Would they shock you with electrical pulses in an effort to get you in shape?
It may sound like a new form of torture, but EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) is fast becoming a major trend in the fitness world, with more studies popping up all over the place. London.
EMS training targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously through electrical pulses, increasing the impact of any movement you perform for the ultimate full body workout.
Let’s say a traditional works only a few of your muscles at a time. With EMS, you would increase engagement, using more muscles at once to increase the intensity of your exercise.
All of this is why proponents say a 20-minute EMS workout is the equivalent of 90 minutes of intense exercise.
Therefore, a time-saving way to push yourself even harder in the gym. It’s worth a try?
I put EMS training to the test at Kensington headquarters E-Pulsive Studyone of the first gyms in London to introduce this radical new approach to health and fitness, founded by Eladio de Leon and Mario Kaspers.
By fusing traditional HIIT techniques with hard science and tight schedules, the integrative approach to fitness makes everything from strength training to toning a little easier.
A session on E-Pulsive lasts around 20 minutes and uses high-intensity, high-interval training (HIIT).
I walked in apprehensive (getting electric shocks sounds pretty painful…) and not knowing what to expect.
And I’ll be honest: the first electrical pulse felt like a real shock. It’s jarring, but you get used to it with surprising speed, and the trainer is there to walk you through the moves and make sure you don’t panic from the feeling.
Every move is carefully coordinated to the rhythm of electrical pulses, ensuring that every move you make delivers the best possible results.
You hold each pose for about 20 seconds, which may sound easy, but it takes a lot of concentration – the electricity makes even simple poses feel that much harder.
In my first session I moved between the electrical pulses and in my second session I moved during the pulses
Different training styles target different things: holding the posture when the electrical pulse fires is targeting strength and weight loss. Moving during the electrical pulses is toning, it also tightens the skin and increases strength.
In my third and fourth sessions, I was really interested in electrocuting myself and tried to increase the electrical pulses to the limit to get the maximum result.
After each session, I walked away feeling the burn, but the next day I felt strong and energized. I highly recommend following each session with a trip to the cryotherapy chamber to fully relax your muscles.
E-Pulsive founder Eladio recommends doing an EMS workout once a week in addition to your regular exercise routine, or twice a week if you just don’t have time for normal gym sessions.
He claims that if you combine this with a healthy lifestyle, changes can be seen after four sessions and over a 12 week period you can see a 9% loss in body fat and a 30% increase in strength.
If you fancy trying an EMS training for yourself, you can book private and partner sessions from £50. Initial consultations last 45 minutes in total, where the trainer will discuss lifestyle, goals and potential injuries, followed by of a totally personalized 20-minute EMS training.
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