Normally, our muscles are made to move by signals transmitted by the brain through our nervous system.
EMS, short for Electrical Muscle Stimulation, uses electrical impulses to create an involuntary muscle contraction and get your workout going.
Normal physical activity uses approximately 30% of a muscle fibres leaving 70% dormant. EMS can effectively target and stimulate these dormant fibres.
✔️ EMS devices send an electrical current into muscles to make them contract.
✔️ Impulses are sent from the device to a series of electrodes, which are placed on the skin over the muscles being targeted.
✔️ Muscles naturally contract in response to electrical signals sent by your brain.
✔️ EMS machines replicate these impulses, causing muscles to contract on command.
✔️ The devices can contract the muscle beyond what is normally achieved during a workout.
✔️ This gives users a 'pump', as the muscles start to swell and feel firm.
✔️ But while an EMS device may be able to strengthen or firm a muscle, no EMS devices has been proven for muscle growth or weight loss.
✔️ EMS has been used in physical therapy settings for years, particularly in patients recovering from injuries.
5 Reasons to Use EMS in Conjunction with Strength Training
Have you considered the use of EMS in conjunction with strength training?
If you’re involved in athletics in any significant way, the chances are you’ve heard of a thing called EMS. EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) uses gentle electrical impulses to stimulate the muscles to contract them, then relax the muscles again. This works like a passive exercise, increasing blood flow to the area and encouraging muscle growth. Lots of people in the sports performance community agree that EMS is a valuable asset for athletes of all kinds. If you’re not using EMS in conjunction with strength training you should be. Here’s why.
Research Proves That EMS Works
Lots of recent research and clinical studies have shown that using EMS in conjunction with strength training is consistently beneficial. It helps to enhance strengthening exercises and to encourage performance gain. Those who argue against this are generally not using EMS along with a strength training program, which is a necessary component. While both EMS and strength training offer benefits on their own, it’s the combination of the two where the real benefits are revealed.
EMS Increases Strength Without Exhausting the Athlete
EMS therapy can be applied while sitting still, or even on the go. It doesn’t require further expenditure of energy from an athlete that may already be pushed to the limits. The cumulative effects of EMS in conjunction with strength training create stronger development and with less physical and mental energy and time from the athlete.
EMS Provides a Complete Muscle Contraction
There are lots of little details that can affect the efficiency of a workout. For instance, if an athlete is stressed or distracted this can actually be detrimental to a workout. This is because if the mind is relatively occupied, the autonomic signals in the body and the brain won’t be as precise. As a result of that, a muscle contraction from a workout won’t be as complete as possible.
EMS bypasses all of this and works directly with the muscle, creating clean and full contractions.
EMS Makes Recovery Easier
Not only should athletes use EMS in conjunction with strength training for its strengthening purposes, but also as a recovery tool. Everything about EMS therapy—the muscle contractions, the increased blood flow, the portability—helps hasten recovery. As EMS promotes circulation to the area where it’s applied, it cuts down on swelling and makes the rest period more productive.
EMS Is Portable
Most EMS devices are compact and battery operated. The portability of EMS is excellent for athletes who have to travel, and sit still for long periods of time. EMS can keep muscles and joints flexible and warmed-up in between strength training sessions. EMS is especially useful for those athletes with tight schedules, as it can be applied during other “rest” activities. Use it in the car (but not while driving), on the plane, while you’re surfing the internet or over a meal.
If you’re not applying EMS in conjunction with strength training you’re missing out on an opportunity to take your performance to the next level.
