How You Use Your Massage Gun Correctly

Part of the beauty of the massage gun is that it’s incredibly easy to use. Just point at a target, press, and let it do its work. But to get the most out of your massage gun you’ll want to keep a few basics in mind.

Before you get started, turn it on, so that the head begins pulsing. Then float it along the desired muscle that you’re trying to loosen or warm up. There’s never a need to press extra-hard with your massage gun; the pulses do their job. When you find a trigger point, a tight, knotty area of muscle that’s a little more painful and sensitive than the rest of the muscle, linger on that area, just as you would with a foam roller.

Move your massage gun slowly along the muscle. There’s no need to rush the process. Enjoy the massage on your own.

Your Massage Gun Game Plan

1) Before Your Workout

Massage guns are primarily thought of as “recovery” tools in today’s fitness culture, but you can use them for either situation. In fact, using them as a warmup tool helps get you off the hook of that dreaded foam rolling ordeal.

In theory, the percussive therapy is doing several things you want in a warmup. First off, it’s heightening bloodflow in your targeted muscles. Secondly, the pulsating is turning on your sympathetic nervous system, the fight-or-flight system that preps your body for activity and sport.

To use the massage gun to prime for a workout, take aim at the muscle group you’re going to train. So if you’re going to bench press, you’ll want to hit your pecs, or if you’re going to do pulldowns and rows, you’ll want to hit your lats. Spend 30 seconds on working along the muscle belly only; never venture toward a joint on your bones, you may get more hurt than warming up. Stay on the thickest part of the muscle. Work back and forth along the span of each muscle.

2) During a Workout

Between sets, you can also take advantage of a massage gun, loosening tense, tight areas so you can get more out of your next set. For example, you may feel your chest tighten slightly after a set of bench press reps and be tempted to stretch. But research tells us that statically stretching a muscle may decrease potential and force output. Instead, use your massage gun for 15 seconds on a muscle area that feels tense. This should increase blood flow and excite the muscle, loosening it again for the rest of your workout.

3) After Your Workout

When you’re done with your workout, your body’s in a heightened state. But a

massage gun can, in theory, help you relax your nervous system. The sooner you fire up your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps govern rest and relaxation, the sooner your body shifts into recovery mode.

To use the massage gun to do this, fire it up and spend 90 to 120 seconds moving up and down each muscle group. Again, you’re doing this throughout the muscle belly, not near joints. This will help relax your muscles soon.