Electric muscle magic
A new form of muscle-building is now all the rage: full-body electromyostimulation training (FB-EMS), in which muscle groups are simultaneously stimulated via electrode. Find out what it's like in this self-experiment report.
Electricity will be shooting through my body. Not til I'm dead; but til I end up with nice, sore muscles. At my gym, they are hooking me up to an EMS device clocked at up to 100 Hz.
EMS training was developed as a muscle regeneration technique for people requiring physical therapy due to accident, illness, frailty or disability. Full-body EMS training is increasingly being offered at upper-end gyms and athletic facilities as a way to enhance endurance, power and muscle mass. Athletes use it, but it appeals as well to people unwilling to work out or invest enough time – as plugging in provides a quick and effective way to achieve fitness goals, with little effort.
EMS works by externally amplifying in targeted fashion the body's own electrical impulses originating in the central nervous system that are transported via the spinal cord to nerve endings. Muscle contraction through physical exercise under simultaneous electrical stimulation increases muscle tension. The musculoskeletal system is kept free of injury, and muscular imbalances – caused for example by prolonged sitting at a desk – are resolved.
The efficacy of electro-stimulated muscle training has been confirmed in several scientific studies. Back pain and urinary incontinence have been successfully treated, and it has been shown to tighten connective tissue and improve posture. In one study, the EMS group exhibited better results than a control group that worked out using normal exercise equipment.
Manufacturers like miha bodytec and Simplytrain have started making plug-in versions of their equipment. miha bodytec now has over 1,000 distribution partners and continues to expand. The technology is almost always offered as an "equipment-based personal training" package, i.e. with fitness consulting included. E-musclebuilding is a hot trend, using both stationary equipment at local gyms and mobile versions taken on the road by personal trainers; and there are even EMS microstudios devoted exclusively to EMS training, see www.bodystreet.com). The electrical current is safe, by the way, as the frequency is too low to be dangerous.
So now it has come to this: you put on an electrically conductive workout suit before training, which gets sprayed with water. You start lifting wearing wet cycling shorts and a neoprene-like vest. When I tried it, they hooked me up to an electrical current, and started out by briefly warming up the individual muscle groups with an intense but not unpleasant tingling. It takes a little getting used to, but there's nothing to be afraid of.
Then they turn on the juice, for full-body muscle stimulation at 6-second intervals, each pulse being followed by a 6-second rest interval. They gradually increased the pulse frequency up to 85 Hz – which was the most I can stand, for after all the gymnastic exercises performed during training, in the end I could scarcely even make a fist.
Sounds rough perhaps, but it's not painful at all. The sensation is like a deep, prickly tingling – warm and intense. After about 25 minutes, the body has had enough. There is no spreading feeling of over-stimulation or muscle saturation like there is in regular strength training, but rather a non-localized general fatigue. Still energetic and gung-ho just a few minutes ago, afterward you're exhausted and need rest. Following up with a sauna session is just the right thing.
You can see and feel the results you get from full-body EMS training: Over the next few days your muscles are tighter, and you feel a pleasant soreness. You suddenly become aware of muscle groups rarely involved in ordinary training. I can confirm the effectiveness of electro-stimulation training.
Training can be individually customized and adapted. Pulse frequency, duration and training methods are set in accordance with the athlete's objectives. Anyone open to experimentation and innovative workout ideas should try EMS training at least once!