How to Use a Massage Gun Before and After a Workout (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

You bought the massage gun. It sits on the shelf, and every so often you buzz your calves for a while and hope it helps. Sound familiar?

Using one with a plan makes a difference, and the research gives some clear pointers on when it helps. Here is a step-by-step routine for before and after training, built around what the studies actually found.

Before and After at a Glance

Before a Workout: Keep It Short

The case for a massage gun before training is mixed. A 2023 review of 13 studies linked a single session to short-term gains in flexibility and strength. But a 2025 study of 16 trained athletes found that adding a massage gun to a dynamic warm-up lowered their jump and slowed their 20m sprint compared with the warm-up alone.

• Warm Up First: Your dynamic warm-up does the heavy lifting. Use the gun, if at all, on one or two areas that feel tight.
• Keep It Moving: Sweep along the muscle rather than parking on one spot.
• Skip It Before Speed Work: On days with sprints, jumps or a race, the safest choice is a normal warm-up without it.

Photo: SportPlus.sg / Isis Ang

After a Workout: Where It Helps

A 2026 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials found massage guns improved recovery of jump performance after hard exercise and lowered a blood marker of muscle damage. It did not clearly ease soreness or speed up the recovery of maximum strength.

Step by Step

• Pick Your Muscles: Work on the big muscles you just trained. After a run, that is calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes.
• Float, Do Not Push: Let the device glide over the skin. The 2023 review describes the technique as "floating" the device over the surface.
• Go Slow: Move steadily along the length of the muscle. If you find a tight spot, ease off rather than digging in.
• Watch the Clock: Start with a minute or two per muscle. The 2026 analysis linked longer treatments to higher soreness scores, and its authors say its dose findings are preliminary rather than a prescription.

The evidence for a massage gun is strongest after training, not before.

Where to Use It After a Run

• Calves: Work the thick part of the calf and stay well clear of the Achilles tendon.
• Quads: Glide from just above the knee up towards the hip, staying off the kneecap.
• Hamstrings and Glutes: Long, slow passes over the fleshy part of the muscle.

Rules for Every Session

• Muscle Only: Keep it off bones, joints, the spine and anything injured.
• Never Near Your Head or Eyes: Doctors have reported retinal tears and a dislocated lens in people who used massage guns on or around their eyes.
• Stop if It Hurts: Sharp pain, tingling or numbness means stop and move away from that spot.

Upgrade Your Recovery Kit on ATHLO+

The Theragun mini (3rd Generation) weighs 0.41kg and has three speed settings, which makes it easy to carry to the track. For a heated attachment, look at the Theragun Prime Plus. See the full range on the Therabody page.

Ready to avoid the common traps? Read Massage Gun Mistakes next.