As with stretching, though, you’re advised not to overdo it. Don’t be tempted to use your massage gun for more than 10 minutes in one go, especially on the higher speed settings. Experts suggest focusing your massage gun on each muscle group for only up to 30 seconds before and during exercise. Then once your workout is done, you can go at it a bit more, spending up to two minutes on each muscle group. READ NEXT: The best foam roller The best massage guns to buy now 1. Theragun Elite: Best massage gun for deep sports massage If you’re a regular gym-goer who takes training and recovery seriously, then a high-powered massage gun with Bluetooth and a companion fitness app will be a worthwhile investment. If you want a device to soothe sore muscles after another long day at your desk, then look for a lightweight massage gun that offers various easy-to-attach heads and gentler speed settings. Charging format: A versatile charging format, such as USB-C, is really handy too, because it means you can plug the unit into your phone charger.

Review: Renpho R3 Mini Massage Gun | road.cc

What’s important is that you have a few speeds to choose between, so you can opt for low-intensity massage for everyday muscle relief, medium to boost recovery, and high intensity to get rid of painful knots. Look for three or more optional speeds, which are easy to switch between while you use the device. The Novo Mini Massage Gun is a handy piece of kit. Featuring four attachment heads and six vibration frequencies, ranging from 1,400 to 2,800 RPM, it proves itself to be a versatile product for a great price. Out of the box, the Novo Mini looks and feels sturdy, fitting tidily in the protective travel case supplied. Amplitude: This means the depth to which the massager can penetrate your muscles. If you’re an athlete wanting a powerful machine for effective muscle recovery, go for an amplitude of at least 12mm. A couple of our best sports massage guns have an amplitude of 16mm. So even if you’re not the sporty type, a massage gun can do wonders for your physical and mental health, and even help you wind down for a good night’s sleep.

The best massage guns to buy now

This lovely lightweight massager moves easily over your muscles to provide a thorough, satisfying massage, without penetrating so deep that it causes pain. It comes with an impressive set of speed options and foam attachments (ball, ‘air-cushion’, fork, bullet and flat head), and uses USB-C like almost all modern Android phones. With an excellent battery life of up to six hours, you won’t need to charge the gun too often anyway. It’s also much quieter than the Theragun, and easier to fit into a gym bag or travel bag. Among the six interchangeable heads HoMedics includes with its Pro Physio massage gun are a ‘heat head’, which you can set to heat up to 47˚C in less than two minutes, and a ‘cold head’, which you can keep in the freezer. For many, these will make all the difference to training and everyday comfort. The device is also mercifully quiet, and glides smoothly over your skin or clothes, whichever head you use (barrel, ball and arrow are all included, as well as cellulite, hot and cold). Speed levels: The speed with which the head of the device pounds against you is measured in percussions per minute (PPM). About 2400 PPM is about as intense as most people will want to go, but one of our best-value recommended massage guns goes up to 4800, very much the “up to 11” of the massage gun world. I utilised all four heads, but worked mostly with the bullet. After some pre-season training and a gentle cool down, I used the bullet to release tension in tight regions – namely, the hamstrings. I started with the flat head on its maximum setting, focusing on tender areas to bring a layer of warmth to the tissue. I then identified areas for localised treatment and put the bullet to work, pushing deep to work away any nasty knots. Following 10-15 minutes of identifying, warming and treating the tissue, I rounded off with some static and dynamic stretches, allowing the muscle to contract and release through a range of natural movements.

Massage Gun Deep Tissue, RENPHO Massage Gun Powerful Message

The Renpho R3 is the other massage gun we’ve reviewed in-depth. It can’t equal the Theragun Elite for brute power (hence its four-star score), but as the second-cheapest massage gun on our list it offers amazing value for money. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Usefully, the manual bag contains two spare seals that can be called upon if any of those on the heads fail over time. The design is also practical if you want to carry the massage gun with you for use after training sessions, or at the office. You also get five interchangeable foam attachments (dampener, standard ball, wedge, thumb and cone) and five speeds (1,750-2,400ppm), giving you many different combinations of surface and intensity for different muscle groups and parts of your body. You’re guided through these combinations and helped to achieve your perfect massage programme by the app.