a spokesman, credits Chirp Wheels for being a key part of his daily warmup and recovery routine as a part of his training program.

“At the ripe age of 36 in a sport that wreaks havoc on the back, the biggest factor for success is my body’s ability to move pain free,” said Mantia. He claims that the various sizes of Chirp Wheels allow him to target specific muscle groups with the right pressure. He’ll use smaller wheels for massaging tight muscles but likes the larger wheels for stretching out his back or rolling tough-to-reach areas like the inner thighs. 

So that you might better understand how to use these new tools in order to help recover after your own workouts, let’s take a look at Joey’s routine and his three tips for recovery and for staying in shape. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gZh276fqnM

Chirp Wheel+ 4-Pack, $129.99 https://gochirp.com/
Included in the bundle:
12” Gentle Wheel for a relaxing stretch and light massage.
10” Firm Wheel for digging deeper into the muscles along the spine for targeted pressure to massage problem areas.
6” Deep Tissue Wheel for digging even deeper to get rid of the toughest knots.
4” Focus Wheel for maximum pressure to target key pressure points on the back or anywhere on the body, including small areas like the neck, shoulders, and feet.
Additionally, the 4” Focus Wheel can be paired with the ChirpFocus Muscle Roller($29.99) to make a hand-held roller for anywhere on the body.

FACTORFIVE REGENERATIVE SERUM

VIDEO
https://factorfiveskin.com/content/f5-harrys.mp4

It’s truly exciting for outdoor enthusiasts when the temperatures drop, and winter sports fanatics can hit the snow or ice. But while it’s important to think about layers of undershirts, jackets and water-resistant fabrics, it’s also important to think about the chilling temperatures with cold wind leaves winter sports lovers’ skin exposed to harsh conditions.

FACTORFIVE’s regenerative serum is a soothing remedy for winter sports lovers. The serum combines human stem cell-derived growth factors with copper peptides that work at the cellular level to restore, replenish, and help repair skin damage such as dehydration and inflammation.

FACTORFIVE does not source stem cells from unethical sources. Only fresh human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are used. These are cells that have been acquired with consent from patients who have had lipoaspirate removed by liposuction, the fat that is typically discarded after surgery. These human ADSCs have been processed through multiple, rigorous safety and efficacy checks.

No embryos, human eggs (oocytes), bone marrow, or other controversial tissues are used to produce FACTORFIVE serum which combines with copper peptides to help restore skin cells. This serum targets the five signs of aging: wrinkles, sun spots, tightness, thickness, texture - and also affords hydration - all of which contribute skin cell regeneration and a healthier appearance.

FACTORFIVE Regenerative Serum
1 fl oz. $199

For more information, visit https://factorfiveskin.com/

About the Author

Lynn Rosen is an Emmy award-winning TV broadcaster, producer and director, and has been on the Journalism and Theatre faculties at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. She’s also a theater critic, travel writer, published author, fearless skier and belongs to the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).