How Does EMS Training Work?

Electrical Muscle Stimulation training method is based on the use of low-frequency electric current. These electronic impulses aren’t painful and stimulate the major muscle groups in our body.  These are triggered in the central nervous system, and spinal cord and are transmitted to the muscles via nerve fibers. In their physical and natural nature, endogenous stimuli are similar to the electronic impulses of EMS machines. The natural process in the body is amplified by the external stimulus. 

The effect of electrical impulses on our body was first discovered in the 1760s by the physicist Luigi Galvani. However, it was a scientific discovery that didn’t have anything in common with neurology. In the 1830s the neurologist Duchenne de Boulogne from France first used the electrical muscle stimulation in the therapy. In the 20th century, the use of electrical stimulation in treatment and therapy gained popularity. In 1974 the neurosurgeon Clyde Norman Shealy from the USA was the first who made an EMS device. Athletes even used the new technology during the 1976 Olympic Games. In the mid-2000s EMS became a top-notch training method that has revolutionised the world of fitness. 

To do the EMS training you’ll need a wearable EMS training suit with electrodes and a special EMS machine. By wearing an EMS suit you attach the electrodes to the skin’s surface where the major muscle groups (abdominals, biceps) are located. Then the machine sends electrical impulses via the electrodes just like our central nervous system makes the muscle fibers contract. The muscles contract up to 30-40 times per second which is more quick than a normal muscle contraction. Activation and faster contraction of specific muscles leads to body-toning results in significantly less time. A standard 20-minute EMS session typically includes some dynamic and functional fitness exercises but they can vary. It is a workout that requires you to perform exercises under the guidance of a professional fitness trainer.