Electrical Stimulation Exercise

Electrical stimulation exercise

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) stimulates the nerves in muscles to restore function and strength, prevent muscle atrophy, and reduce muscle spasms.

Combination description

1* Control App

1* Bodytech Wireless device

1* Bodytech EMS whole body dry suit

Is Electrical Muscle Stimulation Really the Magical Workout It's Hyped Up to Be?

No longer just a staple in physical therapy, electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is now making its way into workouts, promising to strengthen muscles in as little as 15 minutes.

What is electrical stimulation exercise, exactly? 

If you've ever gone to physical therapy, you may have experienced EMS or "e-stim," to help loosen your tight muscles so they can recover. When used therapeutically, these devices are designed to stimulate nerves that make muscles contract, ultimately relaxing and loosening any tight spots. (BTW, did you know that physical therapy can also boost your fertility and help with getting pregnant?!)

Physical therapists use localized conduction pads or region-specific belts to deliver electrical stimulation to “muscles that are weak, in spasm, or regions/joints that are lacking range of motion,” says Jaclyn Fulop, M.S.P.T., founder of Exchange Physical Therapy Group.

How does this differ from electrical stimulation exercise?

Instead of focusing on a specific body part as you’d do in physical therapy, during EMS workouts, electrical stimulation is typically delivered to larger areas of the body via a suit, vest, and/or shorts. As you exercise (which is already engaging your muscles), the electrical impulses force your muscles to contract, which may result in more muscle recruitment, says Dircksen.

Most Electrical stimulation exercise are pretty short, lasting only 20 minutes, and range "from cardio and strength training to fat burning and massage.

For example, after you slip on your stim ensemble, through a series of low-impact exercises such as planks, lunges, and squats. (But, first, you're going to want to make sure you know proper squat form.) Sure it might sound simple enough, but it's no walk in the park. Because the pulse actually acts as resistance, the movements feel much harder and leaving you fatigued way faster. Just like with other training, you might be sore. Overall, how sore you are after any EMS training depends on multiple factors, such as the "intensity of the work, the weight used, the amount of time, how much eccentric load was done, and if any of the movements were done in new ranges," says Dircksen. (See also: Why Post-Workout Muscle Soreness Hits People at Different Times)

When exercising normally, neurotransmitters in the brain tell your muscles (and the fibers within them) to activate and engage in order to perform each movement. Over time, as a result of things such as injury, overtraining, and poor recovery, muscular imbalances can occur and limit your muscle fibers' activation during moves when they should normally be recruited. (See: How to Activate Underused Glutes aka Dead Butt Syndrome for an example of how this can play out IRL.)

However, when EMS is added to the equation, it allows you to call upon more muscle fibers (including those that have remained dormant). To be safe—so you don't overdo it and risk muscle, tendon, or ligament tears—go with "the minimal effective dose."