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Working out making you sore? These are the best massage guns for easing the pain
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Whether you’ve recently started a new workout routine or have been exercising for a while, you should take time to let your body rest and recover in-between workouts. Resting gives your body time to heal and is also essential in preventing injuries. One way to accelerate your body’s recovery is using a percussive massage device, also known as a massage gun.
What is a massage gun?
There are different types of recovery: short-term and long-term. The short-term includes stretching or a cool-down walk after a workout. Long-term recovery includes taking one or a few days off of training. (Sleep is also an essential part of recovery!)
Using a massage gun is part of the short-term recovery. A percussive massage device can treat pain caused by exercise, chronic issues or even sitting in the same position at your desk for too long.
“For centuries, humans have understood how applying pressure to the body helped reduce tension and increase relaxation,” the founder of TheraBody, Dr. Jason Wersland, said in a press release. “When you use Theragun [a percussive massage device] for two to eight minutes on your body, you actually turn off your stress switch and turn on your relax switch. This so important because your ability to deal with the next challenge depends on the quality of your rest and recovery. “
To use one, simply float the massage gun over your body’s areas that need treatment, gradually applying pressure as needed. This massaging will help increase blood flow to support your body’s natural recovery process.
Here’s why rest and recovery is vital for building muscle:
As you lift weights or do push-ups, you’re creating tiny tears in the muscle fibers called microtears.
“Microtears are what happens after a muscle gets physically worked,” Dr. Michael Karns, an orthopedic sports medicine doctor and surgeon at University Hospitals in Cleveland, said in a blog post. “Once these occur, the body sends good nutrition and good blood to the area to heal. This [process], in turn, is how you grow musculature.”
However, for your muscles to recover and build back up, you need to give it time to do so. If you’ve been continuously working out and not seeing results, it could have to do with your diet or form, but it could also have to do with a lack of rest.
Not to mention, when your muscles are overly fatigued, you’re likely to sacrifice good exercise form. Exercising with poor form won’t work your muscles how they’re supposed to, so you could be doing a lot of work for nothing. Plus, you’ll be more susceptible to injuries.
“If you’ve overloaded a muscle group with weights, you have to give it time between workouts, so the body rebuilds the muscle bigger,” Dr. Karns said. “Otherwise, you stumble into a period of overfatigue and chronic pain.”
These are the best massage guns.
Two of the most popular and trusted brands making percussive massage guns are TheraBody and Hyperice. TheraBody has the Theragun, while Hyperice has the Hypervolt. Both offer different variations of their devices in size, power, noise and price.
Check out some of the best massage guns below to help your body rest and recover (aka say goodbye to any muscle soreness). Seriously, taking time to rest is worth it. And a percussive massage device can help treat soreness and speed up your recovery time.
1. Theragun Elite, $399
The Theragun Elite is Therabody’s quietest device ever. It has five built-in speeds, an OLED screen that displays a force meter and it comes with five different massage head attachments. It also works with TheraBody’s Smart App via Bluetooth, which provides instructions and massage routines based on your body and chosen workout.
Battery Life: 2 hours
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Special features: It comes in three colors (black, red and white), and you can add on a duo adapter, so that you can use two massage attachments at once. It also comes with a convenient carrying case.
2. Hyperice Hypervolt 2, $229 (Orig. $299)
The Hypervolt by Hyperice has three speeds and comes with five interchangeable massage head attachments. If you need help using it, it also has Bluetooth connectivity to pair the device with HyperSmart. This app automatically adjusts the speed for a guided warmup or recovery routine.
Battery Life: 3 hours
Weight: 1.8 pounds
Special Features: It comes with a pouch for organizing all five of the head attachments.
3. TOLOCO Massage Gun, $56.99 (Orig. $259.99)
Amazon’s best-selling back massage device is the TOLOCO Massage Gun. It comes with 10 different massage heads, 20 adjustable speed options and a screen for displaying force and speed. Plus, it’s much more affordable than some prominent name brands.
Battery Life: 4 hours
Weight: 2.1 pounds
Special Features: It comes with a carrying case for all of the attachments, device and charger.
4. Opove M3 Pro 2 Massager, $129.99
Reviewers say the Opove M3 Pro 2 Massager may be the quietest on this list. It comes with four massage heads and has three different speeds. According to the product description, the device has five speed options, so you can find the right one for you.
Battery Life: 4–8 hours
Weight: 2.2 pounds
Special Features: It comes with a carrying case for all of the attachments, device and charger.
5. FlyBy Deep Tissue Massage Gun, $74.97 (Orig. $139.97)
The FlyBy Deep Tissue Massage Gun is certainly the most affordable option. Its no-frills design is easy to use with three speeds and six different head attachments. Plus, it’s incredibly lightweight.
Battery Life: 4 hours
Weight: 1.8 pounds
Special Features: Over 10,000 amazon shoppers give it 5 out of 5 stars.
If you liked this article, learn everything you need to know about the Theragun Mini.
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