How to use a Theragun Pre, During, and Post-Training
By Matt Johnson
Founder of The Feed.
The Theragun is a longtime recovery tool of athletes across the board. Yet, it's application goes beyond just evenings on the couch; check out how.
Just by turning your Theragun on and holding it against your body, you're gonna feel ahhhhhmazing, but if you want serious pro benefits out of it, you'll need some doctor-designed protocols specific to your sport and issue you're trying to address and the ability to implement them at a moment's notice.
Welcome To The Next Generation...
The new Bluetooth connectivity and Theragun 2.0 mobile app make finding and using the right protocol, anytime, anywhere, now possible.
Called Therabody app, it learns from your unique behaviors and preferences, integrating with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Samsung Health to recommend guided wellness routines that can be run on our Bluetooth® enabled devices
These technologies are able to drive Theragun for you. You just download the app and choose a protocol, such as cycling, carpal tunnel, or biceps. Save the protocols to Siri and when you're ready to use it, you just call up the protocol and it will tell you how much pressure, what muscles, and how fast to move the device
The smart technology takes all of the guesswork out of it for you. There are indicators both on the device and on the app which will let you know if you're doing the protocol correctly and help you self adjust. It's extremely user-friendly..
The idea is that eventually, you'll remember the protocols yourself and become even more empowered to manage your own wellbeing and athletic performance.
Training and Recovery
Before training
I love using Theragun right before my training and before a race. Using it pre-workout is like fueling up your car at the starting line. Theragun will release blood flow, release tension, and activate your nervous system. It 'warms up' my fluids and lubricates my muscles with blood and oxygen. The important thing is not to use it too long so you stay in the activation stage.
Protocol: Treat each individual muscle in a muscle group by floating the head over the area for no more than 30 seconds before a race or workout and before your warm-up. Be sure to still do your dynamic stretch. Theragun is used as a compliment to stretching, not in place of it. Use it on specific areas 10 sec fast, 10 sec fast, 10 sec fast. It’s the short duration that stimulates blood flow and releases the tension, allowing your muscles to move.
During Training
It could be a challenge, but if you're able to use Theragun during training or in the middle of your race, it will propel you on like you wouldn't believe. Even if it's not practical to use during competition, using it during training will make you an overall better athlete. This is because Theragun will condition your muscles to keep going when they've reached fatigue.
Protocol: If you can spend just 15 seconds on a fatigued muscle, it releases the tension, oxygenates, and recharges. You’ll rise right back up and feel ready to spring back into full action. When I use it in the middle of my training, I'm blown away by how good it works at taking away the pain and muscle fatigue and 'resets' me.
After Training
Use it on similar muscles but slower and longer. Now you’re looking for a calming effect. You’re still increasing the blood flow, but the process is smoother because you’re not amping up the sympathetic nervous system, instead, you're triggering the parasympathetic system to go into recovery mode.
Protocol: Hit each muscle group for at least two minutes to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. It’s “rest and digest” time.
How To Use Theragun For Pain
From excruciating nerve pain resulting from injury to everyday tension and muscle knots, Theragun is a proven pain reliever.
In fact, in focal hyperalgesia (pain and knots) study done on pain trigger points, Theragun produced immediate analgesic effect and the reduction of pain stayed for a longer period of time than any other treatment, which included rollers and manual massage therapy.
Pain Protocol: To treat serious pain, start somewhere else on your body to get your endorphins flowing and put your body into a relaxed state. You want your skin signals to override your nerve signals. Then change your attachment to a damper or ball attachment and apply pressure based on your tolerance to the muscles associated with the affected joint. Spend thirty seconds on each, then switch the attachment to a super soft one and apply pressure to your tolerance. Repeat twice a day.