How A Massage Gun Improves Workout Performance

Massage therapy has long been a key part of maintaining peak physical performance. And the massage gun owes its increasing popularity to how well it serves this purpose – even for professionals. Read on to learn more about how a massage gun can benefit your own workout routine and beyond.

How does a massage gun work?

These massage devices are capable of delivering over 50 deep percussive strokes per second. This allows for a close interaction with the deepest layers of your muscle tissue with unparalleled reliability and efficiency.

Massage guns also offer a good amount of options without being overwhelming. Its swappable attachment heads help it cover plenty of ground – from gentle and soothing to deep and intense. Here’s a quick guide on how they work:

How a massage gun benefits your workout

The massage gun gives you the benefits of a deep tissue massage in a matter of minutes. And here’s how it can help you get in the best shape possible.

During warm ups

Massage guns are a great way to wake up your muscles before a workout. One of the first things they do is boost your blood flow. This improvement in your circulation prepares your body for the increase in cardio engagement. And it also increases the heat around your muscles, helping them become more flexible.

It further helps your flexibility through myofascial release. The fascia is a sheet of connective tissue that lay beneath your muscles. Releasing the muscle tension over them and stimulating their sensory receptors will help you move more freely.

During cool downs

A relaxing massage can also enhance any cooldown routine. It helps release any lingering muscle knots, cramps, and spasms. All these are common forms of muscle tension and involuntary contractions after strenuous exercise.

In the process, it also calms your nervous systems. All these help your body transition back from an active state to a resting one.

Recovering from DOMS

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is one of the most common nuisances an active lifestyle can have. This is actually due to microscopic tears in your muscles after being subjected to an intense or unfamiliar physical activity. The pain starts the day after the workout, and lasts for up to 3 days.

Right away, the massage gun’s soothing vibrations instantly block pain signals to the brain. And as it boosts your circulation, it allows more nutrients to be absorbed into your muscles. This helps your muscles rebuild faster.

Recovering from certain injuries

While you’re usually better off leaving an injury alone, there are certain ones that a massage can help. And massage guns do particularly well with the following injuries:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Sciatica
• Herniated Discs
• IT Band Syndrome
• Bursitis
• Shin Splints

The key to approaching injuries with massage is to focus on the healthy muscles around them. Increasing blood flow and conditioning the muscles around an injury puts it in better conditions to recover faster.

How to use the massage gun

Massage guns are often a one-button operation, so maximizing their full potential can easily be second nature to you. Just a few subtle adjustments to its application can drastically change how it interacts with your body. Here’s how you can take advantage of that:

Warm up and cool downs

1. Use a ball or flat head attachment
2. Glide the massage gun for 15 seconds over one muscle group at a time
3. Adjust speed and apply more pressure if needed
4. Repeat on all the other muscle groups

For releasing muscle knots

1. Use a fork or bullet head attachment
2. Locate the muscle knot and hold the massage gun over it for no more than 30 seconds
3. Find a comfortable speed setting and press it down deeper into the muscle as needed
4. Repeat with other spots that suffer from muscle knots

For DOMS recovery

1. Use a foam ball attachment
2. Gently hover the massage gun across the muscle group for up to 2 minutes
3. Adjust the speed as needed
4. Repeat on all other sore muscle groups

For injury recovery

1. Use a foam ball attachment
2. For this purpose you need the massage gun at its lowest speed setting
3. Avoiding the injured spot, gently massage the muscle groups that surround it.
4. Do this for 15-30 seconds per muscle group.

The Bottomline

Recovery and proper care are just as important as the workout itself. That’s why professional athletes and gym buffs don’t skimp on massages in their routines. And having a portable device that suits their needs.

Do you want to learn more about one of the best recovery tools trusted by top athletes and physiotherapists alike? Check out HYDRAGUN, the best value massage gun Australia currently has in its market.