Best Massage Guns For Bodybuilders & Optimal Recovery (Updated 2021)

The best massage guns for bodybuilders can great affect your recovery with a portable and affordable rehab tool.

Massage guns have become a favorite tool for athletes and everyday gym-goers looking to take charge of their recovery process and muscle maintenance. Offering the same results as a deep tissue massage, this fantastic tool allows you to save time and money and enjoy the benefits from the comfort of your own home. By allowing for higher muscle strength and a relaxed mind, your lifestyle will improve simply by a push of a button.

We’ve put together a list of the Best Massage Guns for 2021 so you can have the best value massage gun while being affordable and portable. The best massage gun for bodybuilders and home use can greatly affect recovery so you see those gains you want most.

Best Massage Guns For 2021

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Best Massage Gun Overall

The best massage gun overall will deliver great rehab and recovery with many speed settings and adjustable heads to target all those sore spots while also being the best massage gun for the money.

ALKAI M1 Massage Gun

ALKAI M1 offers a great deep tissue percussion massage gun to enhance physical performance, support recovery, and aid in muscle soreness. With three specific modes (fitness, medical, and health), each provides four unique levels of speed to tackle whatever needs you want met. Six massage heads offer variations in targeting specific spots for pain and an LCD touch screen allows for easy navigation and use. With 20 hours of battery life on a single charge, this is a great massage gun for overall value.

Pros

• The three unique modes with four levels each offers great support for whatever you need in terms of pressure
• Six massage heads are great for targeting pain
• An easy-to-use touch screen with insane battery life give ALKAI a great overall value

Cons

• It can be challenging to hit hard-to-reach areas with the simple design
• The price might be high for some consumers but it is the best massage gun for the money

Price: $169.99

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Best Massage Gun For Bodybuilding

Bodybuilders constantly rely on rehab and recovery for that vital muscle growth and having a massage gun to help tackle all those needs is exactly what you want when the time comes to see bodybuilding gains. The best massage gun for bodybuilders is exactly what you need to thrive.

Theragun Elite 4^th Generation Massage Gun

Theragun Elite offers powerful deep tissue treatment with a brushless motor that is quieter than most massage guns on the market. A modern design with five attachable heads allows for comfort and multiple ways to grip for a great percussive massage. The OLED screen allows for easy access of any speed between 1,750-2,400 PPMs with a smart app to personalize your routine. This fourth-generation design allows for up to 2 hours of continuous use on a single charge and the price makes this is a great high-end massage gun.

Pros

• A modern design with solid speed settings allows for targeted access for pain
• The OLED screen is easy-to-use
• It is fairly quiet which is a huge plus

Cons

• The battery life is not great
• The smart technology, while it is a bonus when it works, can be difficult to pair at times
• The price is high, but it makes it a top-tier massage gun

Price: $399.00

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Best Massage Gun For Home

Home use is important and having the right massage gun for home use is imperative as you can work those muscles from the comfort of your favorite chair.

RENPHO R4 Pro Massage Gun

RENPHO R4 is a well-built massage gun to relieve tension and soreness to help activate and repair muscles. With six heads and 4 speeds, it allows the right amount of pressure to target specific muscles and muscle groups. An easy-grip handle and 5 adjustable angles allows for great rotation to hit those hard-to-reach spots without straining your arm to provide relief. A high-quality battery allows for a week’s worth of charge to handle any of your workouts.

Pros

• A great design to hit the hard-to-reach areas and target certain spots is a huge draw for RENPHO
• With five angles to choose from and an easy grip, this can handle any of your workout and massage needs

Cons

• The battery life is decent but could be more
• Its durability comes into question
• It isn’t as strong in terms of power as others

Price: $99.99

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Best Massage Gun For Deep Tissue

Getting to those deeper muscles and working on deep tissue work is important and should not be overlooked for it can really loosen up all those sore spots.

ALDOM Massage Gun

ALDOM Massage Gun is great for relieving muscle soreness and stiffness from high-intensity or normal exercise. Great for personal use, this works to boost everyday mobility and flexibility while working to accelerate recovery. Six replaceable heads work to target different areas of your body and 30 speed setting options are perfect for finding the level you want done. A quiet and powerful massage gun, this delivers powerful high penetration with minimal noise. Cordless and easily rechargeable, this is a great massage gun to target those deep tissue needs.

Pros

• Great for relieving muscle soreness and stiffness
• Six replaceable heads and 30 speeds settings allow you to find the right level
• Easy to charge and powerful with minimal noise

Cons

• The grip can be a bit loose and it may rotate in your hands

Price: $59.00

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Best Massage Gun For Hard-To-Hit Areas

There are tight spots that are hard to hit and having a massage gun work to target those spots can relieve tension in places you need to hit but that may be hard to reach.

PRACMANU 30 Massage Gun

PRACMANU offers beginners a solid massage gun to get started with aiding in recovery and rehabilitation and providing great support for inflammation. Four massage heads allows for stimulated blood flow and pain relief and with 30 speed strength levels, you can find the right amount of pressure to tackle all of your needs. This easy-to-use, highly portable massage gun has 2 hours of battery life and is perfect for those new to using a massage gun.

Pros

• It is great for beginners with its portable size and ability to aid in recovery and rehabilitation after exercise or injury
• With 30 speed levels, it allows beginners to experiment with certain speeds to see what works best

Cons

• The battery life is weak
• It has a shorter stroke than other massage guns
• The percussive technology is also fairly weak in pressure

Price: $29.98

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Best Premium Massage Gun

A top tier massage gun will deliver premium support for your recovery goals and be of the highest quality to last you a long time.

Theragun Elite 4^th Generation Massage Gun

Theragun Elite offers powerful deep tissue treatment with a brushless motor that is quieter than most massage guns on the market. A modern design with five attachable heads allows for comfort and multiple ways to grip for a great percussive massage. The OLED screen allows for easy access of any speed between 1,750-2,400 PPMs with a smart app to personalize your routine. This fourth-generation design allows for up to 2 hours of continuous use on a single charge and the price makes this is a great high-end massage gun.

Pros

• A modern design with solid speed settings allows for targeted access for pain
• The OLED screen is easy-to-use
• It is fairly quiet which is a huge plus

Cons

• The battery life is not great
• The smart technology, while it is a bonus when it works, can be difficult to pair at times
• The price is high, but it makes it a top-tier massage gun

Price: $399.00

Benefits Of Massage Guns

The best massage guns for bodybuilders and overall recovery can greatly benefit you in a number of ways. Finding that massage gun for home use can be great and the best portable massage gun and the best massage gun for the money can work wonders for your pre- and post-workout rehab. Benefits of the best portable massage gun include:

• Loosen up tight muscles: Using a massage gun can target deep into your muscles to loosen them up so you don’t suffer from tight muscles.
• Improve range of motion: Loose and limber muscles can greatly improve your overall range of motion for better growth and functional movements (1).
• Decrease stress levels: Working to alleviate pain can decrease stress levels and allow for better overall mood (2).
• Increase circulation: Working on targeting those tight spots can allow for better circulation and blood flow.
• Provide for better athletic performance: By taking care of your recovery and rehab, your athletic performance will increase so you have better results.

Why Vibration Therapy Matters

Vibration therapy is a very effective and now widely accepted form of therapy in the massage world. Massage therapists have started using vibration therapy with their clients, but the invention of the massage gun made it possible to receive all of the proper care and benefits without the assistance of someone else (3).

Vibration therapy can:

1. Relax your body and mind by relieving tension. Reduced tensions leads to a positive impact on improving serotonin, a happy hormone that allows for relaxation.
2. Improve flexibility which can help keep muscles active leading you to a desired level of strength and muscle mass (4).
3. Alleviate pain by targeting points of stress and strain to keep you from injury (5).
4. Increase blood circulation to keep blood moving through your heart and muscles for your overall health.

Massage Guns Comparison: Renpho R4 Vs. Theragun

We wanted to take some time and compare the Renpho R4 vs. Theragun massage guns. This will give you a different perspective on what to look for and what you would want out of a massage gun. Both will work to alleviate pain and soreness and target certain muscles to improve performance. Each offers adjustable heads and different speed settings to allow you to find the best level of comfort to tackle your needs.

Where the Renpho R4 vs. Theragun debate lies is really in design. Renpho has an interesting curved shaped so you can hit harder to reach spots. It can be challenging to get your shoulders and back when using for personal use but this design offers the ability to get those hard to reach areas effectively. Theragun has a more modern and sleek design and gripping may be slightly easier while offering a touch more power. It will be harder to reach some of those areas, however. Both have unique designs and can greatly affect your gains, but it comes down to preference with the Renpho R4 vs. Theragun debate.

How We Choose The Best Massage Guns

When looking at the best massage guns, we look at a number of factors to only bring you the best massage gun for bodybuilders. We first look at the durability and overall quality of the product so you get the best chance at seeing results and so you have a tool that will last a long time. We then look at certain features of the massage gun like adjustable heads, speed settings, and grip so you can find the most comfortable level to capitalize on your overall recovery. We then look at price. Massage guns can get expensive but it is possible to find a great product without totally breaking the bank for the best portable massage gun.

FAQ Section

What is the best massage gun?

ALKAI M1. This massage gun offers a great deep tissue percussion massage gun to enhance physical performance, support recovery, and aid in muscle soreness. With three specific modes (fitness, medical, and health), each provides four unique levels of speed to tackle whatever needs you want met.

How often and when should you use a massage gun?

You should use a massage gun when you feel you need to. Pre-workout warm-ups are a great time to loosen up those muscles. For post-workout recovery, a little longer use can prove to be worthwhile for less pain and faster bounce back.

What can a massage gun do for me?

A massage gun can work to enhance your overall recovery and the best portable massage gun can be used at home. By loosening up tight muscles and giving you a great sense of what is required, you get the most out of rehab work and capitalizing on all those great benefits.

Wrap Up

When looking for a solid massage gun, it is important that it checks off the boxes of effectiveness, quality, design, and price. Most will have these elements included but for your specific needs, the best choice for you should handle and have everything you’re looking for. Vibration therapy provides great benefits for your overall health and wellness and to have a portable and effective massage tool at home can save you time and money while also aiding in your recovery and growth. Check out these top massage guns and relieve all of that unwanted pain today.

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References

1. Konrad, A.; Glashuttner, C.; Reiner, M.; Bernsteiner, D.; et al. (2020). “The Acute Effects of a Percussive Massage Treatment with a Hypervolt Device on Plantar Flexor Muscles’ Range of Motion and Performance”. (source)
2. Sherman, K.; Ludman, E.; Cook, A.; Hawkes, R.; et al. (2010). “Effectiveness of therapeutic massage for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial”. (source)
3. Uher, Ivan; Pasterczyk, Alicja; Bigosinska, Monika; Svedova, Milena (2018). “Vibration Therapy and Its Influence on Health”. (source)
4. Roelants, M.; Delecluse, C.; Goris, M.; Verschueren, S. (2004). “Effects of 24 weeks of whole body vibration training on body composition and muscle strength in untrained females”. (source)
5. Kakigi, R.; Shibasaki, H. (1992). “Mechanisms of pain relief by vibration and movement”. (source)