What is EMS training?

Over the past few decades, the fitness and medical community have graduated from the belief that dieting is the only solution for weight loss and slimming. Similarly, the influence of training and physical activity has long been underestimated alongside the interplay of muscle activity and nutrition. As a result, the growing knowledge of muscle training has brought about a new approach to fitness and health.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is an innovative full-body training method that stimulates the muscles through electrodes to accelerate workout progress and enhance muscle toning. EMS has presented an answer to various questions that fitness trainers frequently get asked. Which muscle groups should I train? Which exercises are best suited for me? Which intensity level should I aim for? How do I reach my training targets? By training all major muscle groups and accommodating each person’s unique fitness level, EMS is a highly effective and efficient method for muscle toning and even pain treatment in professional and rehabilitation sports.

How does EMS training work?

EMS training emerged in the mid-2000s and has since become a popular training method for people of all ages and fitness levels. The EMS training technique uses low-frequency pulses of electric current to initiate controlled contractions in the muscles. Conventional training controls the muscles through electric signals sent by the central nervous system, while EMS training engages electrical impulses from the externally applied electrodes. The training session works in four-second intervals of muscle contraction followed by a four-second relaxation period. This cycle is typically repeated for 20 minutes.

During the session, participants wear a specialised full-body EMS training suit that controls muscle contractions through tiny electrical impulses similar to the signals usually sent by the central nervous system. The training suit is comfortable to wear and does not place any extra pressure on joints or ligaments, which means EMS can be practised safely while rehabilitating from an injury. The necessary training clothes are provided by the EMS studio while a professional trainer guides the session with a custom-designed training regime targeted for each individual’s goals and abilities.

What are the benefits of EMS training?

Whole-body EMS combines the benefits of conventional dynamic strength training and electric muscle stimulation since the muscles experience much more intensive and new training stimuli. Effective full-body training can be challenging to achieve through classic methods since all of the major muscle groups and stabilising muscles need to experience simultaneous tensioning. The EMS training structure eases this process by taking into account functional exercises from sport and everyday life, supporting intra and intermuscular coordination, and facilitating perception training for learning movement. Sport-specific movements that may be difficult to integrate into conventional strength training can easily be combined into a whole-body EMS training routine while avoiding one-sided muscular strain and imbalances.

Time-saving is a major benefit of EMS training. This method can cut training time down by more than 50% while improving performance results. In as little as 20-30 minutes per week, whole-body EMS training can help deliver on a variety of muscular training goals. Consequently, EMS is consistently growing in popularity among working professionals who do not have time for elaborate and time-consuming workout routines. The value of EMS is also recognised in the health sector as an effective method for managing back pain and maintaining general health and fitness.

Who should do EMS training?

EMS has multiple areas of application and is widely used by doctors, clinics, physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals. As a training method, EMS is of particular value to fitness studios and micro-studios thanks to its effectiveness for a variety of target groups. EMS training meets each participant where they are, which makes this method suitable for people of all fitness capabilities. EMS training is an attractive option for busy people who want to reach their strength and fitness goals while juggling demanding work and personal life schedules.

High-performance athletes use EMS training in intensive training centres and Olympic training centres to complement their sport-specific training and enhance strength and speed. Athletes and sports professionals can benefit from an impressive improvement in high-speed strength through EMS training. Since high intensity is reached within a short period of time, EMS training is especially motivating for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The electrodes system used in EMS supports countless sport-specific movements, allowing the muscle fibres to build strength without neglecting the transfer into target movements. EMS is even used by the military, police and fire departments to improve general fitness and endurance. By continuously developing the technology, EMS devices can even be adapted for use by private customers.

Volt Fitness is a luxury EMS studio in Melbourne that offers short, intensive training sessions with maximum efficiency and sustainable results in a feel-good atmosphere. 20 minutes at Volt Fitness are as good as 4 hours of sweating it out at a traditional gym.

Ready to start working on your fitness goals? Take a look at our training options or chat with us on (03) 8393 5131.