Indoor cycling is intense and you are often left fatigued, making subsequent training sessions increasingly challenging. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury of having regular massages to alleviate my sore legs and other aches and pains, so I investigated what technology was available to aid my recovery.
This is where I discovered the Hypervolt 2 by Hyperice. The Hypervolt 2 is a percussion massage gun which according to Hyperice “give your muscles the daily relief they’ve been asking for.”
This article is not an advertisement, neither am I paid by Hyperice. I am reviewing this because it may be of interest and use to fellow cyclists, who like me, are suffering the same sore legs. Furthermore, I am not recommending this and it’s down to the individual if you want to purchases this. However, if you are considering using such a product, I would always advise first speaking with a suitably qualified and experienced Health Care Professional (Doctor).
Percussion massage explained
There are many explanations about what Percussion massage is, but I found one explanation which describes it perfectly, “Percussive massage involves the use of an electric handheld device – called a massage gun – to deliver a series of rapid blows to various areas of your body in order to promote pain relief by targeting the deep soft tissue of your muscles.”
About Hyperice
Hyperice was founded in 2011 by Anthony Katz who has stated that “Over the last ten years at Hyperice, we’ve worked tirelessly to push the boundaries of innovation to help better serve athletes everywhere – allowing you to keep moving the way you want to, when you want to.”
In short, Hyperice create innovate products that are designed to relieve tension and help sore muscles and aid recovery. They state that the products are designed to “prime your body and mind to be at their best, so you can always find the simple fun in doing what you love to do, more.”
They sponsor and support some of the world’s leading athletes such as Professional Tennis Player Naomi Osaka, Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Erling Haaland, a Professional Footballer with Borussia Dortmund football club Ja Morant, an NBA Point Guard and Amanda Nunes a UFC Mixed Martial Artist. They even partner with US Cycling and US Triathlon.
Interestingly, they have been recognized by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies and their mission is to “help everyone on Earth move better, live better and be better.” Their Hypervolt 2 massage gun is certainly helping me and my sore legs.
The Hypervolt 2 massage gun
The Hypervolt 2 is a handheld percussion massage gun that you can use to relieve soreness, muscle pain and tension. It’s also noted that it may help with muscle recovery. The tagline for the product is “Used by the world’s best athletes daily, Hyperice technology helps you to warm up quicker, recover faster, and move better.”
This is the second version which is lighter than the first iteration and made from plastic, it has three speed settings along with interchangeable heads to massage different areas of your body. It’s grey in colour and has a rubber grip on the handle that enables you to hold it firmly, whilst it vibrates.
The technical specifications are as follows:
- Weight: 1.8 lbs / 0.81kg
- Size: 7.5 x 2.5 x 9.5 in
- Battery life: 3 hours
- Speed: 3 speeds of percussion
- Motor: Brushless high-torque 60W motor
- Bluetooth®: Connects via Bluetooth® to the Hyperice App (for automated speed control)
- Pressure sensor: Patented Pressure Sensor Technology™ showcases how much pressure is being applied
- Head attachments: 5 (fork, ball, cushion, flat, bullet)
Costs and what you get
The device retails for £219. What you get is as follows:
- Hypervolt 2
- Power supply + adapters
- Head attachments (5)
- Head attachment pouch
How it works
The Hypervolt 2 is shaped like a gun and can be held and used with one hand. It isn’t overly heavy but it’s not light either, this is because it has a lithium battery that lasts for 3 hours and a powerful three-speed motor.
To activate the device, you press and hold the “On” button that is located at the top of the handle. There is a light in the handle that will glow to tell you that the device is ready to be used. The colour that is displayed indicates how much charged the device has and uses a traffic light system, with green indicating a full charge and red indicating that the battery is low.
You press the same button to activate the percussion motion and cycle through the three speeds. The different speed levels are 2000rpm, 2350rpm, and 2700rpm. To turn “Off” the device, hold in the same button.
The three speeds provide ample pressure, and I found the lowest setting to be sufficient, even too hard at times. There is the Hypervolt 2 Pro edition which has five speeds, starting at 1700rpm then increasing to 1900rpm, 2100rpm, 2400rpm and topping out at 2700rpm. In retrospect, it would probably been advantageous to have the Pro, which has more of a range.
Smart technology
One of the unique features about the Hypervolt 2 is that it has Bluetooth capability. What this means is that if you download an app called HyperSmart™ you can connect your Hypervolt 2 to your mobile device or tablet and select a massage programme. The programme, or ‘plan’ as it is referred to, will control the speed of the gun as well as instruct you where to position it, using a video. It’s basically a visual tutorial you can follow, with a timer to denote how long to work on each area of the body.
Attachments and changing heads
Within the interactive tutorial, it also recommends which heads to use. The head of the Hypervolt 2 it interchangeable and you can select a different shaped one, to do a specific job. A small instruction booklet is included which explains the use of each head attachment.
- Fork head: Used for longer muscles such as calves, forearms, biceps, and ankles / Achilles area.
- Flat head: Used for larger surface areas such as quads, hamstrings, back, and chest.
- Bullet head: Used for trigger points found in glutes, hips, traps, shoulders, and other complex muscle groups.
- Cushion head: Sensitive areas such as wrists, ankles, knees, traps, and around the neck.
- Ball head: Used for sore muscles and great starter attachment for larger muscle groups.
It is worth noting that the heads are hard to remove and when replacing one, be sure to push it fully into place, otherwise the vibrating motion will cause it to come off.
Noise
The noise of the Hypervolt 2 isn’t too loud, about 65 decibels (dB) of noise and is like the noise your trainer makes when pushing 2 w/kg. Therefore, it’s not too loud but loud enough if you were using it whilst watching television, you would need to increase the volume.
How I use the Hypervolt 2
When I first started using the Hypervolt 2, I did what everyone I am sure would do, which is simply use it on the area that is feeling sore, for an unspecified amount of time. I confess I did not adopt a very scientific approach and as muscles are all interconnected this was probably having limited benefits. As I became more familiar with the product and discovered the full extent of the Bluetooth programs, I now use those and follow the guides, which having a more structured approach. This is better as I am working all the areas and not just the one that is sore.
Basically, as I became familiar with the product, I moved away from just sitting and holding the Hypervolt 2 in the same spot and adopted a more holistic approach, and am now achieving better results, including using the different speed settings.
When do I use the Hypervolt 2?
I use the Hypervolt 2 mainly after big races and hard sessions. I probably tend to use it most when sat watching television, several hours after the session. It´s usually then, when I can feel areas of tension and fatigue and I select the relevant workout and follow the predetermined plan.
What difference does it make?
This is very much an individual experience, but personally speaking, after using the Hypervolt 2, my legs are more ready to tackle the next hard session and I am able to perform to a good standard.
I do feel that using the Hypervolt 2 enables you to tackle back-to-back hard sessions and is the closest thing to having a massage, without actually having one.
Which attachments do I use the most?
I use the appropriate attachment as per the plan instructions I am following at that time., Before I discovered the programs to follow, the flat head was my default attachment. The soft ball is particularly nice when used around the shoulders, another point of tension as a result of hours spent hunched over the handlebars. However, there is a specific attachment to tackle whatever issue you have.
Summing up
If you are suffering from soreness and tired legs, this device can be used to help. As noted, when racing the FRR series, which consisted of races on back to back days, I used this after every race and my legs felt better as a result. I think it’s a well-constructed and useful tool and certainly helps aid recovery but I see the real benefits are when it is used in conjunction with regular sport massage.
I am particularly impressed with the Bluetooth connectivity and the features that are offered in the HyperSmart™ app, as this provides a structured approach to using it.
There are a lot of accessories, and the changeable heads come in a nice pouch, but with the gun and charger, it would have been nicer to have a small case to keep it all together.
One real positive is that the battery does last a long time between charges and the lack of power cord is a huge advantage. I know early models of massage guns have a power cord which gets tangled when using, it’s the equivalent to a cordless lawnmower over a corded one.
All-in-all, if you want a massage device, and are happy to spend the money, then this does the job well and would be a nice gift to receive or give.
