Using A Massage Gun For Growing Muscle – Do Massage Guns Help Muscle Growth?

Massage guns work by increasing blood flow, releasing the tension, reducing pain, and improving range of motion, all of which lead to better warm-ups and a faster, more effective recovery after workouts.

They send direct vibration impulses through your muscles. According to a study in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research, vibration therapy and traditional massage effectively reduce late-onset muscle pain (DOMS).

Impact of massage on muscles

There is no doubt that a massage definitely feels good after strenuous exercise. Massage not only helps you feel better after exercise but also speeds up muscle recovery. The question is how.

In a recent study, researchers got 11 men to exercise intensively, the kind in which they hurt a lot for days. After their workout, each man received a 10-minute Swedish-style massage on one leg, while the other leg rested for comparison purposes. Muscle tissue samples were taken repeatedly from both legs before and after exercise. The researchers saw two important differences:

  • The massage reduced the inflammation caused by exercise, similar to the effects of certain painkillers.
  • Massage increased the production of mitochondria in muscles, the powerhouses of cells. As muscle cells adapt to resistance exercise, the number of mitochondria increases. This helps generate energy at the cellular level.

However, the research does not reflect what is generally considered to be the main benefit of post-exercise massage: reducing lactic acid buildup. For some people, massage does that, but the benefits are more in the cell structure.

Massage improves muscle condition

Two to four months of resistance training, depending on the intensity will significantly increase the volume of mitochondria in the muscle. With the extra energy supplied, your muscles can extract more oxygen. In other words, massage can be especially beneficial for muscle recovery AND muscle growth.

Interestingly, several studies have shown that traditional remedies for muscle pain, such as ice baths or anti-inflammatory drugs, can have a downside, as they have been shown to block muscle repair and growth.

Use a massage gun to grow muscles

This tool also helps you to speed up and optimize the muscle growth process.

During intensive training, we create chemical changes in muscle cells. These changes are normal but can interfere with contractile function. When muscle fibers contract, sometimes they don’t fully relax and we have cramps and muscle limitations. Massage guns help counteract these effects and speed up the recovery process, accelerating and optimizing the muscle growth process.

Cramps do not always occur, but muscle tissue loses quality over time. This can eventually cause tension and pain.

To avoid this, we can use myofascial stretching and release techniques such as the massage gun to break the fibers and the trigger points that form. We can also do mobility exercises to maintain proper movement in our joints and prevent muscles from tightening and pinching.

I think pinching, pressing, and hitting is insane. However, massage and the foam roller are very effective. I personally try to get a massage at my physiotherapist’s office once a month. But I’m talking about a REAL SPORTS MASSAGE, the kind that really isn’t that much fun when performing, but that’s the point!

If you are an average gym buff I would say buying a good massage gun is enough. I would also recommend buying yourself a pair of lacrosse balls so you can put your feet up and get to more specific areas that will bother you with deeper penetration into the muscle. This not only saves you time when making appointments, but it also saves you a lot of money.

When buying a massage gun, make sure you get the cavity with the plastic inside for the full massage gun. These are much more durable and allow you to loosen knots more deeply and break down the soft tissues properly.

With a massage gun, you can stretch muscles and tendons. It allows you to break down soft tissues and scars in the comfort of your home. Using one, you can easily perform a self-massage, also known as a myofascial release. It will also allow you to soothe the tight fascia (connective tissue), break the trigger points, which will stimulate blood flow and improve circulation, giving your muscles better blood flow that supplies the vital nutrients and target. blood cells that your body needs to help rebuild.

Therefore, getting a massage or using a massage gun will not necessarily develop new muscle, but it can aid in the growth of new muscle by allowing your muscles to receive more of the nutrients they need. It will also help you recover faster, as someone else said, helping you hit the gym harder every time, which is the name of the game. Train like a BEAST and make sure your NUTRITION is right. Without this, nothing works well anyway.

Recovery Methods After Exercise

  • Massage Gun – A good massage gun session is always effective at hitting uncomfortable spots. Once you’ve used a massage gun (which is 10 times cheaper than a visit to your therapist), it breaks those knots and releases much-needed blood flow to speed recovery and growth.
  • Stretching and Mobility Exercises: Should be done daily in conjunction with your massage gun. When we hold certain positions for long periods of time, our muscles tighten and can pose a risk of injury (think sitting in a chair in an office all day long). By constantly maintaining good tissue length and joint mobility, we ensure good functional movement.

Choosing The Right Recovery Tools For You

What we look for in a percussion massage gun:

  • Design and Ergonomics: If you’re going to spend a few hundred dollars or more on a massage gun, we wanted to make sure it was well made and comfortable to use. We wondered, “Is this something we could use without much fatigue?”
  • Features: We looked at what was in the box. We also analyzed the devices themselves to determine what sets each model apart from the others. In the end, we just tried to justify the price differences and which one offered the most value.
  • Battery life and charging: If you are going to use your massage gun on any frequency, it is important to know how long it will last before shutting down. Nobody wants to be tied to an outlet!
  • Noise – We have discussed the different scenarios where you could use your massage gun. For us, the last thing we want to do is draw attention to ourselves while trying to stretch a tight hamstring.

How To Use Massage Guns

Once you have one, what’s the best approach? To warm-up, the massage gun can be used to promote blood flow and circulation to warm tissue and stimulate the nervous system, preparing your body for activity. We recommend rinsing the muscle area back and forth for 15-30 seconds (floating the gun up and down the muscle).

When it comes to mid-training treatments, a similar approach is taken. During a workout, there are times when a person may feel trapped and want to stretch in between exercises, which can even reduce their performance by negatively affecting their strength production. Instead, try rinsing the area for 15 to 30 seconds to increase blood flow and decrease muscle tension. This should stimulate and loosen the muscle for the rest of your workout.

Massage guns can also help you recover from intense sessions. Once the body is relaxed, it lowers cortisol (stress) levels and creates an optimal healing environment for recovery, reaching an anabolic state of recovery. To do that, spend 90 to 120 seconds moving each muscle group up and down.

Some safety precautions and best practices: Make sure to turn on the device before making contact with your skin and just rest your head on your muscles when moving. There is no need to add excessive pressure or force it into the body. If you find a trigger point, do not dive into the area. Be careful not to move the machine over bones and joints and, if it hurts, take the pressure off. Move through the muscle slowly, about 1 to 2 inches per second.

Conclusion

Massage guns are electronic hand tools that use a small motor to move a soft plastic or foam attachment back and forth or back and forth, allowing you to rub, squeeze, and move different parts of your body, similar to what you’d get from traditional massage therapy.

While massage gun manufacturers claim that their products promote post-exercise recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and improve mobility, there is little evidence that this is true.

Instead, some small studies have shown that massage guns can slightly reduce muscle soreness and improve range of motion after, particularly tough workouts. Besides, most studies have also shown that massage guns (and massage therapy in general) do not improve athletic performance.

However, what massage guns do well is helping people feel better, which is the main reason most people use them anyway. And even if there isn’t much scientific evidence for back massage gun therapy, if you like it, there’s no reason not to.