How To Use a Massage Gun Correctly for the Best Results
Massage guns are popular in the fitness industry, and for good reason. Once you master the basics, your massage gun will become your new best mate.
But does your percussion massage gun intimidate you? Perhaps the idea of hitting yourself with a rubber hammer doesn’t sound so relaxing. But it is! These awesome massage guns really get in there to help work out those deep muscle knots. As with most things in life, you just need to know how to use it the right way.
Don’t worry; we’ve covered all the essential details on using a massage gun effectively and getting the most Bang for your buck!
How to use a massage gun - Best practices
Before we get into the specifics, here are some general guidelines for safe massage gun use:
1. Use the correct intensity levels.
Massage guns come with varying intensity levels that directly affect the depth and strength of percussive therapy. You can customise your experience by picking intensity levels based on personal comfort and therapeutic needs. High levels, for example, are recommended for deeper muscle tissue, whereas low levels are recommended for soft tissue.
We recommend starting at a low intensity and gradually increasing it as needed, especially if this is your first time using a massage gun. However, it can take several trials to find the intensity level that works for you. Just remember to respect your pain tolerance and don’t use too much pressure to avoid muscle soreness or injury.
2. Always time your session.
The duration of massage therapy significantly impacts its effectiveness. If it's too short, you won’t get the maximum benefits, but if it's too long, it could lead to muscle soreness and potential injuries.
With massage guns, a little goes a long way. On average, two to five minutes per muscle group is enough to increase blood flow and improve mobility and muscle movement. As a beginner, however, we recommend starting with 10-30 second durations of moderate pressure and gradually increasing that as your body adapts.
3. Precautions when using a massage gun
- Massage guns are made to target muscles, so to avoid unnecessary injury, never use them over bone.
- Never use them on your face, front of your neck, collarbone or heart area. Also, unless you have a good amount of muscle in your chest, avoid using a massage gun on your chest or upper back to protect your lungs
- In addition, exercise caution if you are pregnant, have diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis or varicose veins. In all these cases, it is best to check with your doctor first.
- If you have a recent tendon injury or muscle tear, a massage gun can actually interfere with the healing process, hindering the tissue from growing together.
- Do not use it over a scar that’s not at least 12 weeks old.
- In general, avoid any area of the body without muscle padding or where large veins are exposed, like behind the knees or in the groin area.
4. Stay Hydrated
Hydration is vital for improved general health, but especially for muscle recovery. Water helps flush out the lactic acid that builds up in your muscles after physical activities and reduces muscle pain. Percussive therapy also speeds up this process. So, drinking water before and after a massage gun session improves effectiveness and enhances recovery.
5. Target the right muscle groups.
Muscle groups where percussion therapy is particularly effective include the quads, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, calf muscles, deltoid, triceps, and biceps as well as the front and back of the forearm.
6. Get the pressure right.
When it comes to massage guns, it’s not a case of the harder, the better. If that’s your motto, you’ll probably end up causing more harm than good. So what is the right pressure?
On a scale of 1-10, 1 being no pain and 10 being your limit, you should aim for a 4 and, at most, a 6.
How To Use a Massage Gun During Workouts
Go the distance with the Bang Pro Massage Gun
Pre-workout
A good warm-up ensures your muscles have enough oxygen and blood. Massage guns can activate specific muscles by increasing blood flow to those areas. They also improve flexibility and movement by reducing muscle tightness and increasing muscle temperature.
Here’s how you can incorporate a massage gun into your pre-workout routine:
- Start with light cardio exercises like jumping jacks or dynamic stretches. This will help increase your heart rate and warm up your entire body.
- Determine which muscles you’ll engage the most during your workout and choose the right attachment. For example, if you’re going on a run, you’ll mostly be working your leg muscles and glutes, so a ball head attachment might be the best choice.
- Start with a low to moderate intensity and speed and spend 1-2 minutes per muscle. This will help ease tension and loosen tight muscles.
- Then, use high intensity and speed for about 30 seconds on each muscle. This will activate the specific muscles you plan to engage in your workout.
In between sets
Research shows that if you use a massage gun during a workout, you can do more sets and improve the effectiveness of the exercise. Massage guns can also give you the boost you need to get through a tough workout. Here’s how:
- Use the massage guns during rest periods in between sets.
- Focus on the sore muscles and supporting areas or target areas where you feel most fatigued.
- Use moderate pressure and spend 1-2 minutes on each area to help improve blood flow and enhance muscle relief.
Depending on what works for you, you can gradually increase pressure or duration, but do not overdo it. The point is to help your body partially recover, not increase fatigue.
Post-workout
After working out, your body is in a heightened state and your sore muscles need to rest. Massage guns help with the cooling down process and promote faster recovery.
Using your massage gun, you can maintain strong blood circulation so your fatigued muscles get the oxygen and nutrients needed to recover. Percussive therapy also helps reduce inflammation and the chances of post-workout muscle soreness.
To use massage guns to promote post-workout recovery and reduce muscle soreness:
- Use the massage gun soon after the workout when the muscles are still warm.
- Focus on the sore spots or areas that feel particularly tensed or painful.
- Start with a low intensity and apply moderate pressure to relieve sore muscles. Gradually increase the setting until you find what feels good.
- Spend at most two minutes on each target area to prevent further soreness.
- Drink enough water and try incorporating light stretches after using the massage gun.
How To Use a Massage Gun for Muscle Recovery
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is quite common, especially due to unfamiliar physical activity, such as a new exercise routine or training after long periods of inactivity. It involves experiencing sore muscles between 24-72 hours after the activity.
A massage gun can provide temporary relief, helping to increase blood flow to the sore muscles and flush out the metabolic waste build-up. According to UCLA Health, research also shows that it can promote hormonal responses that reduce inflammation and pain related to DOMS.
It’s best to use it at a lower intensity for muscle recovery. We recommend an intensity of 2400/min or less for 2-5 minutes per muscle group. If you feel more sore after use, you’ve used it too long or at a greater intensity than necessary.
How To Use a Massage Gun for Pain Relief
It may seem ironic that hitting yourself with a massage gun can help relieve your aches and pains, but it is possible. A massage gun can help reduce discomfort and ease tension by improving blood circulation and working out the kinks and tight areas causing pain.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Use the massage gun to sweep over the muscles a few times to pinpoint the tender spots.
- Spend 20-30 seconds on each of these spots until the pain starts to melt away.
- Avoid high levels of pain. On average, if the pain is 7 or more out of 10 on a pain scale, you should stop.
Do not use a massage gun on open wounds, nerve-related issues, or torn ligaments or muscles.
How To Use a Massage Gun for Relaxation
Percussive therapy, unlike vibration therapy, is a much better option for deep relaxation. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system and kicks the body into relaxation mode. If you use it correctly, a massage gun can be like having a personal masseuse at your fingertips.
If you want your body to feel lighter than a feather, here’s how to use the massage gun:
- Choose a soft flat-head attachment for effective stress release and relaxation.
- Use a lower intensity and slow speed for a gentle touch.
- Massage your whole body for 20-30 minutes without spending too much time on one area.
- Incorporate breathing and mindful exercises to improve the effectiveness of the massage gun.
Massage gun attachments
Most massage guns come with several massage heads. Each massage head attachment has a unique shape and is designed for specific functions and target muscle groups. For example, the following are four common attachments that come with most massage guns:
- Ball head - used for a wide range of muscle groups, especially large muscle groups like glutes. This is also a great attachment to start with if you’re new at using a massage gun.
- Flat head - used on dense or stiff muscle groups and tight spots to promote relaxation
- Bullet head - used to concentrate on trigger points and smaller muscle areas to provide deep tissue massage.
- Forkhead - used for sensitive areas like the spine or slightly bony areas for a more concentrated massage.
Choosing the right attachment is important in improving your massage gun’s effectiveness and avoiding injuries. But keep in mind that the functions of each attachment are recommendations based on what works for more people but it’s mostly a matter of personal preference.
For instance, just because a fork head is recommended for the paraspinal muscle group doesn’t mean you can’t use it to loosen the tight muscles around your hips. So, experiment with the different attachments to find out what works for you.
The Bang Pro Massage Gun comes with six unique attachments. In addition to those listed above, it includes a precision head for pinpoint relief and a spade head for scraping and flushing. No muscle is out of reach with the versatile Bang Pro Massage Gun.
Conclusion.
Mastering the use of a massage gun can transform your fitness and recovery routine. By following best practices and understanding how to target your muscle groups effectively, you can enjoy enhanced muscle recovery, reduced soreness, and improved overall well-being.
Whether you're prepping for a workout, easing muscle tension between sets, or winding down post-exercise, a massage gun is a versatile tool that can make a significant difference.
The BANG massage gun is designed for superior muscle relief and recovery. With features like a no-stall force of up to 40 lbs, a long-lasting internal lithium-ion battery, and six included attachments, it's perfect for targeting specific muscle groups. Get Your BANG Massage Gun Now.