Preface
Time flies, and looking back at the day we established the running group with Codoon, it has already been four years.
As the first official running group in China under Codoon, we have consistently held our running activities twice a week, rain or shine.
Over the past four years, the group leader has witnessed hundreds of runners progress from zero to completing a full marathon, from beginners to running experts. Even the group leader himself has self-funded professional running courses to become a running coach.
Members come and go, achievements rise and fall. Each member of the Rain God Group has different goals and experiences with running, but almost everyone cannot escape the clutches of injuries.
Therefore, maintaining health and avoiding injuries has become the primary principle of the Rain God Group. Our relaxed training methods have resulted in an exceptionally low injury rate within the group.
Warm-ups, stretching, and professional running postures are the basics of scientific running. Efficient training methods and shorter recovery times lead to effective training results, which is why I am writing this article today.
Main Text
In 2016, Coach Wang Lin, the exclusive coach of the national track and field team, spent two days explaining sports science and training methods to us in a simple and understandable way, which benefited me greatly. It was through Coach Wang Lin's introduction that I first learned about fascia guns as a relaxation method. Upon further investigation, I found that fascia guns were already a common recovery tool in professional teams like football, basketball, track and field, and even special forces, but for various reasons, they hadn't been popularized among general consumers.
However, since the end of 2018, as the domestic running market has matured, fascia guns, with their simple operation, higher efficiency, and better relaxation effects, have gradually been accepted by many ordinary consumers.
Today, I want to introduce you to a fascia gun from a domestic brand—YUNMAI.
As the leader and coach of a running group of over 2,000 people, I am well aware of the importance of fascia guns for athletes, but the price of the equipment has always been a concern for me. With prices often reaching 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, it was difficult for me to make the decision to purchase one for the group to use for daily training relaxation. As a father, I felt a lot of pressure.
However, the YUNMAI fascia gun's launch price of 1,999 yuan seemed very friendly to me. With an average cost of 1 yuan per person, it significantly improved the training efficiency of the group members, making the coach very pleased and highlighting its cost-effectiveness.
So next, let me show you what kind of fascia gun you can get for 1,999 yuan.
Part 1: Unboxing
The outer packaging is a common glossy corrugated cardboard box, which can prevent the internal machine from being squeezed during transportation. The front design is also very simple, featuring the main product image, product name, and four main features: 'Noise Reduction Technology,' 'Long Battery Life,' 'Lightweight and Portable,' and 'Five-Speed Adjustment.'
Opening the outer packaging reveals a portable carrying case. The fabric texture of the case feels good, is wear-resistant, and easy to clean. The overall hardness is moderate, maintaining a simple style with only one logo. The zipper is smooth, but the only issue is that the handle's rivet fell off upon receiving it.
The package includes the main unit, four different massage heads, a charger, and a manual. I will explain each component in detail later.
The main unit of the YUNMAI fascia gun has a unique design compared to other brands. Its irregular handle makes it stand out among many fascia guns, giving it a strong sense of technology and futurism.
The matte gray shell has a high-end feel, and the gray part is the material itself rather than paint, so there's no need to worry about paint peeling off after long-term use. It also doesn't easily attract fingerprints, which is great for lazy people.
The black part is a skin-like handle, ensuring a stable grip during long-term use. My only concern is whether it will oxidize and peel off over time, which is a common issue with skin-like materials. Comfort often comes at the expense of durability.
There are two rubber buttons on each side of the lower part of the machine, which seem to be screw covers for disassembly and maintenance. I didn't open them.
Since the machine head pulses 2,000-3,000 times per minute during operation, be sure to keep your fingers away from it. The machine head is also thoughtfully labeled with a warning to be careful of fingers. It features a hidden air-cooling system to reduce direct heat exhaust impact on the body.
The entire machine has only one operation button. Press and hold the power button for 1 second to turn it on. It starts at the first speed by default. Short press the power button to increase the speed. The higher the speed, the faster the massage frequency. It has five adjustable speeds. The top has a speed indicator light, and the bottom has four battery indicator lights.
The YUNMAI fascia gun comes with four professional massage heads, shown from left to right in the picture:
Flat Head, Ball Head, U-shaped Head, and Cylindrical Head.
The specific functions will be explained in detail in the latter part.
The YUNMAI fascia gun is equipped with a 2550mAh rechargeable lithium battery, with a theoretical battery life of 240 minutes. Paired with a 26V fast charger, it takes only 4 hours to fully charge.
This concludes the unboxing of the YUNMAI fascia gun. In the following days, I invited experienced runners and professional course designers from the group to thoroughly test and experience it.
Part 2: Test Results
Based on the YUNMAI website's definition of the fascia gun's functions, we selected several representative test subjects to evaluate the YUNMAI fascia gun's suitability for different professions, providing feasible suggestions.
During the unboxing, we mentioned that the YUNMAI fascia gun has five speeds:
Speed 1: Muscle Awakening
Speed 2: Fascia Relaxation
Speed 3: Lactic Acid Decomposition
Speed 4: Deep Massage
Speed 5: Professional Mode
And five professional massage heads:
Ball Head: Suitable for massaging large muscle groups such as arms, lower back, buttocks, thighs, and calves.
Cylindrical Head: Suitable for impacting deep tissues such as meridians, joints, palms, and soles.
U-shaped Head: Suitable for massaging the neck, spine, and Achilles tendon.
Flat Head: Suitable for relaxing and shaping various muscle parts.
For this test, I specifically invited three runners from the group, representing ordinary runners, office workers, and certain specific professions, to conduct targeted tests and provide reasonable usage suggestions.
Tester 1: Strawberry
Occupation: Office worker with a 996 schedule
Common Issues: Lower back pain and stiff shoulders and neck caused by prolonged sitting.
Cause of Issues: The erector spinae muscles are in a tense state for a long time due to prolonged sitting, leading to lumbar muscle strain. Prolonged typing causes excessive tension in the trapezius muscle, leading to shoulder and neck discomfort.
Solution:
1. For lower back pain: Lie prone and use the U-shaped head at speed 2 to massage the muscles on both sides of the spine with moderate force, moving slowly up and down along the spine. After 3 minutes of continuous massage, the symptoms of lumbar muscle strain are effectively relieved.
2. For stiff shoulders and neck: Sit with the neck in a neutral position and use the cylindrical head at speed 1 to massage the upper trapezius muscle with moderate force for 2 minutes. The stiffness in the neck can be significantly improved.
Tester 2: Xiu Jiao
Occupation: 'Ordinary' runner with a monthly mileage of 200km
Common Issues: Severe soreness in the thighs and calves after each run.
Cause of Issues: Incorrect running posture or weak gluteus maximus causing compensation in the thighs and calves.
Solution:
1. For thigh soreness: Lie supine and use the ball head at speed 3 to massage the quadriceps with moderate force for 3 minutes, which can reduce soreness.
2. For calf soreness: Lie prone and use the flat head at speed 2 to massage the triceps surae (gastrocnemius and soleus muscles) with moderate force for 3 minutes, which can significantly relieve calf soreness.
Tester 3: Teacher Liang
Occupation: Middle school teacher who writes on the blackboard for 2 hours and works at a desk for 4 hours daily.
Common Issues: Shoulder pain, limited movement, neck pain, blurred vision, and dizziness.
Cause of Issues: Prolonged writing on the blackboard and grading papers cause the shoulder joint and cervical spine to remain in abnormal positions for a long time, leading to shoulder impingement syndrome and cervical strain.
Solution:
1. For shoulder pain: Sit and relax the arms, use the cylindrical head at speed 1 with gentle force to massage three points on the infraspinatus and teres minor muscles for 20 seconds each, repeating the cycle three times. The range of motion in the shoulder shows significant improvement.
2. For cervical strain: Sit with the head in a neutral position and use the U-shaped head to massage three points on the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis muscles on both sides of the cervical spine at speed 1 with gentle force for 20 seconds each, repeating the cycle three times.
Part 3: Conclusion
In today's era of technological advancement, we constantly enjoy the convenience brought by new technologies. The fascia gun we tested today is one of them.
Whether you are an office worker who sits for long periods, a teacher who works at a desk, or a fitness enthusiast who exercises regularly, you need frequent massages to relieve the fatigue caused by work, study, and exercise. Through a series of tests, we found that compared to traditional massage recovery methods, a suitable fascia gun can help us quickly recover from fatigue and better engage in the next task and life.
Thanks to the continuous progress in manufacturing, this high-end equipment, which was previously only available to professional athletes or the military, has gradually entered ordinary households, becoming a daily device used by many people.
I would like to thank YUNMAI and Codoon for giving me this opportunity to review the product, which has benefited over 2,000 members of the Rain God Group. I will bring this fascia gun to every future activity, allowing group members to fully enjoy the convenience brought by technology.
Some Precautions:
1. When using the fascia gun, avoid bones, as it may cause bruising of the surface muscles or even damage the periosteum and nerves. For tricky positions, it's best to ask a friend for assistance.
2. The fascia gun can also be used for muscle relaxation before exercise, but it should not be used for too long before exercise, as it may reduce the muscle's ability to protect the joints, leading to sports injuries.
3. When the machine is running, do not put small fingers near the machine head, as it can be very painful if pinched!