Dan Giordano, D.P.T., C.S.C.S.

Meet the massage gun, the hot new trend that just may be landing in a gym near you. Over the last three years, more and more people have grown aware of the need to increase blood flow in muscles, whether youre training or recovering. Various methods have grown popular to do that, with everything from foam rollers to vibration therapies to standard massage landing in gyms.

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The massage gun inhabits this same space, and while its supported by limited research, the theory behind it is sound, and it has the potential to change the way you warm up and recover. Several pro athletes have been seen using massage guns during games, with NBA star Kyrie Irving the most prominent. In the 2017 NBA Finals, Irving was spotted midway through a critical game lying on his back, a trainer using one to keep him loose.

But athletes aren't the only ones using this to keep their bodies in top form. Also known as percussive therapy, Ive been using massage guns on my clients for several years and the results have been strong. If you train hard and are looking for an edge, a way to recover more quickly and get into your workouts more aggressively, this is a device you should consider.

<h1> What Exactly Is a Massage Gun? </h1>

The massage gun trend is a relatively new one in fitness. Youve used foam rollers before, and vibrating foam rollers appeared on the market three or four years ago. The theory behind these foam rollers was that the vibrations confused something called the Golgi tendon response, which would help to relax tight muscles.

Then, two years ago, the Theragun took off, kicking off a wave of massage guns. Hyperices Hypervolt and several others followed, and earlier this year, Theragun introduced the Theragun G3 Pro (below).

Use A Massage Gun to Recover From Tough Workouts

The massage gun generally looks something like a power tool, and once its turned on, it whirs like one too (although recent models have quieted that). To use it, you simply aim it at your skin, about an inch away, and let it pulsate back and forth, relaxing muscles and promoting bloodflow in much the same way a vibrating foam roller does. Its easier to use than a foam roller though, and more natural.

In theory, massage guns also offer a chance to modulate pain. What about pain modulation? Well, the pain you feel typically manifests as a specific frequency. Healthy nerve impulses should react to pain in milliseconds, but at certain frequencies, your pain may not be able to keep up with that. So in theory, a massage gun vibrating at the right frequency may trick the nervous system into blocking pain. We call this the pain gate theory.

Part of the beauty of the massage gun is that its incredibly easy to use. Just point at a target, press, and let it do its work. But to get the most out of your massage gun youll want to keep a few basics in mind.

Before you get started, turn it on, so that the head begins pulsing. Then float it along the desired muscle that youre trying to loosen or warm up. Theres never a need to press extra-hard with your massage gun; the pulses do their job. When you find a trigger point, a tight, knotty area of muscle thats a little more painful and sensitive than the rest of the muscle, linger on that area, just as you would with a foam roller.

Move your massage gun slowly along the muscle. Theres no need to rush the process. Enjoy the massage.

Massage guns are primarily thought of as recovery tools in todays fitness culture, but you can use them for either situation. In fact, using them as a warmup tool helps get you off the hook of that dreaded foam rolling ordeal.

In theory, the percussive therapy is doing several things you want in a warmup. First off, its heightening bloodflow in your targeted muscles. Secondly, the pulsating is turning on your sympathetic nervous system, the fight-or-flight system that preps your body for activity and sport.

To use the massage gun to prime for a workout, take aim at the muscle group youre going to train. So if youre going to bench press, youll want to hit your pecs, or if youre going to do pulldowns and rows, youll want to hit your lats. Spend 30 seconds on working along the muscle belly only; never venture toward a joint. Stay on the thickest part of the muscle. Work back and forth along the span of each muscle.

Between sets, you can also take advantage of a massage gun, loosening tense, tight areas so you can get more out of your next set. For example, you may feel your chest tighten slightly after a set of bench press reps and be tempted to stretch. But research tells us that statically stretching a muscle may decrease potential and force output. Instead, use your massage gun for 15 seconds on a muscle area that feels tense. This should increase blood flow and excite the muscle, loosening it again for the rest of your workout.

When youre done with your workout, your bodys in a heightened state. But a massage gun can, in theory, help you relax your nervous system. The sooner you fire up your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps govern rest and relaxation, the sooner your body shifts into recovery mode.

To use the massage gun to do this, fire it up and spend 90 to 120 seconds moving up and down each muscle group. Again, youre doing this throughout the muscle belly, not near joints. This will help relax your muscles.

It looks like a power tool, and can sound like one, too. But it just may be your best method of recovering from a tough workout - and warming up, too.

Everything You Need To Know About Massage Guns

Its one of the longest-running (pun intended) debates within the running community. Growing up, most of us were told to use static stretches before running. Static stretching, of course, is designed to improve your flexibility prior to activity, helping push your muscles and joints to new and more comfortable ranges.

For many, this is the standard warmup before a run. It gets you feeling great and warms up the body a little, and it does this without getting you fatigued or raising your heart rate. The bright side about that, in theory: You feel like you have more energy and oomph for your long run. Its also quick and easy and simple.

But that over-before-it-starts static warmup is not your best move, as recent studies have shown. One found that stretching prior to activity actually decreased your force output, which is basically your ability apply force as you run. If you cant really attack the ground with each stride and push off with power, youre going to be a slower runner.

And 11 years ago, pushed the virtues of dynamic stretching, showing that it improved human performance and positively influenced everything you want during a good run: Power, speed, agility, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity.

The trick with this warmup: It takes time and energy. But given the payoff, yes, youre best off burning 10 minutes prepping for your next run.

The smartest and most efficient warmup gives your body a chance to loosen up, gradually increases your blood flow and heart rate, and prepares you for the intended sport.

Thats especially important for runners, who repeat a very similar motion (your stride) over and over and over again. You want to repeat a clean stride, not waste motion or utilize harmful mechanics.

So were going to warm up in several steps.

Youre going to start this warmup simply: By walking. Walking is a low-intensity exercise that will start to push a little bit of blood flow, which is especially useful if youve been sitting all day. It will also take your joints, muscles, and tendons through normal ranges of motion. Walk for 3 to 5 minutes. You can keep this on the shorter end, around 3 minutes.

Confident male athlete running on footbridge over river against clear sky in city

As soon as youre done walking, shift right into a jog. This should also take 3 to 5 minutes, preferably closer to 5 minutes. Once the blood is flowing and the temperature of your muscles has increased, youre ready to stride.

Whats a stride? Think of a stride as much a running drill that has you overexaggerating your running form. Youre not trying to go fast, but with each, um, stride of a stride, youre trying to be precise: Knees high, feet dorsiflexed at the top, driving off the ground hard. Strides should occur naturally from your jog as you pick up the pace slightly.

Pick up the pace for about 50 meters, then gradually slow it down again to a jog, then fall back into a walk. After 25 to 50 meters of walking, do 50 meters of strides again, then again drop into a jog then walk; repeat this 3 times.

Your bodys almost ready to run hard and fast for your workout now. Your goal with this is to move the skeletal muscles youre going to use during your run -- glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves -- while also hitting important stabilizers like your abs and shoulders. Do each of the six moves below to do that.

Stand tall and grab your knees with both hands. Pull your right knee to your chest; come up onto your left toes as you do this. Repeat on the other side. Thats 1 rep; do 5.

Stand tall. Cradle your right leg at the knee and ankle in one hand. Pull your ankle and knee into your chest. Thats 1 rep; do 5 per side.

Stand tall, left knee bent, right leg extended forward and straight. Your right heel should be in the ground. Hinge at the hips and reach down towards toes, scoop and return to the standing position. Thats 1 rep; do 5 per side.

Stand tall, and grab your right ankle with your right hand. Pull your right foot toward your right glute; you should feel a stretch in your glute. Pause, then return to the start and repeat on the other side. Thats 1 rep; do 5 per side.

Stand on your right leg, knee slightly bent. Keeping your core tight and your back flat, hinge at the hips, bending forward until your torso is about parallel with the floor. Pause here,. Then drive back to the start; repeat on the other side. Thats 1 rep; do 5.

Stand on your right leg with your knee slightly bent. Drive your right knee up toward your chest, as high as you can. Bring that knee down, and push through as your forefoot glides across the floor; this will extend your hip. Thats 1 rep; do 5 on each side.

That's an ideal running warmup, getting your body primed for its mission and setting you up for success. And don't forget to set yourself up for running success in other ways, too. That can (and should) include foam rolling throughout the week, and hydrating and monitoring your diet closely. And don't forget core strengthening, which can easily be trained with planks (need a refresher course on planks? Check the video below). Fitness continues when you leave the workout.

Whats the perfect way to warm up before a run?

Don't Skip This 15-Minute Warmup Before Your Next Run

Thats right: Training barefoot just might be the secret to a bigger, stronger you. And yes, it is a thing, especially in the powerlifting crowd.

Nobody will blame you for not wanting to walk around your gym in socks -- or giving the guys who walk around in socks in your gym a little side-eye. Truth be told, the research on barefoot training is scant, so most of the claims on its usefulness may very well be overstated. But used it in the right situations, and it can have benefit.

<h1> The Case for Barefoot Training </h1>

Our body is a feedback loop of information. When any part of our body touches something or is even in close contact with something, it sends a signal to our brain. Our brain then sends a signal back.

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That means our feet are a feedback mechanism as well, but theyre a feedback mechanism that we constantly cover in, well, footwear. Again, research is scant on how much impact bare feet can have on this feedback loop. But this feedback loop is critical to our bodys proprioception (awareness of where we are in space) and its kinesthetic awareness (ability to perform movements without thinking.

In theory, going barefoot will give our brain more feedback. That can prevent injuries.

Proprioceptive training is an essential element of the rehabilitation process. Not only can it lead to an increase in strength and mobility, but more importantly it can drastically reduce the risk of reinjury., says Dr. Mohammad Rimawi, DPM, AACFAS, a Board Qualified Foot &amp; Ankle Surgeon in NYC.

Barefoot training may also help build the strength in your intrinsic foot muscles, an underrated way to help injury-proof your body. Think of it like training with gloves in the gym, a practice thats increasingly utilized less among seasoned lifters. You dont train with gloves in the gym, in theory, so you can more aggressively grip whatever bars youre using, and feel the varying thicknesses of those bars. That can help develop forearm and gripping muscle.

Similarly, barefoot training may help build the strength in your intrinsic foot muscles, an underrated way to help injury-proof your body. Under the proper supervision barefoot training may lead to an increase in balance and proprioception, says Rimawi.

<h1> The Case Against Barefoot Training </h1>

The argument youll often hear is that weve evolved to wear shoes, so why wouldnt we wear shoes? Shoes obviously also offer valuable protection in certain training situations, providing some protection for your foot from, say, a dropped dumbbell or an accidental kick of a metal bar.

Rimawi adds that barefoot training doesnt work well if you have mechanical issues in your foot already, especially if you rush into it after years training in sneakers. If done too quickly, he says, it can exaggerate conditions such as tendinitis, stress fractures, arch pain and much more.

Translation: This isnt something you just leap into. If you want to barefoot train, I suggest starting with only small doses of it in your workout, because it does take some time to adjust to it after years of working out in sneakers. Start by adding 5 to 10 minutes of barefoot training to your workouts, then gradually add to that amount.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtQj2WfH_jN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading&amp;utm_campaign=embed_locale_control" id="685dd854-c58c-34ea-a635-de1244fd8007"> View this post on Instagram </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtQj2WfH_jN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading&amp;utm_campaign=embed_locale_control" id="b419876a-119c-3848-a883-13d578f7507f"> A post shared by Marfred Fonz Suazo CSCS,RPR,PN (@fonzthetrainer) </a> on Jan 30, 2019 at 4:35am PST

Barefoot training makes more sense than you think, especially within weightlifting circles. After all, aside from the elevated heel in most weightlifting shoes, weightlifting shoes essentially work by placing your foot in a barefoot situation; theyre meant to be firm and rigid (instead of cushioned, as most sneakers are), creating a sturdy, almost wooden platform.

That allows you to increase your force production when youre doing such lifts as deadlifts and squats, since you push through a hard surface with your heels, instead of some cushioned sole. By and large, weightlifting shoes stealthily barefoot-train your feet. So most lifts you might do in weightlifting shoes, like deadlifts and squats, can be done barefoot.

You can generally barefoot train your deadlifts and squats, as described above. Any movement that has you using your intrinsic foot muscles more can benefit from barefoot training (although Im not suggesting barefoot running, something Ill explain in another column).

The lone exception to this is plyometrics. I believe that box jumps, broad jumps, tuck jumps, and similar exercises are better trained with footwear on. These movements place stress on your foot ligaments and tendons. If your foot isnt strong enough for these movements, cross-trainers can help absorb the shock and decrease your risk of injury.

Try these other lifts barefoot, too, and reap the benefits of this style of training.

Doing the kettlebell swing barefoot will help you coax even more power from your swing as you plant your feet and drive into the ground harder (in much the same way weve discussed the deadlift and squat).

To do the kettlebell swing, stand with holding a single kettlebell with both hands, arms hanging naturally, feet a little wider than shoulder-width. Squeeze your core and glutes. Swing the kettlebell forward to create momentum, then, keeping a flat back, as if doing a plank, let the kettlebell swing back between your legs, your torso following it. Bend your knees slightly to accommodate the movement. Once its past your butt, explosively hinge at your hips and stand up; this will lead the kettlebell to swing forward. Squeeze your glutes as you do this. Thats 1 rep; do the move for 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off, for 4 minutes.

Doing this lift barefoot will improve both the mobility of your metatarsals, the long bones in your foot that eventually lead to your toes. To do the staggered-stance overhead press, stand holding a kettlebell in your right hand at your chest. Shift your right foot backwards about a foot, so you have to stand on the balls of your right foot. Bend your left knee slightly. Squeeze your glutes and core. Now, press the kettlebell overhead, then lower it back to your shoulder. Thats 1 rep; do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side.

How Barefoot Training Can Make You Stronger

The performance footwear arena is as full of game-changing workout tech as its ever been, with sneakers that can make you run faster, deadlift more weight, or dominate your next WOD. But the best training footwear of all very well may be no training footwear.

One of the most frustrating injuries out there: Back pain.

Its debilitating, shooting pains that can wreck you for days. But there are ways to beat all this, and even get ahead of the game, and thats what Im hoping to show you right now. And yes, I know you may be thinking right now that you dont have back pain, so this isnt a concern.

But trust me: theres a good chance youll experience back pain at some point in your life. And these drills can save you in those situations -- even help you avoid the slightest pangs of travel back pain altogether.

<h1> Two Moves For Back Pain Prevention </h1>

Honing your back strength and mobility regularly will can help you avoid back pain. Do these stretches once or twice a week, when youre not traveling, and theyll prep your body to better handle the rigors of the road.

You wont be able to do all these stretches in a plane or train, but you should master them.

While sitting, bend one knee and place your ankle on top of the other knee. While maintaining a neutral spine (do not round or hyperextend) lean forward to feel the stretch in your glutes. You may also lean towards the bent knee off the ground to feel a stretch in the lateral aspect of your glutes. Start with 10-seconds holds and progress to 30-second holds. Repeat 5 to 10 times on each side. (Pro-tip: Do this one while youre traveling, if you can.)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and take a step forward with right foot. Your knee will be bent. Just make sure you dont lunge too far forward; think knee behind toes. Straighten out your left leg, tightening the glute, lean forward to feel stretch on front side of the left leg. If you dont feel the stretch, raise your left arm above your head and slightly lean to the other side. Start with 10-seconds holds and progress to 30-second holds. Repeat 5 to 10 times on each side.

<h1> Five Moves for Back Pain Relief </h1>

If you're already having low back pain, give these exercises a shot. It's important to find out which movements (flexion, extension, rotation) cause pain or discomfort and to avoid those movements, while continuing to work into ranges that are not provoking. If you combine this stability program with mobility work (foam rolling and stretching) you should be able to build a solid foundation to help prevent and/ or relieve low back pain.

Lie on your back with your knees bent, legs in the air. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. Your calves should be perpendicular to the floor. Now place your right palm on your right thigh and your left palm on your left thigh. Lift your shoulder blades and tuck your chin. Press your hands into your thighs and press your knees toward your shoulders, creating an isometric contraction. Do not hold your breath as you do this. (If you feel pain in your lower back when doing this, either lower your head to the ground or try moving your knees closer to your shoulders.) Hold for 5 to 10 seconds, then relax. Do 10 reps.

The basic plank is one of the best moves to insulate your body against back pain.

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Get on the ground on all fours, knees directly below your hips, hands directly below your shoulders. Keep your core tight and keep your gaze toward the ground. Reach your right arm out as far as possible and kick your left leg back simultaneously; squeeze your glutes as you do this. Keep your core tight; work to keep both shoulders and hips square to the ground. Return to the start. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat. Place a resistance band above your knees, and press out on the band, opening your legs. Continue pressing out throughout this movement. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes, then raise your hips. Your goal is to create a straight line from torso through thighs. Keep your heels on the ground as you do this. Return to the start. Thats 1 rep; do 10 per side.

Even if youve never had general back pain, theres a good chance youve experienced slight pangs of it when you travel. Why? Because everything about long-distance travel in planes, trains, and even cars seems designed to aggravate our lumbar area.

The seats in airplanes, cars, and trains simply arent designed to be comfortable, period, so theyre even worse for you when youre struggling with back pain. Hamstrings and hip flexors stiffen, making for hours of pain, and you feel it when you try to get out of that seat after the trip.

To avoid all that, keep these tips in mind when you hit the road.

One key to both avoiding and alleviating back pain: Move. The more you move around, the better. Dr. John J. Michalisin Jr., M.D., a clinical assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the NYU School of Medicine recommends that you try to move around and change positions frequently.

So every 30 minutes, get up. Set an alarm to make sure you do it when you fly or take the train. You only need to do it for 60 seconds, but stand up, stretch your arms overhead, and dethaw your body so it doesnt grow frozen and tight in bad positions. Youll commonly get up from your seat with tight pecs from hunching slightly, and tight hip flexors from having your legs bent for so long.

Make sure your butt is all the way back in the chair and shoulder blades against the chair. Do not sit forward. Sitting while leaning forward, causes an increase in intradiscal pressure, says Michalsin.

If you can adjust the sit, make sure your knees are in line with your hips or slightly lower. If you are still uncomfortable try rolling up a towel (or your sweatshirt) and position it between your lower back and the seat, helping to maintain the natural curvature of your spine.

Man With Backache Reaching Box While Bending Against White Wall

The more you pack, the more you have to carry. When putting luggage above your seat, perform this in steps. Squat down, pick up the luggage keeping the luggage close to your body (the further away from the body it moves, the further your center of gravity moves away from your base of support).

Never twist when you are holding your luggage, instead pivot your feet to get where you need to be. As you lift the luggage overhead, use your legs and stabilize your core.

Dan Giordano, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S., is a member of the Men's Health Advisory Board.

Daily Expert: How to Beat—and Prevent—Back Pain

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Dan Giordano, D.P.T., C.S.C.S.

Articles written by the author

Everything You Need To Know About Massage Guns

Don't Skip This 15-Minute Warmup Before Your Next Run

How Barefoot Training Can Make You Stronger

Daily Expert: How to Beat—and Prevent—Back Pain