Getting Loose With The Hyperice Normatec Elite Hips

As we approach the new year, fitness-related products are going to be all the rage. Although kind of silly, consumers typically view the middle of winter as the perfect time to get fit.

Cue the boost in gym memberships and fitness gear purchases.

I, too, share the masses’ January optimism. It would be great if something I buy in January would make me stronger and faster during the coming golf season. For once, Summer Dave would be pleased with January Dave’s choices and persistence.

Today, I am going to review a product that isn’t just for the future you but also the current you. The Hyperice Normatec Elite Hips works on the body you have now and improves your next body.

The Hyperice Normatec Elite Hips unit will improve your flexibility in the upcoming warm months and it will make the current you more flexible and pain free this winter.

Who is Hyperice?

For those of you not familiar with the Hyperice name, they are a company that specializes in recovery gear for athletes. When exploring their website, you’ll find a myriad of items to assist, and potentially accelerate, the recovery for nearly every part of your body.

I became aware of the Hyperice brand last year when a good friend of mine used the Hyperice Venom 2 Back unit to keep his surgically repaired back loose before, during and after playing golf.

Soon after, I purchased a Venom 2 Back for my wife to help with her back issues. She loved it and I became a believer as well. Very quickly, that heated massage belt became a critical part of my post-golf recovery plan.

Surviving Bandon Dunes is all in the (Normatec) hips

A couple of weeks ago, I thought it would be a good idea to head to Bandon Dunes to play all five courses in three days.

For some of you, walking 90 holes in three days is no big deal. For me, that seemed like a tall order, especially in the cold, wet winter weather.

Could my “well-seasoned” body survive that much golf?

Obviously, the first phase of my plan was to steal the Venom 2 Belt from my wife. Sorry, my love. Phase 2 was to head to the Hyperice site to see what else could be helpful for recovery.

That’s when I discovered the Normatec Elite Hips.

Swing with your hips

The Hyperice Normatec Hips unit seemed to be the perfect match for my post-golf sore spots. Could a single unit really help with the recovery for the low back, glutes, hamstrings and quads?

And just like that, I had a second Hyperice product to take with me to coastal Oregon in November.

How do the Normatec Hips work?

The first thing you need to do is put on the Normatec Hips. Think of them as a cross between really big shorts and hockey pants with buckles replacing the laces. From there, you can adjust the buckles and leg sections to fit your form.

Once you are all strapped in, lie down someplace comfortable and turn on the unit. A single button on the side turns on the Hips’ rechargeable brain/pump. From the control unit on your thigh, you’ll set your intensity, duration and any special areas of focus.

After that, press the start button and the Hips will take it from there. Here is a short video showing the inflation process.

The Normatec Hips unit uses air to massage the muscles in your hip region. More specifically, the Hips unit consists of multiple air bladders that inflate and deflate to massage the muscles and improve circulation.

Because some of the bladders overlap, the massage is continuous. The pressure flows through the unit rather than being isolated to specific regions at specific times.

In my experience, this makes for a very relaxing massage session.

The massaging air cycles knead the muscles but they also promote lymphatic circulation. The Normatec massage units help to move excess fluid out of the extremities and back to the more active part of the body.

The removal of the excess fluid should speed up recovery by decreasing swelling and pain.

The control unit allows you to set the duration and intensity of the massage. If desired, you can also program the unit to focus more on a specific area of the body.

Did the Normatec Hips work as advertised?

Let’s jump right to the important result. I was actually able to play all 90 holes at Bandon Dunes. At the end of each day, I felt tired and sore but not injured.

Do I credit the Hips for my survival? 

It’s impossible to know for sure but I do believe that the Hips and the Venom 2 Belt allowed me to play that ridiculous number of holes pain free.

At the end of each day of the trip, I ran the Hyperice Venom 2 belt for a cycle, followed by 30 minutes in the Hips. I also used the belt each morning before we played.

The only other thing that I did was stretch a bit here and there.

Prior to the trip, I had real doubts about my body holding up for all of that golf. On my last visit to Bandon Dunes, an especially windy round at Pacific Dunes took out my back, and ended golf for that day.

That back injury happened after the third round of that trip. This trip, I played five rounds and wasn’t even all that sore. Considering my body is about eight years older now, that’s amazing!

Did using the Normatec Hips make the difference? Although I can’t be certain, I will be packing the Hips and Venom 2 Belt on every future golf trip.

The priceless price of removing pain

At $549 (down from $599), the Hyperice Normatec Elite Hips are not an inexpensive recovery tool. When I purchased the Hyperice Venom 2 Belt last summer, its $250 price gave me pause.

After seeing how it helped my buddy after back surgery and knowing I had a wife with a hurt back, I spent the cash.

Those of you suffering from chronic pain know there are days when you would pay anything for a modicum of relief.

Since putting the belt into use, I’ve not had a bit of buyer’s remorse. I’ve actually considered buying a second Venom 2 Belt so my wife and I can match when we go to prom.

So far, I feel the same level of satisfaction with the Hips. After I play golf, I use the Hips and I don’t feel my typical post-golf aches in my glutes and hamstrings. Even if I only sort of understand the science of how the Normatec Hips work, I can feel the difference when I use them (or not).

By the way, if you have FSA/HSA money available, most of the Normatec products are HSA approved. Naturally, you should check your policy and maybe your doctor before making the purchase. 

My next plan is to use the Normatec Hips before playing to see if that improves performance. Maybe loose hips will equal long balls. That sentence sounds unintentionally awkward but I have a feeling that using the Hips before golf will help my game.

As I get older, I will need all the help that I can get to stay fit enough to play as much golf as I want. If that means my whole body needs to be covered with pneumatic massage units, I’m ready and willing.

Bring on the Normatec jumpsuit!