Therabody Massage Guns — Reviewing The Best Theraguns: Elite, Prime, Pro, and Mini
If you're an exercise enthusiast, you likely have access to all the equipment you need. We're talking about yoga mats, dumbbells, resistance bands, and the like. But you might be neglecting an essential product: a massage gun.
When you work hard enough, any workout is sure to introduce some soreness. Instead of waiting for your aches and pains to subside on their own, you can combat them with a massage gun from Therabody.
But how are you supposed to select the right one? Below, we'll review Therabody's top four massage guns. Then, we'll answer some of the most common questions we receive to help you have a positive experience with your Theragun.
Theragun PRO
If you're searching for the best of the best, a safe bet will be the Theragun PRO. This product is professional-grade, as it's many personal trainers' weapon of choice. Even if you don't participate in the training profession, you can benefit from this product if you're a serious athlete or exercise aficionado.
The Theragun PRO is Therabody's most powerful product. It has an amplitude of 16 millimeters and comes with 60 pounds of stall force, allowing you to apply ample pressure. The pressure will penetrate your body's tissues and promote effective massage recovery. And you can press as hard as you need to — the gun's stall force is so high that you don't have to worry about it stopping when you apply added pressure.
One of our favorite features of the PRO is the adjustable arm. You can move the rotating arm into four different positions, allowing you to reach all your body's tissues. The rotating arm makes it easier for you to use the product on yourself or others if you have clients to work with. And the ergonomic handle is easy to grip, meaning it won't slip out of your hand mid-use.
If you anticipate using your massage gun frequently, you can rely on the PRO to deliver optimal performance. It comes with two swappable batteries that pop in and out of place with little effort. Each battery lasts for 150 minutes, meaning you can get up to 300 minutes of use if you have both batteries fully charged and on hand.
It's important to note that the PRO is the loudest product in Therabody's lineup. But this detail shouldn't deter you from ordering one for yourself. It operates surprisingly smoothly for how powerful it is. We can attribute its semi-quiet operation to its clever construction. It has a matte covering that covers its hard plastic exterior, which prevents the plastic from rattling around while you're using it.
The Theragun PRO comes at a steeper price, but this product is a solid investment. It comes with a generous two-year warranty to put any apprehensions you may have to rest.
Order your Theragun Pro today!
Theragun Elite
Therabody released the Theragun Elite as a reiteration of the Theragun G3 (which is no longer on the market). The newer Theragun Elite features several improvements to deliver a better user experience.
Compared with the G3, the Elite has a much longer battery life. You can enjoy up to 120 minutes of use on one charge. And better yet? Some users have reported longer battery lives, climbing up to as high as 200 minutes on one charge.
Another thing we love about the Elite is its quiet operation — Therabody reports that it's 75% quieter than the G3. While we can't verify this claim precisely, we can state that the Elite operates very quietly. It doesn't produce deafening vibrations that make it hard to hear your thoughts. You can even give yourself a neck massage and watch TV or engage in a conversation with ease. Our physical therapist customers especially love the Elite's quiet operation — they don't have to shout to communicate with their patients mid-session.
While customers who buy the PRO are spoiled with a two-year product warranty, you won't get this same luxury with Therabody's other models. The Elite and the two Therabody versions we'll discuss next only come with a one-year warranty. Still, the one-year period is a significant amount of time for you to use the product and discover any defects with it.
The Elite is a premium product that isn't as steeply priced as the PRO. Make sure to order your Theragun Elite today!
Theragun Prime
The PRO and the Elite pack a punch that will suit the needs of avid athletes and PT professionals. But if you're looking for a more barebones product, we highly recommend the Theragun Prime.
The Prime comes with a 16-millimeter amplitude and 30 pounds of stall force. It provides sufficient power for everyday workouts. But if you have deeper-set tissue problems you need to address, the PRO or Elite will be better products for you to invest in.
Even though the Prime delivers less power, it's still ideal for casual use. It features a hefty motor and an ergonomic design for ease of use. It's also a trailblazer, as it was Therabody's first product to feature Bluetooth capabilities. You can pair the Prime (as well as the PRO and Elite) to the Therabody companion app on your mobile device. The app can walk you through specific workouts and let you adjust the product's speed directly from your phone.
The Prime comes with five speeds: 1,750 PPM, 1,900 PPM, 2,100 PPM, 2,200 PPM, and 2,400 PPM. You can select your desired speed on the product itself if you don't want to go through your phone.
All in all, the Prime is an excellent choice for workout enthusiasts who don't want to break the bank. The Prime is an affordable massage gun that's simple to use and doesn't come with any flashy features. It provides ample power for general workout recovery so that you can always perform your best.
Buy your Theragun Prime today!
Theragun Mini
A massage gun is undoubtedly a useful product, but some can be quite bulky to haul around. The Theragun mini provides the perfect solution. It's Therabody's smallest massage gun, meaning you can slip it into your purse or back pocket with ease.
The mini packs a surprisingly powerful punch for its small size. It can reach a top speed of 2,400 percussions per minute, which is just as many as the Prime can. However, it is a less powerful model overall, as it only offers a 12-millimeter amplitude and 20 pounds of stall force. But we expected this decrease in power as the product itself is so small.
Despite its less powerful abilities, the mini is still excellent for giving yourself a relaxing massage. You can use it to relieve muscle knots while you're relaxing on the couch at home or on the go at the airport. And if you use it in public, you won't disturb anyone around you — it only produces a quiet whir that any passersby will have to strain to hear.
If you're worried about getting a shorter run time from this product, you shouldn't be. Depending on what power setting you use, you can expect to get up to 150 minutes per session from the mini's battery.
If you have aesthetics on your mind, it's worth looking at the mini's colors. The mini comes with the most color options of all the other products. You can choose from the standard Black or mix it up by getting your product in White, Red, or Desert Rose.
Looking for a good starter massage gun that won't take up too much space in your gym bag? The Theragun mini is a wise choice, and you can get it at the most affordable cost. Be sure to buy Theragun Mini from our online store today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you're familiar with the best Therabody massage guns, you may still need some more information about how these products work and what you can expect after purchase.
Below, this buyer's guide will tell you everything you need to know about before purchasing one of these Theragun products.
What Conditions Can I Use a Theragun For?
A Theragun can help you manage various conditions. For instance, it can:
- Address the joint pain associated with hypermobility.
- Relieve muscle knots, golfer's elbow, and quad tears.
- Target back pain from overexertion.
- Aid in overall muscle recovery.
- Improve your overall athletic performance.
- Increase knee mobility and relieve stiffness.
- Prevent muscle cramps from running.
- Address chronic pain that doesn't respond to stretches.
- Mitigate abdominal pain from core-specific workouts.
Whether you're an avid runner or passionate weight lifter, a Theragun can help you feel better and prepared to take on your next workout session.
Some people even use their Theraguns to manage cellulite. A massage gun's vibrations provide a deep tissue massage and can scatter fat cells throughout the body, improving the appearance of dimpled skin.
How Do I Use a Theragun?
Using a Theragun is quite simple, but your first time will feel unfamiliar. Follow these steps to get comfortable with using a Theragun:
- Turn on the Theragun, but don't put it on your body yet. This step will let you get comfortable with holding it while it produces pulsations.
- Rest the Theragun on your body. Let it rest gently on top of your skin, and don't apply pressure yet.
- Slowly glide the Theragun across affected muscles. Try to move about an inch every second.
- Once you hit a tense spot, hold the Theragun on that spot. Don't apply any additional pressure at first.
- Once you feel comfortable with proceeding, you can add additional pressure.
- Move on to other tight areas of your body.
Always remember to take deep inhales and exhales while you use your Theragun. Don't tense up, and you'll feel the relief more fully.
You can also use your Theragun on your workout partner (or have them use it on you). This option will help you access difficult-to-reach spots like the middle of your back.
What Accessories Can I Get for My Theragun?
There are many accessories available for your Theragun. For instance, you can get a skin covering to protect your product from acquiring scratches and building up residue. You can also invest in:
- Extra batteries
- Extra chargers
- A Theragun stand and charging port
Some of our favorite accessories are the attachment options. For instance, you can get:
- A dampener for bony or tender areas
- A cone that pinpoints small muscle groups
- A wedge for IT bands and shoulder blades
- A large ball for quads and glutes
- A thumb for trigger points
- A standard ball for general use
How Long Does It Take for the Lithium-Ion Theragun Batteries to Charge?
The lithium-ion Theragun batteries only take 75 minutes to reach their full charge. If you're in a hurry, you can start using the batteries before they reach 100%. But Therabody recommends that you always let the batteries charge to full capacity. Developing this habit will prolong the life of your batteries and prevent you from needing to purchase new ones prematurely
How Loud Is a Theragun?
Therabody designed its Theraguns with noise levels in mind, so you don't have to worry about them causing a disturbance. The most advanced version (the PRO) may get as loud as 70 decibels, which is about the volume of an office environment. Smaller models (like the mini) operate much more quietly, producing only around 50 decibels.
Does Using a Therabody Massage Gun Hurt?
Using a Therabody massage gun should never hurt. While using one will apply pressure to your body, you should never experience pain. Avoid any discomfort by starting with your massage gun's lowest setting. If you feel you need more pressure to experience optimal results, increase the power accordingly.