How to Use a Massage Gun – Properly and Effectively

Have you ever wondered how to use a massage gun properly and effectively? Obviously, we assume you have, but if you’re here, chances are you didn’t find the answer. So, we will do our best to bring them to you in the simplest possible way.

Here is what you will learn:

---

Vibration and Percussion Therapy: Understanding the Differences

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. The first guns were vibrating tools. We’ll call them vibrating jackhammers, because that’s what they were.

However, the vibration only worked if you needed quick relaxation and blood-flow stimulation to get you up and running.

For now, it’s important to note that different guns will serve different needs. This is crucial if you want to know how to properly use a massage gun.

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.

---

What a Massage Gun Does To Your Body? 

So what, are massage guns really that useful? We believe the answer here is “yes”. Massage guns are really that useful.

Why do you think they’re so trendy and even endorsed by big names in the fitness industry as well as highly ranked celebrities? But even if you think that celebrity hype is all talk and no game, we’ve seen these devices being recommended by doctors and therapists. Those guys don’t just hype.

This is what they say a massage gun will do for you:

• 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.
• Improve blood flow in the muscles. This helps the body relax and will even activate the muscles before a workout.
• Dispel toxic blood and liquid from the muscle after a workout. 
• Massage guns will save you money. Compared to the cost of visiting a professional therapist, a massage gun will save you a couple hundred bucks if not more.

---

Why It’s Important To Use A Massage Gun Properly   

Like everything else, and especially electronic devices, proper use can never be emphasized enough. It’s never a good idea to assume that you know everything about a device and therefore don’t need to pay attention to proper use.

The manufacturers know this and that’s why most massage guns come with a well written instructions manual.

Here are some reasons why you should use a massage gun properly:

• Effective muscle therapy: When used right, a massage gun can be as effective as visiting a massage therapist. 
• To avoid injury: It’s not unheard of for massage guns to cause injury especially when used without proper care. We’ll take a look at how this can happen later in the article.
• To avoid damage to the gun: Massage guns are not cheap little toys. Until only recently the price of one was over $500. The market has been flooded with many guns and as a result the prices have gone down. Even so, if you want a good massage gun you’ll have to part with at least $150. 

---

How To Use A Massage Gun – Technique

Got Theragun, or thinking about getting one? If so, make sure to read our dedicate post on how to use Theragun.

Having seen why it’s important to properly use a massage gun, we’ll now look at how to actually use one.

Now, we’ve seen articles on the internet saying that there’s no specific way to use these devices, and that all you have to do is fidget with the settings until something finally clicks for you. While this may be true, it may not apply to everyone.

So here’s our step by step on how to actually use a percussion massager:  

• 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. 
• Choose the desired intensity: We advise you start with the lowest speed and gradually increase the level as you go. For a lighter massage, if you just want to relax and get the blood moving within the muscle, we recommend the first speed. Now, most devices start low enough (we like the ones that start with about 1200rpm), while others may start with higher percussions. If you are using a Theragun you may have to bear with a little more intensity for a start. The first rpm range there is about 1750. 
• Point the head at the muscle and let the gun do its thing. If you’re using a high-end gun like the Theragun or Ekrin, you’ll right away feel the punchy effect on your skin because of the long amplitude. If you’re using a smaller gun, like the Ekrin Bantam, the immediate feeling may not be punchy but it should feel intense enough. 
• Move the head along the muscle slowly. Do not rush through the massage. Enjoy the process while at it. If you encounter an area of pain, hover around that part a little longer. Do not press the gun hard on a painful area because chances are you may actually be making things worse. 
• For areas that don’t have a lot of muscles, like your wrists, it’s recommended that you simply brush the massage gun head over them. Don’t press too hard against these areas. Make it simple for effective results.
• However, if you have bigger muscles, you may want something a little more intense. This is probably a good time to remind you that different guns have different stall force. You may want to pick a high-end gun like a Ekrin B37s or the Achedaway Pro. These guns not only have a better stall force, but both are high amplitude massage guns as well. We also recommend a slightly higher intensity even as you start. This is because most guns have progressive stall force and will stall easily at lower speeds. For you, try using different massage heads to massage different body parts. Again we will talk about massage heads a bit later in our article.
• 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.
• It’s recommended that you use the percussion massager on a particular muscle for 1-2 minutes. For smaller muscle groups, aim for one minute. You may massage larger muscle groups for 2 minutes. More isn’t better. Be kind to your body.

---

When to Use a Massage Gun    

So when will you need to use a massage gun? Is there a specific time to use a percussion massager? Well, here are times you may need to use a massage gun;

1. 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!
2. 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. 
3. 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. 
4. After a long day in office when you need to relax: We have talked about massage guns aiding in relaxing your body and this is when you need them. Sometimes you just need to relax after an eventful day. Take about 10 minutes using a massage gun on your body. Do not go too intense and don’t spend more than a minute on a particular muscle group.

---

How Often Should You Use a Massage Gun?  

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.

Massage guns are exciting devices and we actually think that as long as you enjoy having them, don’t be limited by anything. Use them as often as it feels necessary. 

However, don’t get too excited and go overboard with it. Here’s a summary on how often you should use them and how.

• Muscle activation: When you need to get the body ready for a workout or an activity. Don’t do it for over 30 seconds.
• Muscle Reactivation: During exercises when muscle spasms hit or when fatigue threatens to derail your workout session. 15 seconds max here.
• Recovery and relieving pain: After exercises a massage gun will aid the recovery process. You can also use it to relieve pains. Here it works as a temporary pain reliever gadget. Use it here for 1-2minutes. Be careful not to hit nerves or go too hard on painful areas. Another super useful aspect of the massage gun is the heated massage mode. Heated massages are very crucial in relieving pain. Guns like the Urikar Pro 2 have a heated mode as well as other modes. A heated massage gun comes with a special ceramic head for this function. 

---

How Long Should You Use a Massage Gun?

Massage guns are equipped with rechargeable batteries. When used over a long period, the batteries may overheat. This overheating may cause discomfort while using them.

However, the geniuses who manufacture these devices figured this out and built a shut-off system into them. Most devices will automatically shut off after about 10 minutes of continuous use.

However, because 10 minutes may sometimes not be enough, better devices will automatically shut off after 20 minutes.

---

FAQs

Here are some questions answered for you. We have addressed massage gun attachments in this section.

---

Summary

So now, we hope you have all the answers to your questions about how to use a massage gun properly. These trendy gadgets have created quite a stir in the fitness industry, and it doesn’t look like they’re going away anytime soon. Learning how to use them properly is important.

However, do not neglect other principles of good training and recovery like healthy eating, proper technique and enough sleep.