Product Review: MyoBuddy Massager Pro

I'm really excited to review this product. This is the MyoBuddy Massager! MyoBuddy provided this unit for me for review and I'm very happy to have this in my self-maintenance toolbox!

Update:12/12/2017 and spoiler alert! I like this tool so much I decided to become an affiliate. Affiliate link below!

Upon receipt of the massager the first thing I noticed is it's visual similarity to a car wax buffer. I think the white and blue color looks very clinical and it does remind me of something I'd see in a PT office. The MyoBuddy comes with two different pad covers, one white and one blue. The white pad is to be used on clothes and skin for dry massage. The blue pad is for lotions and oils. I have not yet tried the blue pad so this review is only for the dry massage. The second thing I noticed about this massager when I removed it from the box is just HOW LONG the cord is. This thing is about 12 feet long! Super handy for being able to move around someone's body and not worry about hitting the end. I could see how this would be really useful for a professional to use on a client, and it's nice for getting around couches and obstructions and having plenty of space to use at home.

In addition to personal training and lifting weights I am also an amateur acrobat and I teach an AcroFit class. I am frequently sore and dealing with tired muscles and I have a lot of friends who are also sore and tired. Some of my favorite people walk around feeling a bit beat up. With this in mind, I decided it would be a great idea to bring the MyoBuddy Massager to the gym.

I let one of the other trainers use it just as he was finishing up a pretty intense powerlifting session. He used it on his chest and shoulders to help release tension and just to feel nice as part of his cool down. After that I left it on the desk and and let my clients try it. Everyone who picked it up was impressed with how it felt on their sore muscles. That night was my weekly AcroFit class, and I also brought the massager to class for people to try. The MyoBuddy got a lot of use that night and the thing I heard from people the most often was "OOOOOoooooooooOOoooooHhhhhhhh Thhhiiiiiiiisssssss issssss ssssoooooo GGgggGGggooooooooooooDDD! Everyone who touched it really appreciated how it feels no matter whether you're using the edge or the flat part of the pad. 

The final test was using the MyoBuddy on my massage therapist. I like deep massage and so I get a massage from someone who does Thai on me at least once a month. This gets deep into the muscles like a sports massage but it's very relaxing and invigorating. My massage therapist really enjoyed being on the receiving end of the MyoBuddy as well! It was a nice way to give her some of the same benefits of relaxation and deep invigorating massage she gives me! She loved the percussion and the heat and vibration and so this was perfect. She was curious aboutffects of the percussion and I directed her to the FAQ on the MyoBuddy site where this information was already available.

I believe that it helps to decrease my perception of discomfort after an intense workout. As I type this I'm planning to use it on my forearms and elbows. I love how the percussive bit feels to loosen everything up and then I turn up the high vibration until all of my muscles feel nice and gooey. I give this thing 5 stars. I'm pretty excited about having it for sharing with friends at Acrojams, for my clients to use on themselves and for my own personal use. 

If you're interested in learning more about this powerful massager check it out at my MyoBuddy affiliate link! If you buy it there, I make a little money! 

BSFFitness's MyoBuddy.com Affiliate Link

Hightlights:

Friction, Vibration, Percussions

3000+ RPM powerful massage!
Feels amazing. Speeds recovery, reduces pain. 

McKaylee NPC Core training

Christy NPC Bikini Core Training

Skye at Strength Lab

Jessica

McKaylee NPC Figure

Paul High Intensity training

Dea and Rita partner training

McKaylee Glute training

Christy NPC Bikini glute training

Check out the new BSFFitness trailer!

BSFFitness Basic Series: Planks and Variations

Michele Farley Posterior Chain Client Session 4/4/2017

Rita and Dea Client Session 4/5/2017

Paul Schultz Client Session 4/5/2017

BSFFitness Basics Series: Better Squats! Progressions and Modifications

BSFFitness Basics Series: Better Squats! Box Squat Regression

Today I have a new BSFFitness Basics Series entry for you! If you're still working on getting the proper depth for your squat, box squats are a great method to help you progress! In this video Christy and I demonstrate how to use an adjustable height riser to drop your squat from a quarter all the way to parallel. A parallel or below parallel squat demands more glute involvement so if your anatomy allows you do to so safely you should strive for depth to build that booty.

Acro - Running Bird on Hands with Tiffany

Been working on this cool trick with Tiffany for just a little while now. I'm really excited at how far it's come, and how quickly! 

BSFFitness Basics Series: Better Squats! Intro to Squat Form

I decided to start filming basic exercises to share with my clients and to include video examples in my online training programs. It made sense for me to make the first one about squats! 

Here's the first of the BSFFitness Basics Series. Better Squats! An Intro to Squat Form.

Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!

Acro - Around the world

Learned a fun new trick the other day! Practicing here with Tiffany!

Book Review: Foam Rolling by Sam Woodworth

Today I'm going to share my thoughts about Foam Rolling by Sam Woodworth. DK was nice enough to send along a free review copy of this book but I'll say right off the bat that as a reference book or to use for inspiration in putting together a nice mobility plan, I would have paid the $19.95 cover price for it. I would recommend this book to clients and readers of my blog with one caveat which I will detail in my review.

I like the layout of this book a lot. It is divided into 7 sections.

1. Foam Rolling Basics
2. Core Exercises
3. Lower Body Exercises
4. Upper Body Exercises
5. Pain Relief Programs
6. Lifestyle Programs
7. Sports Programs

In the first section, Sam gives us some background information on anatomy and claims foam rolling relieves pain, improves posture and alignment, aids recovery, increases body awareness and builds strength. I think there is at least anecdotal evidence to support all of these claims. There is a lot of debate in the fitness community about this practice. Some people say it is not effective or is even counter productive. There are claims that you are not really able to perform self myofacial release. I personally do foam roll and I recommend it for my clients when appropriate.

Sam continues to talk about effective rolling, what you need including sports balls and other random implements you can use for mobility work, and things to know before you begin. A good addition to the "other tools" list on pg.19 might be a common trick called a peanut where you tape two tennis balls together and use it for trigger point release. A simple Google Search will return lots of information on this topic.

In Section 2,Core Exercises, Sam gives us a mixture of common bodyweight exercises that have been modified to include use of foam roller and foam roller and tool specific massage and release practices. Section 3 and Section 4 continue the same way using exercises, stretches and releases from the lower and upper body respectively.

Section 5 changes gears on us again with Pain Relief Programs. This section is made up of recipes with exercises, tools and page numbers referring us to previous information in the book. It runs through the entire body in areas like Shoulder and Neck, Hips, Hand and Forearm, etc. In the section for hips I read carefully to see if there was any reference to caution when foam rolling the area of the greater trochanter of the hip to prevent greater trochanteric bursitis but found none. This information would be appropriately placed on pages 70 or 71. I make sure to tell my clients about this because I think it should be included in any discussion of foam rolling the area of the hip.

Section 6, Lifestyle Programs continues the recipe trend. This section includes pages on Too Much Sitting, Stress Relief and Postural Restoration and much more.

Section 7 is Sports Programs. There are pages for PreWorkout recipes, Post Workout recipes, Straight Line Sports, Rotational Sports and Overhead Sports.

This book feels like quality material. It is packed with great info and has lots of helpful photographs to explain the concepts and movements. The book is very well thought out and well illustrated. There are information bubbles and tips and info scattered throughout. My only criticism of the book is the omission of the previously mentioned info about the hips. I would recommend this book to my clients and readers. I think it's a fair price for a good reference manual.If you have any questions or comments about this review please feel free to leave them in the comments or contact me directly! Have fun foam rolling and doing some tissue maintenance!