Fitness fans and recovery addicts, listen up, the new Theragun Relief is here – Theragun’s most affordable percussive massage gun yet – and it's pretty awesome.
Theragun are renowned for designing some of the best massage guns – from the mighty Theragun Pro to the compact Theragun Mini – however, it’s no secret that they can cost a small fortune. That was until the brand launched the Theragun Relief, which costs £125/$149, a reasonable price for any decent massage gun, let alone one from Theragun.
I got to test out the Relief at its launch in Shoreditch and I was impressed by a many of its features. For starters, it’s not too big, or too small and it’s incredibly light weighing 620 grams. This makes it a dream to move around the body, which is made easier by its triangular, ergonomic handle; a feature I was pleased had been carried over to the Relief, despite its price point, as it makes it so much easier to reach those difficult areas on the body, like your shoulders or lower back.
Its design is far more minimalist than its sibling models, with just a single on/off button, three speed settings (FDA registered), and three attachment heads. It has a 10mm amplitude, so it doesn’t pound the skin as deep as some of the other Theragun devices which, guaranteed, may not be enough for those who do intense training. However, for the average person who simply wants to relieve everyday aches and pains, it should be plenty.
That being said, when I took the gun home and used it after my Olympic weightlifting session, I preferred that it’s more gentle as I think there’s nothing worse than a massage gun that leaves you feeling more battered than you did to begin with. It’s also super quiet, so I didn’t get any disgruntled comments from my partner whilst he was head-deep in Drive to Survive, a small positive, but one I'll take.
This wasn't the only new innovation from Theragun. They've also launched the Theragun Sense and the Theragun Pro Plus. The former comes with a built-in heart rate monitor and breathwork routines. The latter is Theragun’s most powerful model yet, equipped with an LED red light, heat therapy, cold therapy (although this massage head is sold separately), vibration therapy, breathwork protocols and heart rate monitor. As expected, these two are more pricey, with the Sense retailing at £275/$299, and the Pro Plus costing £549/$599.
However, it was the Relief that won me over. It may not be Theragun’s most powerful massage gun, but it still has its scientific triad and is certainly its most accessible. The Founder, Dr Jason Wersland, told us all at the start of the day that his dream was for every person to own a Theragun and the Relief is certainly making that more of a reality.
