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Amplitude and stall force: which guns meet the numbers for your use?
Updated
Amplitude is how far the head moves in and out, in millimeters. More amplitude means a deeper stroke. Stall force is how hard you can press before the motor bogs down and stops, in pounds. Pick your use and the checker shows the range to look for and which of our seven picks meet it, using only the numbers printed on each listing.
Which picks meet the numbers for your use?
Rule of thumb from this site, not a standard and not medical advice. It uses only the numbers printed on each Amazon listing we read on September 18, 2026. A gun marked "cannot confirm" may be fine. Its listing just does not say.
The targets, side by side
| Use | Amplitude | Stall force | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| General daily use | 10 to 12 mm | At least 30 lb | Up to 3 lb |
| Athlete, deep tissue | 12 to 16 mm | At least 45 lb | Up to 4 lb |
| Travel | 7 to 10 mm | At least 25 lb | Up to 1 lb |
These are our rule-of-thumb targets, not an industry standard and not a maker figure. The weight limits borrow from Cleveland Clinic's advice to look for a gun in the 2 to 4 lb range that you can hold in one hand for up to 10 minutes, with a lower limit for general use so that reaching your own back stays easy, and a much lower one for travel.
Every pick against every use
| Gun | General daily use | Athlete, deep tissue | Travel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob and Brad C2 | Meets. Amplitude 10 mm, stall force 45 lb, 1.5 lb | Misses. Amplitude 10 mm is under 12 mm | Misses. Weight 1.5 lb is over 1 lb |
| Bob and Brad D6 Pro | Misses. Amplitude 16 mm is over 12 mm | Meets. Amplitude 16 mm, stall force 85 lb, 2.8 lb | Misses. Amplitude 16 mm is over 10 mm; weight 2.8 lb is over 1 lb |
| Theragun Prime (6th Gen) | Misses. Weight 3.57 lb is over 3 lb | Cannot confirm. The listing does not state amplitude or stall force | Misses. Weight 3.57 lb is over 1 lb |
| Hypervolt 2 Pro | Cannot confirm. The listing does not state amplitude or stall force | Cannot confirm. The listing does not state amplitude or stall force | Misses. Weight 2.6 lb is over 1 lb |
| TOLOCO EM26 | Cannot confirm. The listing does not state stall force | Cannot confirm. The listing does not state stall force | Misses. Amplitude 12 mm is over 10 mm; weight 1.95 lb is over 1 lb |
| RENPHO Thermacool 2 | Meets. Amplitude 10 mm, stall force 45 lb, 1.78 lb | Misses. Amplitude 10 mm is under 12 mm | Misses. Weight 1.78 lb is over 1 lb |
| Bob and Brad Q2 Mini | Misses. Amplitude 7 mm is under 10 mm | Misses. Amplitude 7 mm is under 12 mm; stall force 35 lb is under 45 lb | Meets. Amplitude 7 mm, stall force 35 lb, 0.95 lb |
Why these two numbers
- Amplitude. Therabody's own buying guide sorts its range by amplitude: 16 mm for its performance models, 12 mm for its stress relief model and 10 mm for its gentlest. That is a maker telling you stroke depth is what separates a strong gun from a gentle one.
- Stall force. A deep stroke is no use if the motor stops when you lean in. Bob and Brad and RENPHO print stall force. The Theragun Prime listing only says the motor keeps speed under pressure to prevent stalling, with no number.
- Speed is not on the list. Every gun here that states a top speed tops out at 3,000 to 3,200 RPM. See why speed counts mislead.
When a listing leaves a number out
Three of our seven listings leave out amplitude, stall force or both. That does not make those guns weak. It means you cannot compare them on the page. The Theragun Prime is the clear case: Therabody's site says 16 mm, the Amazon listing says nothing. Look for the number on the maker's own site, and treat a missing stall force as unknown. See all seven on our shortlist.
Health note. This is general information, not medical advice. Keep the gun on muscle, not bone, and off the head, face, the front of the neck and any injury, bruise or open wound. Ask your doctor first if you are pregnant, have or have had a blood clot, have a pacemaker or other implanted heart device, have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners. See where not to use a massage gun.