Before a workout: Even though these gadgets have been touted as recovery tools by many people in the fitness industry, you can use them before a workout session. This ensures that you’re not only getting blood to flow well within your body, but it also prepares your muscles for the workout – activates the “fight-or-flight system that prepares your body for activity. For better results, aim for the parts you’re going to train. For instance, if you’re going to do a bench press, make sure you massage the pecs. Aim for the belly of the muscle. Massage the target muscle for about 30 seconds. Don’t overdo it! Using a massage gun can also facilitate lymphatic drainage. The lymphatic system is the ductwork within the body that flushes out the “junk” in the body. From toxins to cell waste, everything is disposed of through the lymphatic system. They’re designed to combat muscle soreness and aid recovery. It’s a deep tissue massage of sorts, achieved through rapid percussive movements that stimulate muscles, enhance blood flow and soften knots. You can use them while warming up or post-work out, and they feel good too, hitting all the right pressure points that can enhance the production of endorphins. At the very least, massage guns can provide some short-term relief for problem areas.

Massage Guns for Post-Workout Recovery - SELF The 13 Best Massage Guns for Post-Workout Recovery - SELF

Foam rollers and lacrosse balls are excellent post-workout massagers, but even budget massage guns have more power than your more analogue forms of home massage solutions. The main reason for this is its high-frequency operation, which works to increase blood flow and therefore encourage recovery in the muscles targeted. When you’ve got more time on your hands, our expert raved about the range of follow-along tutorials available via the extensive Therabody app, with handy on-screen visuals to ensure your massage technique is on point. It can remotely adjust the speed to take any guesswork out of your recovery and it connects to myriad health apps, suggesting personalised routines based on your weekly exercise load. Cool, huh? In addition to the massage gun, drink lots of water. When you exercise, toxins and lactic acid are circulating in the blood. To flush your body of those contaminants, water is the primary transporter. Turn on the device. Most guns have a single-button use. Most work by long-pressing to turn on the device. The device will then start whirring. Make sure you have your desired massage head attached. We will talk about massage heads later. However, we’ll recommend (if you’re a beginner), to start with the squishy ball head. It targets most body parts and it’s actually gentle compared to the other attachments.

This chopping away at your muscles is often painful to say the least. But the kind of “painful” that’s actually helpful. But some techies in the industry thought of a better way to make things easier. It’s not recommended to use a massage gun over bony areas to avoid injuring yourself. You may want to massage the joint areas, but be careful when doing this as well. This section should be similar to the last section on “when to use a massage gun”. However, we’ll mention one or two things that may be important as you explore how to use a percussion massager. After a workout session: Your body is in a heightened condition and the best thing you can do is get it relaxed. That’s where a massage gun comes in. Target the tensed muscles and massage for about 1-2 minutes. Again it’s important to aim for the belly of the muscle and avoid joints and bony areas. It’s recommended that you do not massage your muscles straightaway. Let your body rest for a couple of hours and then get to work. Use different heads for different parts for better results. Muscle activation: When you need to get the body ready for a workout or an activity. Don’t do it for over 30 seconds.

Best massage guns 2023: Theragun to Power Plate - British GQ 18 Best massage guns 2023: Theragun to Power Plate - British GQ

During your workout session: You can use a massage gun between sets. This may happen when you feel tension within the muscle group you’re working out. In this case, instead of opting for a stretch, use your massage gun. However, do not get too excited with this – 15 seconds is enough. What you’re aiming for is to excite the muscle. You get three different attachments (the first gen only offers one) – a standard ball, a dampener for bony areas and a thumb to target trigger points – for a more personalised massaging experience and it connects to the Therabody App via Bluetooth so you can access an extensive library of wellness routines. Have you seen a chiropractor or a physical therapist using massage guns on patients, and wondered what devices they were using? We have those covered. Learn more about Physical Therapist Massage Guns and Chiropractor Massage Guns. Vibration therapy has for a long time been associated with the foam roller, another tool for the wellness industry. That idea was borrowed by the first massage gun.

Before we even learn how to use a percussion massager, let’s first learn how these celebrated tools got here. After all, you’ve got to start from somewhere, right? You get an excellent choice of attachments (there are six to choose from), and each one fits in easily with a pushing/twisting action. They stay firmly in place, even on higher power settings, but are easily removed when you're done. The HoMedics Pro Physio Massage Gun has a runtime of around five hours, or three and a half if you're using the heated function. Despite its compact size, it has everything its bulkier counterparts offer, including five different massage heads, with each one designed to target a different muscle group. It also scored top marks for ease of use – there’s just one button for speed control and a handy manual that explains what each head is for and how to use it.

To Effectively Use A Massage Gun - Recovatech How To Effectively Use A Massage Gun - Recovatech

Prevent DOMS: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness can be tough on you especially when you want to keep pushing in the gym. Massage guns will save you the delayed pain and keep you strong enough for the next session. Got Theragun, or thinking about getting one? If so, make sure to read our dedicate post on how to use Theragun. If you want to increase blood flow to a certain area of the body, a percussive massager can initiate that process too. In as little as 30 seconds of use, a massage gun on a specific area of the body will relay signals to the brain to vasodilate the blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow.

The best massage gun for your particular needs will depend on a few different factors. First and foremost, you need to look at your budget. If things are tight, opt for a smaller percussive massage device like the Renpho above, which is also small enough to stuff in a gym bag. You can continue this process for as long as you like . Just be sure to take breaks every few minutes to give your muscles a rest . The muscle guns below, marked with our Women’s Health Lab Approved logo, have been put to the test in our lab. Our expert tester has trialled them over a three-week period, using them around their hectic exercise schedule — made up of weightlifting, running, HIIT, yoga and more — to see how well each one helped muscles to recover. Even the best massage gun won’t be effective if you don't use it correctly. For example, you can’t use it just anywhere on your body. “Areas that do not have a lot of muscle, like the jawline or the shin area, should be avoided,” Shah warns. And while he recommends percussive massage guns for irritated or overworked muscles, Shah advises against using them under certain circumstances. “I would avoid usage of massage guns in the areas where there are torn muscles, skin tears, or other ulcerations which may predispose you for more significant damage.” The Fork Head- The dual-pronged head allows you to target areas such as the spine, without hitting the bone. This massage gun tip is a great starting point to help alleviate sciatica symptoms associated with tight paraspinal muscles. It can also be used for other places like the calf muscles or along the achilles too.

massage guns 2023 | TechRadar The best massage guns 2023 | TechRadar

If you find a particularly tough knot, the bullet attachment lets you really target that, too. Each attachment has a different shape or density, designed for targeting muscles and knots in different intensities and locations on your body. It's definitely an investment, but if you really want to treat yourself, or have a partner who'll be using it as well, you may be able to justify spending the extra cash.

Recovery and Pain Relief- 2 Minutes: Post workout or when DOMS set in, you can safely use your massage gun for up to 2 minutes on each muscle group. This process can be repeated throughout the day with at least 1-2 hours rest in between. Much like going for a massage, a muscle gun helps to reduce inflammation by flushing out your muscle tissues of the fluids built up by exercise and daily bodily stress. They use percussive therapy – repeated strikes to help relax muscle tension and alleviate soreness, which, if you suffer from regular DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), can be a real lifesaver. And whether they work as claimed? Our experts have put this to the test! How to use a massage gun