Training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Why Electro Muscle Stimulation is so effective

I was wrong.

“I basically thought it was a gimmick”.

When I first heard of EMS, I had two distinct thoughts.

  1. I remembered the scene about EMS from the 1993 film Dragon. In the scene, actor Jason Scott Lee who plays Bruce Lee says, “3 minutes, like doing 200 push-ups.”
  2. My second thought was “EMS must clearly be a gimmick, otherwise it would be more widespread right now.” That was in 2019.

I can honestly say today I was wrong on both accounts. Training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation does work and it has become popular, just not in the US fitness industry.

EMS has been used in physical therapy as an evidence-based practice and entered the fitness industry in Europe in the early 2000’s.

It took a while for EMS to be cleared by the FDA in the US for fitness. It is now here.

So, what is EMS good for? Let me start with the most obvious benefits:

  • It saves time. This is arguably the most desirable benefit of EMS. In just one 20-minute workout, you can reap the benefits of a 1-1.5-hour session of weightlifting.
  • EMS is a joint-friendly workout. As long as your muscles are contracting during the workout, the ranges of motions can be adjusted to your level of comfort.
  • No need for additional equipment. If you don’t like to work out with heavy weights, the EMS SuperSuit will provide all the stimulation you need for your muscles.
  • Whole Body EMS is only done with a personal trainer, so you’ll get the motivation, personalization, and coaching you need.
  • Alleviates pains, including relieving lower back pain.

Here are some other benefits that are less obvious:

  • We bring the gym to you. We offer in-home training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. Your trainer will bring any necessary accessories in addition to the SuperSuit.
  • It saves you even more time because we come to you!
  • You’ll get stronger faster, not just because it’s a 20-minute workout, but because with EMS, we’re able to stimulate endurance and strength muscle fibers from day one! If you were to start lifting weights, you wouldn’t start at the heaviest right away.
  • You can’t escape the activation. Have you heard of “dead butt syndrome” or “gluteal amnesia”? Most of us sit all day, causing the butt muscles to “shut down,” so when you try to go up the stairs, squat at the gym or go for a run, your rear end doesn’t have your back. Reactivating your butt muscles is essential for a healthy back and proper biomechanics. EMS will reactivate your butt muscles better than anything else.

We’ll do a deep dive into each one of these benefits one blog at a time, so stay tuned for future entries to understand how EMS training works and how it can benefit you.

What is the biggest obstacle to exercising you face? I would love to hear from you!

Book a 30-min call with me to see if EMS would be right for you here: https://calendly.com/conradfitness/30min

Conrad
Director of Education and Technology
Bodybuzz

Bodybuzz combines Certified Personal Training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation, giving your body a deeper, safer, and more effective workout. 20 minutes twice a week is all it takes!

Our personal trainers will guide you through a custom EMS workout designed specifically for you. Whether you’re looking to build strength, lose weight, get toned, or recover from an injury or illness, we offer a safe, low-impact solution to help get you there.

EMS has now been FDA-cleared for use in the US and we are proud to be one of the first companies to introduce this technology. It is a full-body workout that uses a special muscle stimulating suit that sends low-level impulses to your major muscle groups to trigger muscle contractions. It’s a unique sensation that is painless and invigorating. EMS workouts are designed to achieve optimal conditioning, burn fat, develop strength, build muscle, tighten skin, combat cellulite, jump-start your metabolism and restore your body’s natural balance.