The older I get the more I learn a simple truth – there’s really never a time that a massage wouldn’t increase your overall health. It’s a truth that applies to every walk of life, whether it’s due to a medical issue, like recurring back pain; the stresses of work or daily life; or physical exertion through exercise. And for me personally, I’ve found it to be even more evident as I’ve transformed into an endurance athlete over the past few years, where I’ve learned that the recovery is just as vital as the workout itself.
The problem with the benefits of massage therapy is that it gets costly very quickly and requires a significant investment in time. Everyone would love to take a daily trip to the masseuse, but for almost everybody, it’s too cost prohibitive and time intensive. It’s why, despite knowing the benefits, I would forgo massages after every workout and instead opt for the occasional massage, typically once every week or two. I knew how good they are for me – it was evident that on training days that were followed by a massage I felt noticeably fresher than other training days – but I just wasn’t willing to make the investment.
But it’s this awareness of the benefits of massage therapy that led me to seek out a better solution – something that fell within my budget and time constraints. And that’s when I found truMedic.
truMedic is a company that offers a variety of in-home massage solutions, ranging from specialized massagers for specific parts of the body all the way up to complete massage chair solutions. As an athlete that tries consistently to work my whole body I chose a massage chair, specifically the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000, based on the recommendation of a fellow athlete who already owned the same model. And I’ll be honest – I was completely skeptical of the entire concept. In my mind, there was no way that a robotic chair could replicate genuine massage therapy at home. Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but I just didn’t believe a machine could adequately provide a full body shiatsu massage. I envisioned it more like an in-home exercise machine, where you’d buy it, be really excited for it, it wouldn’t live up to your expectations, and a week later it would be sitting a corner collecting dust only to wind up on Craigslist a year later.
I did my best to put aside my reservations, and a week later my InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 arrived. My first thought was “Wow, this looks amazing.” It’s fit and finish is superb, the overall design is modern and luxurious, and the color is rich and elegant. I wasn’t expecting a massage chair to look so luxurious and refined, but truMedic just did an incredible job with the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000’s design – it’s one of those rare times you feel like you’re living in the future.
truMedic InstaShiatsu Massage Chair MC-2000
But as impressed as I was with its design, the true test of a massage chair is how well it massages. And the answer is phenomenally well. I had two main concerns with purchasing the truMedic: it’s going to feel unnatural, and it’s going to miss parts of my body that a normal massage would cover. Both of these concerns were completely unfounded.
As far as how the massage feels and how well it covers your entire body, the massage programs are simply amazing. It’s different than having a masseuse massage you, but at the same time the combination of three-axis rollers and expanding air chambers almost immediately immerse your body in a state of relaxation. And that’s the incredible part of the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000: when selecting one of the programmed full body massages, every part of you, from your head to your toes, becomes a part of the massage choreography, a perfectly orchestrated massage that includes your neck, shoulders, hips, forearms, legs, back, butt, thighs, calves feet, and everything in between. It feels like you have a team of massage therapists tending to you all at once, enveloping you in a state of massage bliss.
I never in a million years thought I’d say this, but I actually prefer the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 to a traditional massage, simply because it’s so much more comprehensive at working your entire body in a short amount of time.
In terms of options, the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 gives you a wide variety of massage options, all at your fingertips via the integrated digital color remote. You can select from a variety of pre-programmed auto options, like recovery, pain relief or stretch; or you can opt for one of five additional special massage programs, each varied in their technique. Alternatively you can choose from a variety of manual massage options to select a specific mode (knead, tap, knock, knead and tap, shiatsu), position, width, and speed, among other things.
Other massage options include the ability to choose from either air or rollers exclusively (along with customizing their position and intensity) as well as turning the heating function on or off. For a more immersive experience, you can even connect your Bluetooth enabled device and listen to your favorite audio through the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000’s integrated sound system.
truMedic InstaShiatsu Massage Chair MC-2000
Lastly, what may be one of the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000’s greatest features is what truMedic calls a zero gravity option, which reclines you into a position that eliminates pressure on your lower back and makes your feel nearly weightless. When combined with one of the programmed massage settings, the zero gravity options creates an entirely new level of immersion and relaxation, and I personally use it with nearly every massage.
Ultimately, despite my hesitations as to whether a massage chair could come close to replicating a weekly trip to the masseuse, the truMedic InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 has blown away my expectations. I use it after every training session, and I can tell you firsthand it makes a substantial difference in my recovery. For anyone experiencing any type of aches and pains or for athletes looking to boost recovery times, I highly recommend the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 as the premier in-home massage option. You can learn more about the InstaShiatsu+ MC-2000 at the official truMedic website, along with their full collection of in-home massage offerings.
