The Best Gifts for People Who Should Take Muscle Recovery More Seriously: Holiday 2017
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Every athlete knows the importance of a good recovery routine, but many (including yourself, probably) are hesitant to spend on the tools that help accelerate muscle recovery and lower their chances of getting hurt during a workout. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best recovery tools to gift your fellow lifters or yourself this holiday season.From the simplest of massagers to high-tech foam rollers—and even the latest in electronic muscle stimulation technology—these are our picks to speed recovery and stay injury-free all winter long.
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Triggerpoint GridVibe foam roller
Foam rolling is a post-workout essential for lifters, and the Grid Vibe takes it to the next level. Its added vibration is calibrated with just one frequency tuned to relax muscles and minimize pain. The ultra-compact, travel-friendly foam roller targets deeper muscle layers and increases blood and oxygen flow to speed muscle recovery. — Rose McNulty, editorial assistant ($99, tptherapy.com)
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Thera Cane
It may not be the flashiest item on this list, but don’t underestimate the power of this simple and affordable recovery tool. With the Thera Cane, you can pinpoint tight, knotted muscles anywhere, thanks to its patented curved design that makes it easy to control the level of pressure you apply. — R.M. ($30,amazon.com)
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S2 Shiatsu Massaging Seat Topper
We all have at least one friend (or maybe you’re that friend) who seems to have perpetual back pain thanks to all those squats and deadlifts, and who could really use a massage. But massages can get expensive, and they’re not as portable as this Shiatsu seat topper. Its touch remote lets you target a specific sore area if you’d like, the width is adjustable, and this roomy massager even offers a heat option to help muscles relax. Now, any chair can be your personal masseuse. — R.M. ($170, brookstone.com)
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Wireless USA 2.0 Muscle Stimulator Kit with Tens by Compex
Zap your muscles into sweet submission with this high-tech Compex recovery units. Neuro-muscular electrical nerve stimulation helps you recover faster post-workout (and -injury) and boost performance by properly activating specific muscle groups before you start lifting. We love the ease of the wireless stimulator kit. You just follow along with the instructions to place the electrode pads in the right spot, connect the pods, then let the tingling power of the stim do its thing. — Brittany Smith, associate editor ($1,099.99, compexusa.com)
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Marc Pro/Marc Pro Plus
Plenty of seasoned athletes know the wonders of electric stimulation to enhance muscle recovery, but anyone who’s never had an athletic trainer may find this gift life-changing. Reading the directions is an absolute must, but once you’ve got the hang of it, the Marc Pro makes it easy to reduce muscle soreness and help recovery with e-stim. Marc Pro isn’t a TENS machine or a traditional muscle stimulator, so its nonfatiguing muscle stimulation is comfortable and relaxing. Just place the included adhesive electrodes according to the area you want to target, and chill on the couch for a half-hour or so while the Marc Pro does its thing. — R.M. ($650, or $950 for the Plus version, marcpro.com)
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RumbleRoller Beastie Bar With Stands
If you want a deep-tissue massage as intense as your workouts, RumbleRoller’s Beastie Bar’s got what you need. This stick massager features two of the brand’s Beasties, each with 60 super-firm, high-profile bumps to dig deeper and work those smaller muscles that your foam roller may neglect. It also comes with two detachable, secure stands, if you’d rather go hands-free with your deep-tissue massaging. — R.M. ($50, rumbleroller.com)
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Moji Foot Pro
Runners, lifters, and pretty much every other type of fitness fanatic tend to neglect their feet. Problem is, that lack of love can lead to tight, tense muscles, cramping, even plantar fasciitis. But with Moji’s professional-grade foot massager, you, a friend, or relative can get satisfying relief without an actual masseuse. You can freeze the unit to numb aching muscles or use alone. The center ball is great for getting deep into the muscle, relieving inflammation. If you want to get the edges of your feet, roll your foot along the entire circumference of the unit. Its grippy surface prevents slippage—so you can stop using tennis balls that roll out from under you. — B.S. ($39.99, gomoji.com)
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ProBar
Mobility and flexibility are key aspects of staying injury-free, no matter what your workouts entail. On upper-body days, ProBar mobility bar is the perfect warm-up tool to keep shoulders healthy and improve range of motion. ProBar features a twist-and-pull design with spring-loaded resistance that helps correct poor movement patterns and decrease your chance of injury. The durable metal mobility bar is also three-in-one—it can be constructed as a long bar, a short bar, or dual bars, and additional 1.1-lb weights can be attached to increase resistance. — R.M. ($200, probarmobility.com)
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Gaiam Dual Zone Back Roller
Gaiam’s compact, back-specific roller is about as affordable as recovery gets, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the lacrosse balls you taped together to roll out your spinal erector muscles. That friend who constantly complains about his or her tight lower back or neck can safely dig in to those muscles without worrying about inadvertently hitting their actual spine. — R.M. ($15, gaiam.com)
Every athlete knows the importance of a good recovery routine, but many (including yourself, probably) are hesitant to spend on the tools that help accelerate muscle recovery and lower their chances of getting hurt during a workout. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best recovery tools to gift your fellow lifters or yourself this holiday season.
From the simplest of massagers to high-tech foam rollers—and even the latest in electronic muscle stimulation technology—these are our picks to speed recovery and stay injury-free all winter long.
Triggerpoint GridVibe foam roller
Foam rolling is a post-workout essential for lifters, and the Grid Vibe takes it to the next level. Its added vibration is calibrated with just one frequency tuned to relax muscles and minimize pain. The ultra-compact, travel-friendly foam roller targets deeper muscle layers and increases blood and oxygen flow to speed muscle recovery. — Rose McNulty, editorial assistant ($99, tptherapy.com)
Thera Cane
It may not be the flashiest item on this list, but don’t underestimate the power of this simple and affordable recovery tool. With the Thera Cane, you can pinpoint tight, knotted muscles anywhere, thanks to its patented curved design that makes it easy to control the level of pressure you apply. — R.M. ($30,amazon.com)
S2 Shiatsu Massaging Seat Topper
We all have at least one friend (or maybe you’re that friend) who seems to have perpetual back pain thanks to all those squats and deadlifts, and who could really use a massage. But massages can get expensive, and they’re not as portable as this Shiatsu seat topper. Its touch remote lets you target a specific sore area if you’d like, the width is adjustable, and this roomy massager even offers a heat option to help muscles relax. Now, any chair can be your personal masseuse. — R.M. ($170, brookstone.com)
Wireless USA 2.0 Muscle Stimulator Kit with Tens by Compex
Zap your muscles into sweet submission with this high-tech Compex recovery units. Neuro-muscular electrical nerve stimulation helps you recover faster post-workout (and -injury) and boost performance by properly activating specific muscle groups before you start lifting. We love the ease of the wireless stimulator kit. You just follow along with the instructions to place the electrode pads in the right spot, connect the pods, then let the tingling power of the stim do its thing. — Brittany Smith, associate editor ($1,099.99, compexusa.com)
Marc Pro/Marc Pro Plus
Plenty of seasoned athletes know the wonders of electric stimulation to enhance muscle recovery, but anyone who’s never had an athletic trainer may find this gift life-changing. Reading the directions is an absolute must, but once you’ve got the hang of it, the Marc Pro makes it easy to reduce muscle soreness and help recovery with e-stim. Marc Pro isn’t a TENS machine or a traditional muscle stimulator, so its nonfatiguing muscle stimulation is comfortable and relaxing. Just place the included adhesive electrodes according to the area you want to target, and chill on the couch for a half-hour or so while the Marc Pro does its thing. — R.M. ($650, or $950 for the Plus version, marcpro.com)
RumbleRoller Beastie Bar With Stands
If you want a deep-tissue massage as intense as your workouts, RumbleRoller’s Beastie Bar’s got what you need. This stick massager features two of the brand’s Beasties, each with 60 super-firm, high-profile bumps to dig deeper and work those smaller muscles that your foam roller may neglect. It also comes with two detachable, secure stands, if you’d rather go hands-free with your deep-tissue massaging. — R.M. ($50, rumbleroller.com)
Moji Foot Pro
Runners, lifters, and pretty much every other type of fitness fanatic tend to neglect their feet. Problem is, that lack of love can lead to tight, tense muscles, cramping, even plantar fasciitis. But with Moji’s professional-grade foot massager, you, a friend, or relative can get satisfying relief without an actual masseuse. You can freeze the unit to numb aching muscles or use alone. The center ball is great for getting deep into the muscle, relieving inflammation. If you want to get the edges of your feet, roll your foot along the entire circumference of the unit. Its grippy surface prevents slippage—so you can stop using tennis balls that roll out from under you. — B.S. ($39.99, gomoji.com)
ProBar
Mobility and flexibility are key aspects of staying injury-free, no matter what your workouts entail. On upper-body days, ProBar mobility bar is the perfect warm-up tool to keep shoulders healthy and improve range of motion. ProBar features a twist-and-pull design with spring-loaded resistance that helps correct poor movement patterns and decrease your chance of injury. The durable metal mobility bar is also three-in-one—it can be constructed as a long bar, a short bar, or dual bars, and additional 1.1-lb weights can be attached to increase resistance. — R.M. ($200, probarmobility.com)
Gaiam Dual Zone Back Roller
Gaiam’s compact, back-specific roller is about as affordable as recovery gets, but it’s a hell of a lot better than the lacrosse balls you taped together to roll out your spinal erector muscles. That friend who constantly complains about his or her tight lower back or neck can safely dig in to those muscles without worrying about inadvertently hitting their actual spine. — R.M. ($15, gaiam.com)
