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  3. Best Massage Guns for Basketball Players Guide

Best Massage Guns for Basketball Players Guide

ByQueen Ballers Club|@queenballers| July 5, 2021If you buy something from a link on our site, Queen Ballers Club may earn a commission.
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Today we take a look at the best massage guns for basketball players to help make your decision an easy one. Massage guns, which are easy-to-use, battery-powered devices that feature movement that mimics a massage, have recently become all the rage when it comes to rejuvenating sore tissue and aching muscles.

Hoopers use them to boost athletic performance and everyday mobility and flexibility. These hand-held devices can also accelerate warm up and recovery and reduce muscle stiffness. Many basketball players incorporate them into their pre-workout warm-ups and post-workout recovery routines.

When looking for the best massage guns we considered the following criteria:

Discover the best massage guns for basketball players

Google Trends shows that interest in massage guns has exploded over the last few years. If you’re ready to hop on the trend, we’ve rounded up some nice options.

Massage gun interest has spiked over the last three years

Check out five great selections for hoopers to check out when considering a massage gun purchase, in no specific order as each is best for a specific use case. For each massager, we provide an overview of what it’s best for, identify its key features such as power and weight, highlight some main pros and cons, and share customer reviews. Here’s a quick preview of what’s ahead:

Best massage guns for basketball players

1. Ekrin Athletics B37S Massage Gun

This higher-end massage gun clearly falls into the pro category and is a workhorse. It does a great job with pre-workout muscle warm up because it’s very powerful, and comes with a lifetime warranty. This massage gun features soft-touch materials and premium fit and finish for a very comfortable feel, and 3 grip positions so it’s easy to get into those tough spots no matter where they are. It comes with 6 attachments that lock into place – including two new silicone heads.

Check out the best high-quality professional massage gun

Key features:

Pros: TSA approved for carry on, 8 hour battery life, nice feel to hold

Cons: A bit louder than expected but doesn’t rattle quite as much as other very strong massagers

2. Hyperice Hypervolt with Bluetooth

The Hyperice Hypervolt is used by NBA players, and comes with 5 attachments of varying size and density, with power of up to 3200 rpm. It has more of a standard stroke length for massage guns so it delivers a vibrating feel, rather than penetrating. It has 3 variable speeds that are all quiet, and with the app on your iPhone, there are different routines that you can use to automatically guide the massage gun for pre- and post workout and other pains or tight areas. The batteries seem to hold a charge well, and it is super easy to use because there’s no cord attachment that gets in the way. 

Check out the best value massage gun for athletes

Key features:

Pros: Great battery life of up to 3 hours of use, exceptionally quiet, no cords get in the way, TSA approved for carry on

Cons: It’s more about vibration as opposed to penetration, Bluetooth is only iPhone compatible

3. Theragun Elite

The Theragun Elite offers a great value and has a luxury feel to it, so it’s easy to hold. This massage gun has multiple speed options and five attachments, and can address all your muscle groups. The battery lasts as long or longer than the two hours promised, and the massage is strong.  It’s amplitude and head density are superb so it’s able to offer percussion rather than just vibration. When you connect your Theragun to their app (turning on the Theragun Elite automatically connects the device via Bluetooth to the Therabody App) and follow the routines, it’s like getting a massage treatment in your own home. This gun was selected at the top overall pick by Healthline.

Check out the best app massage gun for basketball players

Key features:

Pros:  Their attachments are designed with comfortable, non-porous closed-cell foam which can be easily cleaned for a hygienic and relaxing experience, handy carrying case, multi-grip design for hard to reach spots

Cons: 2 hour battery life is on the shorter side, attachments only have a warranty of 30 days and should be replaced every 60-90 days

Pro tip: Stick with the dampener and standard ball attachments and you’ll enjoy your results.

4. LifePro Sonic Massage Gun

The LifePro Sonic massage gun is a great value, because its soft tip is amazing and really helps relax the muscle. It’s is easy to use, and comes with five different tip attachments you can pop on and off: a round ball, a large flat disc, a fork end, a bullet, and a finger-shaped tip. The lighted gauge on the back shows how much battery charge you have left, as well as what power setting you are on. The handle has a comfortable curve and rubber coated grip and feels good in your hand. It’s a great massage gun to use daily at home, and will just need to be charged about once per week.

Check out the best massage gun on Amazon

Key features:

Pros: 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee, very quiet, a very capable unit

Cons: Battery life a little on the shorter side, it has more of a rectangular shape which may be a little harder to hold for some, if you aren’t careful you can inadvertently change speeds

5. HeaDot Muscle Massager

This is a great entry-level lightweight massage gun and comes highly recommended by many of our friends for solving neck kinks and sore backs and shoulders. It features 10 customized massager heads that are all very quiet! Unique glide noise reduction technology brings high power but a low noise experience so you can use easily use it while you’re watching TV or at the gym. The screen is very sensitive and responds quickly to adjust your speed up to 30 different modes.

Check out the best massage gun under $100

HeaDot massage gun

Key features:

Pros: The touch screen is very convenient, 6 hour long battery life, it’s quiet

Cons: Only has a case for the accessories

Bonus. TimTam Power Massager

We included this massager because the brand pops up a lot when you dig into the field, but it’s probably too powerful for most hoopers and it has the lowest customer rating of our featured massagers. The TimTam power massager is one of the strongest guns out there so is nice to pro athletes with very big strong muscles. It’s designed to help target muscle groups that need recovery in just 30 seconds. It features an extremely high stall force meaning it’s really powerful and16 millimeter percussion so it can really get into those nooks and crannies. It has just one attachment and one simple one-touch trigger – so it’s either on or off. Another nice feature is that it has long-life swappable batteries, so you’ll always be able to use it.

Check out the best massage gun for going deep

Key features:

Pros: Long-lasting lithium-ion battery good for over 40 minutes of continuous use, interchangeable battery

Cons: Very loud, very powerful so you need to really focus on what you’re doing

How to evaluate a massage gun for basketball players

There are a few key considerations to keep in mind as you narrow down your massage gun selection.

1. Performance including power, stall force, and amplitude

Power means how many revolutions per minute (RPM) the gun has. Stall force is the maximum pressure the gun can tolerate before it stops. Amplitude is the length of the gun’s stroke.

Because basketball players tend to have larger muscles, most will need a massage fun with a lot of power to keep up the pressure against their body – something that provides more than just vibration. We looked for products with at least 2,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) or more. For most hoopers, a gun with a middle of the range amplitude (10mm+) will help warm up your muscles with deep massage and help you recover with comfortable surface-level massage. A higher stall force (40+) would be ideal so that you can really work into your key muscle areas.

2. Weight and hand grip

Consider the weight of the massage gun as you make your selection. Because if it’s too heavy or too uncomfortable to hold, you’re not going to use it. Don’t get anything over 2.5 pounds. Look for percussive massagers that rotate or have functional grips and handles.

3. Noise level

The reality is you’ll probably want to use the massage gun while you do something else – whether it’s talking to your significant other, watching TV, or even watching a game in the gym. So one consideration is how loud the gun is.

4. Battery life

Hoopers are frequently on the road for games, so you don’t want your percussive massager to give out on you. Make sure to get a massager that holds its charge well.

5. Price

Price is obviously a key consideration in any purchase. We chose massage guns all under $350, because there are plenty of great options in that range.

How to use a massage gun

Once you get your massager, here’s how to use it to maximize your results in a few simple steps.

  1. Turn the massage gun on before it’s touching your body so you can get used to the movement.
  2. Begin at the lowest speed so that you can see how it feels, and then move up as needed.
  3. Stimulate an area for 10-30 seconds by moving the gun up and down the muscle very slowly.
  4. Glide the gun gently over your skin and then increase pressure as you adapt to the feel.
  5. Sports Illustrated reports round and large head attachments are usually used for large muscle groups like glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
  6. A smaller attachment can be used throughout your body.
  7. For denser muscles, use a flat head attachment.

How much do massage guns usually cost? Massage gun prices

 Massage gun prices tend to range from $60 to $500. They vary in price based on the set of features they offer such as number of speeds, battery life, and noise level.

More affordable massage guns: These massage guns cost $50 to $150, and tend to be vibrational focused. They have a nice range of speed options, though an overall low top speed. Their battery life is a little shorter. And they tend to be slightly more uncomfortable to hold, and don’t offer any high-end touches like app interaction to guide your massaging nor massage gun carrying cases.

Mid-range massage guns: For massage guns in the $150 to $300 range you can expect stronger speed and a longer battery life. They also offer nicer finishes like carrying cases and app interactivity. They have a great range to be able to give you a comforting massage as well as a deep tissue massage.

Expensive massage guns: The most expensive massage guns run $300+ and feature more percussive deep therapy and rarely stall which are great for professional athletes. They make less noise and offer a longer battery life of multiple hours. For example, the Ekrin B37S Massage Gun for athletes has an 8 hour battery life and 30% more power with 5 speeds, and it costs $329.

Pick from the best massage guns for basketball players

Now you’re equipped to give a massage gun a try. We hope we helped make your decision an easy one. By the way, a few of these massage guns, if you purchase, we’ll get a couple cents back to fund our site (thank you so much), but not all of them. This content is for informational purposes only, and you should not construe any such information as health advice.

Up next, learn how elite basketball players prepare for games with pre-game routines.

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