How To Use a Massage Gun for Sore Muscles

Pam, Team Copper Fit

If you’ve never used a massage gun before, you’re missing out.

This useful tool comes in handy anytime your muscles feel sore and achy and need some relief. Cordless, battery-powered, and equipped with multiple speed settings and interchangeable heads, a massage gun is a gadget you always want in your gym bag.

Here’s what you need to know about massage guns, their key features, and how to use them for sore muscles.

How To Use a Massage Gun: The Features

The Copper Fit Massage Gun provides targeted muscle relief whenever you need it. It’s a go-to for athletes, but everyone can benefit from its soothing power.

So, how does this innovative massage gun work? Here are the features you need to know about.

Cordless use: Some massage guns need to stay plugged into the wall to function. We know how inconvenient being tied to the nearest wall outlet can be, so we designed our massage gun with a long-lasting battery for cordless use. After a full charge, you can use your Copper Fit Massage Gun for up to two hours.

Multiple speed settings: Everybody is different. Some folks prefer an ultra-intense massage, while others want gentle, sustained kneading to get the tension out. The best massage gun has an option for everyone. The Copper Fit Massage Gun has four speed settings ranging between 2000 and 3000 percussions per minute.

Lightweight build: Whether you’re at the office, at the gym, or at home, your massage gun should be easy to access and carry with you. The Copper Fit Massage Gun has a lightweight design that makes it ultra-portable. You can easily stash it in your gym bag and hit the road.

How To Use a Massage Gun: The Heads

The Copper Fit Massage Gun comes with several different removable heads, which can provide varying levels and types of soothing relief. Here’s what you need to know about each of these heads and how to use them:

Ball: The ball is the default head for the Copper Fit Massage Gun. This head provides universal comfort and relief and can be used on any part of your body. We recommend using the ball head when focusing on your neck and shoulders, but it’s the ideal tool for easing tension in any part of your body.

Flat: The flat massage head works best on the largest muscle groups in your body. These include your quads and your back. If you’re dealing with major aches and soreness in these areas, try using the highest speed setting on your massage gun with the flat massage head.

Bullet: The bullet head is best for the smallest parts of your body, especially for relief from sore feet. Your smallest body parts are also some of the most sensitive, so it’s best to start out your use of the bullet head with a lower speed setting.

Dual Point: The dual point head glides across your muscles, providing long-lasting relief to tight areas in your calves, neck, and shoulders. It’s a unique and versatile feature that comes in handy often.

What Areas Should You Target With a Massage Gun?

A massage gun can relieve tension throughout your body. However, we all know some spots tend to get the most achy and sore, especially after a tough workout.

Follow these general rules for which areas you should target with your Copper Fit Massage Gun:

Target the muscles you most recently engaged. After an intense session in the gym, the muscles that need the most attention are the ones you just used the most. For example, if leg day was yesterday, you’ll want to give your glutes, quads, and calves some relief.

Target muscles only. A massage gun is designed to relieve tension in your muscles. As a result, it’s always best to avoid applying the gun’s head directly to non-muscular areas. Misuse of the gun won’t cause long-term problems, but using it on bones can be uncomfortable and produce the opposite of the intended effect.

Vary your speed based on your need. With multiple speed settings to choose from, the Copper Fit Massage Gun can provide just the right amount of intensity for any part of your body. In general, it’s best to save the highest speed settings for larger muscle groups, opting for lower speed in smaller and more sensitive areas.

When Should You Use a Massage Gun?

Now that you know which muscle groups to give the most love with your massage gun, let’s take a look at the best times and circumstances to use your massage gun.

After a Workout

One of the best times to get out your massage gun is right after putting in some intense effort at the gym. You can use the gun right after your workout to ease the immediate tension and get your blood flowing.

In addition, some athletes do a quick massage session before a workout to get warmed up. This strategy can be especially helpful if you worked out the day before and are back in the gym while still sore from your previous workout.

On Your Rest Days

It’s always smart to have at least one rest day each week if you work out regularly. While it’s rewarding and challenging to push yourself, it really is possible to overdo it. If you work out too much, you’ll be more vulnerable to injuries and end up out of the gym on mandatory rest. That’s why we always recommend factoring rest days into your workout plan.

When you’re taking a rest day, there are plenty of ways to help your sore muscles recover. Proper post-workout nutrition, some gentle cardio, and getting enough sleep are all ultra-helpful. In addition, it’s an ideal time to pull out your Copper Fit Massage Gun and do an extended session, working all of your major muscle groups with the different interchangeable heads.

Anytime You Feel Sore

Ultimately, there are no hard-and-fast rules about when to use a massage gun. Anytime your muscles feel tight and sore, it’s the perfect time to power up the gun and let it work its magic. Even a few minutes of massage halfway through the workday can do wonders.

How Often Should You Use a Massage Gun?

Generally, using your massage gun several times daily is perfectly fine. Whenever you feel the need, you can power the gun up and work over achy muscle groups for a few minutes.

Focus on the areas that seem the tensest, choosing one of your massage gun’s interchangeable heads that specifically addresses the needs of that muscle group.

How Does Massaging Your Muscles Help Them Recover?

You might be wondering how and why a massage gun is so beneficial for those sore, achy muscles. There are several fascinating ways that your massage gun helps you recover after a tough workout, including:

Increasing blood flow: When you massage certain muscle groups, you promote blood flow in those parts of your body. As blood flow increases, your muscles get more oxygen and nutrients delivered directly to them. As a result, you might notice that you’re ready to hit the gym and work those muscles again a bit sooner than before.

Relieving pain: We all know how frustrating sore muscles can be. You’ve just put in some serious effort in the gym, and now you have to endure stiffness, tightness, and aches. Massaging those hurting muscles can provide noticeable relief, especially by breaking up knots and releasing built-up tension.

Dealing with lactic acid buildup: Massaging sore muscles can help you manage soreness by flushing lactic acid out. Lactic acid and other metabolic by-products of exercise can make your muscles feel more achy and sore as you recover. By using your massage gun, you can get these substances out of your muscle tissue, providing some relief while you prepare for your next big workout.

Helping you relax: Let’s face it: a massage feels incredible.It can also be hard to get in to see a professional masseuse — or even convince your partner to give you a shoulder rub while they’re trying to get work done. Doing it yourself can work wonders when you want a massage but don’t have access to a masseuse (or friend or partner).

Improving your range of motion: Tight muscles don’t move well, and when your muscles stay tight after one workout, it’s harder to prepare for your next workout. A massage can ease the tension and tightness in your muscles, slowly but surely increasing your range of motion and getting you ready to get back in the gym.

Final Thoughts

If you don’t have a massage gun yet, you won’t regret taking the leap and adding one to your workout recovery toolbox. This tool is easy-to-use, portable, and soothing and can turn aching muscles into butter.

The Copper Fit Deep Tissue Massager is an ideal massage gun for pro athletes, workout enthusiasts, and everyone else. With multiple speed settings, interchangeable heads, cordless functionality, and long battery life, it’s a win-win-win.

Sources:

Muscle pain Causes | Mayo Clinic

What to eat after a workout | Medical News Today

Muscle Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention | Cleveland Clinic