Benefits of Combining EMS Workouts & HIIT Training
Electro-muscle stimulation, or EMS, is quickly becoming the go-to workout that delivers fast results. EMS combines the movements and exercises done in traditional workouts with electrical impulses that cover major muscle groups. These two types of muscle contractions – voluntary and involuntary – are combined in short workout sessions with EMS workouts. This type of workout can provide fitness results that are impossible to achieve without spending hours at the gym.
Another major fitness trend that is experiencing increased interest is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. HIIT training is desirable because it promises to deliver the best possible workout in the least amount of time.; HIIT often combines short bursts of intense activity followed by periods with less intense activities. The high-intensity portions of the workout aim to achieve a heart rate that is at least 80% of its maximum capacity for a period of one to five minutes. Any training that does not meet this goal would not be considered HIIT training by its definition.
The activities are also a combination of aerobic and resistance training, providing a well-rounded blend of exercises that can increase stamina and endurance and help build lean muscle and tone the body. Moreover, the well-established benefits of HIIT training link it to heart and cardio-respiratory health.
With both EMS and HIIT growing in popularity, it’s essential for those seeking better fitness to understand that you don’t necessarily have to choose one type of training. These two incredibly effective strategies can be combined to increase the efficacy of both. In fact, when EMS is added to a HIIT training regimen, it is 20% more effective than using HIIT training alone.
Improving Strength & Endurance
HIIT training focuses on heart health and optimizing the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently. In most instances, the biggest results individuals see are related to endurance and stamina. These results provide a tremendous health benefit that is often associated with better health and longer lifespans. But with its emphasis on aerobic activities and optimizing the performance of the heart, there is often little opportunity to increase strength or build muscle in many HIIT regimens.
EMS, on the other hand, provides the perfect opportunity to build muscle. The electrical current used to induce involuntary muscle contractions ensures that all muscle fibers contract fully without restriction. When EMS is combined with exercise using voluntary contractions, it can activate approximately 30% more muscle fibers than one could achieve doing the same activities without EMS. The result is that individuals using EMS can build more lean muscle tissue faster than any other method.
Achieving All Fitness Goals With One Workout
When individuals start a new fitness regimen, they often have multiple goals, such as increasing endurance and building muscle mass. However, most fitness regimens force users to prioritize their goals and focus on one at a time or accept that they won’t meet all of their goals without a massive time commitment.
Combining HIIT and EMS provides the opportunity to achieve all of your fitness goals with the least amount of time commitment possible. The aerobic and cardiovascular benefits of HIIT can be realized while EMS leverages the same activities and exercises to build lean muscle mass simultaneously. There is simply no alternative that can deliver the same results with a similar time commitment.
Enhanced Healing
As anyone who works out regularly can tell you, burning fat and building muscle take time. And after any high-intensity session – including a workout like HIIT – your body will remain sore for several days. This period is marked by the recovery, repair, and rebuilding of muscle tissues that are broken down. After this process, the muscle tissue becomes stronger, leading to a more toned and muscular physique.
EMS can provide a tremendous benefit to this process, as well. The electrical impulses often result in increased blood flow to the afflicted muscles. With more blood, these cells receive more oxygenation and can heal faster. Ultimately, this means that workouts that include EMS will require less recovery time than other workouts. And EMS can also reduce inflammation in many areas of the body, ensuring that it remains fit and ready for peak physical performance.
EMS & HIIT Deliver an Ideal Regimen for Proven Results
Both EMS and HIIT training have many studies that back the performance of these workouts. HIIT improves cardio-respiratory health and heart performance, while EMS can increase lean muscle mass and reduce inflammation and pain. When these two strategies are combined – they pack a powerful punch. Contact Bodybuzz today to learn more about combining EMS with your HIIT training!