When golfers and athletes alike hear “Therabody” their ears tend to perk up. That’s because the company’s percussive therapy devices have become hugely popular ever since they hit shelves 2016 and helped change the way we go about muscle recovery.
If you’re already an avid user of the Therabody massage guns or any of the brand’s other innovative products, you’ll be excited to hear that the company has seven new devices on the market. Many of the products in the recent launch are entirely new and especially useful for problem areas specific to golfers, particularly the new SmartGoggles, RecoveryTherm Knee and RecoveryTherm Hot Vibration Back & Core, all of which we’ll break down. Others, like the Theragun Pro Generation 5 and the Theragun Mini 2.0 are upgraded models of pre-existing Therabody products (with useful features like USB-C charging ports). Whether you’re a golfer looking to target particular muscle groups in recovery, treat chronic pain, or add to your mental decompression routine, these releases are worth checking out.
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Perhaps the most exciting addition to Therabody’s lineup of wellness products are the SmartGoggles, which use massage technology, heat, vibration and heart-rate detection to calm your facial muscles. Put the sleep-mask-shaped device over your head and choose from a variety of modes that massage your temples and vibrate to achieve different results. They can be used to decompress, go to sleep or begin a long period of focus. Each employs a different combination of the mask’s functions, but all of the features aim to relax your face, release eye strain, treat headaches and direct your mind into a peaceful state.
The sensor in the SmartGoggles measures your heart rate through your temples, but sends out vibrations of a heart rate that is actually slower than your own. When your brain recognizes this slower mimicked heart rate, your own heartrate naturally starts to match it. You can guess the ensuing result: Your mind and your body start to relax.
Golfers might want to check out the SmartGoggles for potential benefits to their game. Every avid player knows what it's like to get a headache mid-round or deal with serious eye-strain from a glary day. These setbacks can impact your energy, focus and, ultimately, your performance. However, golf is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.
"Golfers can use SmartGoggles to get in the zone before a competitive round, optimize sleep the night before a game, or wind down after a long day on the course,” said Tim Roberts, Vice President of Science and Innovation at Therabody. “Many golfers spend hours at a time on the course, and use tee times as a means to relax. But, sometimes it can be difficult to turn our brains off after a long day or week."
Imagine throwing on your SmartGoggles the night before an important match, or as using them as a facilitator for daily meditation sessions to improve your mental stamina and focus on the course. A cool detail about the SmartGoggles is their inner lining (the material that rests against your eyes) doesn’t absorb makeup stains—use them on the go without leaving an unfortunate trace. The goggles can also be paired with TheraMind, a new app that pairs the device with sound therapy, which the company describes as a “muscial massage.”
The RecoveryTherm Back & Core device might be the most practical product for golfers in the new Therabody lineup. As Roberts pointed out, the lower back is the most common pain point for people who play a lot of golf. Whether it’s due to posture, over-rotation or soreness, discomfort can build up in the lower back extremely easily. However, lower back pain does not exist in a vacuum—it is often heavily impacted by core strength. The two areas work in tandem to produce an effective golf swing.
“We know that for golfers, it’s not just the lower back but the entire core that is so important to the swing,” Roberts said. “This device allows us to treat both the core and the back with heat and vibration at 360 degrees.”
The RecoveryTherm Back & Core wrap-around device uses heat and vibration to help golfers recover and stimulate both of these vital areas at once. It's also extremely portable (it's lightweight and folds flat for travel purposes) and the velcro design makes it adjustable to all different body types. The settings on the device are flexible as well. Use it with heat and vibration, or each function individually. The frontside of the product can be particularly beneficial for relieving the discomfort from menstrual cramps as well.
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“It’s absolutely incredible for golfers that get to the first tee feeling a bit stiff and they might not had had the time to warm up,” Roberts said. “Throw this on during your drive to the course, even throw it on in the golf cart as you’re heading to the first tee. You also get the same benefit if you’re someone who’s really sore after a round, and you don’t want to go in the yard or you can’t do things around the house. It’s a great way to recover after you play golf as well.”
The same ease-of-use factor comes with the RecoveryTherm Knee device, which allows you to heat, cool and stimulate your bloodflow all in one product. Many avid golfers also struggle with knee pain, as the sport can be tough on the joints if you’re typically walking and carrying your bag on uneven terrain. The RecoveryTherm sleeve tailors to your needs whether you use it before or after a round: There’s a cool setting to treat pain and a hot setting for tension.
Golfers also will be happy to learn that the new Theragun mini 2.0 is 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than the previous model of the portable device. It’s now the optimal size and weight to carry in your golf bag at all times, so working through a tight muscle is always an option on the course or the range. The Theragun mini and the Pro Generation 5 both now connect to the Therabody app through bluetooth, where you can find custom massage routines made specifically for a golf warm-up.
Therabody’s launch also includes TheraCup, a portable cupping system, as well as the Therabody Lounger, a full-body chair that incorporates the same sound therapy tactics as the SmartGoggles. All of Therabody’s newest releases are available to shop at Therabody.com.
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