Recovery, recovery, recovery: You are the way you rest, at least that's sometimes how news, blog articles and information spreads could be interpreted. For a long time it has not only been about the sport and what goes with the sport itself: functional, strength, endurance and, of course, aesthetics. Because the concept of personality optimization has long since included fitness and now covers a broader spectrum than was the case a few years ago. With its athletes, competitions and the demands for integration into everyday life grow. Since then, a list has developed towards stimulating blood circulation, melatonin and stress reduction.
But couldn't it be easier than constantly testing new methods?
After all, massage guns promise a kind of acute healing for sore muscles and tired legs. We at Wodstore shed some light for you in the darkness of regeneration and shed light on what massage guns can and what they simply cannot deliver. But a spoiler in advance: A family pizza cannot be vibrated away!
The concept: How do vibro guns work?
In the beginning was the engine. Even if devices like the Flow Mini seem incredibly complicated, there is no rocket science built into them and therefore cannot trigger any rocket science. But you still have a lot in you. Using bursts emitted by a motor, an attachment is propelled forward in much the same way you might be familiar with a hammer drill, only with not nearly as much force and a lot more comfortably. Properly placed, these impacts hit the muscles. Heat is generated by the speed of the "impacts" and the tissue is activated to a certain extent.
Benefits of massage guns:
The principle is clear. The engine is running, the attachment has been chosen appropriately, the selected part of your body is being worked on. But as a weekend warrior, what the hell use is a “snapped muscle” to you? Here, too, we can quickly give you a very simple answer: A lot! Because the vibration and the stroke, which is around one centimeter on average, heat up your tissue. The heating, the minimal irritation that comes from the vibrations, causes blood to flow into the muscle area. The result is that your body starts working there, the muscle fills with blood and in a way gets some kind of signal to perform. However, this "performance signal" is not as intense and demanding as with a heavy squat or a jerk, but much lower threshold and gentler. In this way, you almost provide impulses to force your body to regenerate, similar to a contrast bath or a visit to the sauna. Where metabolism is combined with blood flow, there is time for growth, which is why thera, vibro, or massage guns emit a kind of neon color that tells your body: "Take care of yourself, the right calf needs your attention!"
Can tools like the Flow Mini be misused?
As with all devices, you can and must remember how to use a massage gun beforehand. In short, it remains to say that too much pressure and the wrong angle tend to be counterproductive. At the same time, common sense applies here: If the application does not feel good from the outset, you are either doing something wrong in the handling, or the time to work on your overexcited quads is simply not the right time. We have summarized three points that you can keep in mind when using your massage gun in everyday life:
1. Pay attention to the hub
Most massage guns use a stroke of around an inch. Clearly formulated, this means that the various attachments, whether forked or spherical, are moved up and down about one centimeter at high speed. So keep a firm grip on the massage gun, but don't apply massive pressure to the area, otherwise the stroke will dig into the muscle and lead to uncomfortable reactions. The gun itself should rest gently, allowing the motor to do the work, but the grip should always remain in the same position.
2. Don't stop
If you stay in one spot for too long, it becomes painful. Depending on the intensity level, sooner or later you will have reached a point where nothing loosens up anymore, but rather new pain spreads through the stroke. We can't give you a specific guide here. As a rule of thumb, however, you can keep in mind: More than a minute without moving to the next maltreated area will most likely not trigger anything positive. If the level is very low and only serves to warm up muscle parts, you can also stay longer on the pain point. In this case, too, you have to get to know your body individually.
3. No panacea
A massage gun cannot heal. Although it can relieve pain by working on the "fire source" within your muscles, it does not replace a visit to the physio or rehab for more complex complaints. Loosening up, warming up and relaxing is absolutely possible, but nothing more.
Conclusion: When should you use vibro guns?
According to the wodstore, a massage gun like the Flow Mini is essential for relaxation. With the various attachments, you hit exactly the points that make your life difficult in a matter of seconds. Whether at a competition just before the next workout, in the box as a supplement to the warm-up or on the couch to start the rest of the day: muscles with good blood circulation ensure growth and relaxation all along the line - in the truest sense of the word!
