Percussion massage gun
Handheld device (Theragun and similar) for sore muscles and recovery between massages
Theragun made the category famous. A motor drives a padded head into the muscle many times a second, and people use it on tight quads, calves and shoulders after training or a long day at a desk. It will not replace a good massage therapist. What it offers is availability: one payment, roughly the price of two or three sessions, and it sits in the drawer for whenever a muscle complains. A minute or two per muscle group is typical. Pressing too hard, or running it over bone and joints, are the common mistakes.
People on record
Sorted by strength of stance
Does it: documented as part of their own routine. Recommends: explicitly advises other people to do it. Discusses: covered it substantively without clear personal adoption; this can include criticism or disagreement.
- Mark HymanDoes it
Physician · The Dr. Hyman Show · author of Young Forever
Bought a Theragun after pricing it against a couple of monthly massages, and uses it on himself between the professional massages he still tries to get once a month.
Source: The Doctor's Farmacy: My Personal Longevity Routine - Zac EfronDoes it
Actor · the Baywatch body and what it cost him
Self-massage sits in the same recovery block as the rolling. He puts it plainly to Men's Health: he lives attached to a Theragun.
Source: Men's Health: Zac Efron Interview on His Career, His Health, and His Next Movie
Aimed at the same thing
Other entries filed under fitness or stress.
- Gear$$$Expensive: Several hundred dollars and up.
Cold plunge tub
Chilled tub that holds cold water ready, instead of hauling bags of ice
On record from 4 of 62 tracked people: 4 do it - HabitFREE, no cost
Daily walking
A long walk most days, often without headphones
On record from 19 of 62 tracked people: 14 do it, 5 recommend it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Yoga
Regular yoga practice for flexibility, strength and a calmer nervous system
On record from 8 of 62 tracked people: 8 do it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Running
Regular running, from a short daily loop up to ultramarathon distance
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 5 do it, 1 recommends it - Protocol$$$Cheap: Roughly under $50, or under $15/month.
Swimming
Lap swimming as low-impact cardio and a reset for the head
On record from 6 of 62 tracked people: 6 do it - Protocol$$$Mid: Roughly $50 to $500, or up to $50/month.
Sports massage
Regular hands-on soft-tissue work from a trainer or therapist
On record from 3 of 62 tracked people: 2 do it, 1 has discussed it
Gear entry · notes paraphrased from cited sources, quoted excerpts copied from the transcript they link to. Not medical advice. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or reviewed by anyone listed. How this works.