As my 20s are set to come to an end later this year, I’ve officially reached the age where sleeping in the wrong position or stretching just a little too far can cause aches and pains. I’ve always been somewhat skeptical of massage guns, mostly because I’ve tried a few off-brand ones and just assumed they’d eventually end up collecting dust in a drawer.

But after a few weeks of testing the Therabody Theragun Sense (2nd Gen), I was surprised. Turns out massage guns aren’t as gimmicky as I had thought.

The Theragun Sense, which retails for $299, is a wellness-focused massage gun that’s designed for everyday aches, muscle tension, relaxation, and soreness. It’s more of a gentle massaging and relaxation tool rather than a hardcore recovery massage gun.

If you’re looking for more of a deep-tissue massage, it might be worth checking out the Theragun PRO or Prime. But if you don’t need a super heavy-duty massage gun with features like heated therapy and deep- tissue capabilities, the Theragun Sense is a great option for everyday use. 

My favorite thing about the massage gun is that it features built-in visually guided routines. The device comes with four routines, and you can access additional routines through the Therabody app and sync your favorite ones to the device using Bluetooth.

The Theragun Sense has an LCD screen that walks you through routines step by step. Once you select a routine, the screen shows you exactly where to use the massage gun, how long to spend on each area, and how much pressure to apply.

As someone who never really had an idea of what to do with a massage gun other than pointing it to a sore muscle and hoping for the best, I liked that the Therabody Sense takes a lot of the guesswork out of using a massage gun. 

My favorite routine was the six-minute “Sleep” routine that’s essentially a quick full-body massage to get you ready for the night. The app lets you choose from many other routines, like “Pre-Walk Warm-up,” “Desk Relief,” “Lower Back Recovery,” and more. 

The massage gun features five speeds to fine-tune pressure to allow for a more relaxing touch, moderate pressure, or a deeper tension release. I liked having the flexibility to change the intensity depending on how sore I was feeling that day.

Since the device is designed to be lightweight, I found it easy to hold and get to those spots on my back and shoulders that are harder to reach.

For people who want more personalization, the Therabody app takes the guided experience a step further with Coach, the company’s AI feature that creates personalized recovery recommendations based on your goals and activity. Coach can recommend which part of your body to target, which settings or attachments to use, and when to fit a recovery session into your day. 

The relatively quiet motor was another feature I appreciated, as I could easily use the device while watching TV or relaxing without the sound of the massage gun acting as a distraction. 

The Theragun Sense comes with a USB-C charging cable, a travel pouch, and two massage attachments: the Standard Ball and the Dampener, which is designed to target knots and tender areas. Separately, you can purchase the “Supersoft” attachment for $35 for extra sensitive areas on the body. 

Overall, the Theragun Sense (2nd Gen) won me over. It’s easy to use, comfortable to hold, and notably takes the guesswork out of using a massage gun. At $299, it isn’t cheap, but I think it’s a great option for people who want an everyday wellness device that can help them relax and recover.