Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training is disrupting rehab. No, this isn’t about some new fitness fad. It’s not about strapping yourself to some sort of Frankenstein machine and getting rock hard in record time (although it does deliver some seriously sculpted results). This is about smart rehabilitation, and if you’ve been down the injury gauntlet as many of us athletes have, you’ll understand why EMS is a game changer.
What’s EMS All About, Then?
Firstly, EMS stands for Electric Muscle Stimulation – a technique that uses electrical impulses to make your muscles contract. It might sound sci-fi but everything is based on the natural muscle-firing signals your body already uses to get muscles moving – you’re just taking things up a notch. Just as a car’s engine with a turbo, you’re boosting your muscles with EMS.
The Rehab Revolution
If you’re in recovery from an injury, you probably aren’t keen to burden your injury further, which is where EMS comes into play – it can work your targeted muscle groups without burdening your body with the high impact movements or excessive weight that could make your injury worse.
Reasons why I think it’s a fab choice for anyone getting back on their feet:
Subtly Mighty: You can get to a powerful level of muscle activation with EMS without the strain that comes from normal exercises. It’s the same effect as doing one of those weight-heavy workouts without the weights, which is ace if you have injuries that don’t take too kindly to pressure.
Get Better, Faster: Stimulating blood flow and muscle activation through EMS helps to accelerate the healing process, as well as prevent excessive muscle loss while you’re resting. That means you’re getting better faster – and faster is better. The next time you’re recovering from an injury or surgery, keeping your fitness routine in check, or just having a rough day at the office, consider the benefits of EMS. It could give you the boost you need to recover quickly and get back to your old habits.
EMS On Demand: EMS can be customised to your body. If you have a bad knee or an iffy shoulder, EMS can be tweaked to go where you need it to go, and leave the rest of you out of it, so to speak.
Not Just for the Pros
You might be thinking this sounds like a luxury experience for an elite athlete or someone willing to blow his wad to heal faster. Actually, that couldn’t be further from the truth. EMS is becoming more and more affordable, and it’s a terrific tool for anyone coming back from an injury or surgery, or for those of us who suffer from chronic ailments that have a way of making traditional training a pain in the ass.
The Bottom Line
The fact is, recovery is not about being on bed rest while your body recovers. It is about doing something about it, and EMS allows that to happen without setting you back. The concept is one of using the best tools for the job, and EMS is exactly that. EMS is an adjunct to your recovery programme, and a good one.
In that case, if you’re getting better and looking for a workout to augment your recovery, don’t sleep on EMS. It’s practical, it’s effective, it might even be the thing that gets you there without all the battle scars of traditional rehab. EMS isn’t just catching up to recovery; it’s leading the charge.
Comparing EMS Training to Traditional Workouts
Can EMS live up to the label of the new gym session? Is it the next big thing in training, or just another shiny fitness gimmick? Let’s discuss. It’s not black and white, actually.
For starters, EMS is no ordinary workout. Not only are you outfitted in a suit that fries your muscle fibres with electrical impulses, but you then perform a range of callisthenics while wearing it. Sounds a little like the Matrix, but the idea is to amplify the spontaneous firing of your muscles. Every move you make is over-caffeinated.
EFFICIENCY IS THE SELL: ‘You get all the benefits of a 90-minute workout but you’re only training for 20 minutes.’ For people who can’t live at the gym (and that’s most of us), EMS can be a life-changer.
Targeted Muscle Activation: EMS means you can work muscles in isolation. Tired glute that just won’t perk up? Crotchety shoulder that refuses to warm up? EMS is the muscle biopsy that will show you which muscle is just along for the ride.
Traditional Workouts: The Tried and True
Now, with that being said, let’s get back to traditional workouts: your weights, your cardio, your ‘sweat-it-out-till-you-drop’ sessions. These are the meat-and-potatoes of traditional fitness and for good reason.
Holistic Health Benefits: Aside from the fact that traditional workouts help you build muscle or lose fat, they also improve your heart health, can reduce depression, and heighten your energy. You get everything in the package at once.
Variety and flexibility: the gym is your oyster. Fancy some heavy lifts today? Go for it. Feel like a dip? Dive on in. You’ll keep things fresh, and ensure that different parts of your body get exposed to different types of stress and recovery, which can aid general fitness and help keep your workout routine interesting.
So, Which One Wins?
Now here’s the catch. EMS may sound too good to be true (and it kind of is, in some ways). It’s a great complement to workouts, especially for those with time constraints or who need a specific muscle activation. But it doesn’t replace the whole-body benefits of the old school stuff, especially for those who like the social element of the gym or the mental health benefits of a long country run.
Cost: EMS is more expensive too, due to the tech. You’re paying for sessions, for use of the suit, perhaps even a specialist EMS trainer – the whole thing can add up. Meanwhile, a gym membership or a run can be more wallet-friendly.
Accessibility: Traditional workouts win on accessibility, because you can do them anywhere, anytime, without special equipment or appointment times.
Whole body EMS training and traditional workouts are different, with different strengths, and both have a place in your fitness toolbox. It’s like a good stew: it’s all about the ingredients. EMS is great for people recovering from injury, for time-poor fitness fans, and for those wanting to supplement their current routine. But don’t give up the traditional sweat-fests: they will teach you endurance, strength and flexibility, and EMS won’t reach.
So, play around with it, experiment, and see what combo plate works best for you. Fitness is about the individual and whether it’s tech suits or pumping iron, the best workout is the one that you stick with and that helps you move towards your goals.
I am a personal trainer based in the North UK
