In a remarkable application of knowledge that has been around for centuries, it is now possible to build muscle, get stronger, improve posture, alleviate back pain and lose fat in 20-minute exercise sessions.
I know, it sounds like a typical late night TV advert preying on insomniacs’ impaired thinking. “Supercharge Your Workouts! More muscle in less time!” But this one has a raft of research behind it.
The therapeutic use of electric current is nothing new. Ancient Egyptians noticed that the sting of what is now known as a torpedo fish (its name taken from the latin “torpidus” meaning numbed or paralyzed) relieved pain.
Torpedo fish-filled tanks were used for dipping the afflicted.
However it wasn’t until the late 18th century that the invention of devices capable of generating electricity eliminated the need to go fishing. This technology launched electrical therapies for every conceivable condition, from dental complaints and depression to neurological and gynecological problems.
But the golden age of electrical treatments was short-lived. Charlatans’ indiscriminate practices (and the advent of potent pain medications) stripped electrotherapy of its popularity and scientific respectability. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that this field reemerged.
Modern medical experimentation with electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) began in the 1960’s. Some of the earliest applications attempted to activate paralyzed muscles in stroke patients. Encouraging results prompted trials of EMS for rehabilitation in a variety of settings. Today EMS is recognized as an effective intervention to reduce swelling, decrease loss of muscle, promote healing, alleviate pain, and increase strength. (see EMS Review.pdf)
This strength-enhancing effect captured the imagination of Russian sports science. Soviet success in applying cutting-edge medical innovations was reflected in their Olympic record. In eighteen games played, they ranked first in total medals won in fourteen and second in the remaining four.
Russian sports scientist Yakov Kots popularized the use of EMS after reporting enormous strength and endurance gains in elite athletes in the early 1970’s. Variations of “Russian currents”, the training technique’s adopted name, soon became a valued tool for professional athletes throughout the sports world. Despite decades of use by professional athletes, EMS has only recently made its way to the gym.
So, what’s different about the way EMS stimulates muscle?
Everything.
Here’s a quick review of “everything you ever wanted to know about muscle” that will make the unique properties of EMS comprehensible.
Skip the following three sections if you simply want to know what EMS does for you and don’t give a hoot how.
Types of Muscle
There are two types of muscle fibers, slow-twitch (Type I) and fast-twitch (Type II). Slow-twitch fibers, as the name implies, contract slowly, release energy gradually, are smaller and fatigue resistant. This makes them good for endurance activity, but weak on power. The larger fast-twitch fibers contract and release energy rapidly and therefore fatigue easily. They are designed to provide powerful short bursts of strength or speed.
Size Strength and Power
In normal muscle use the smaller fatigue-resistant slow- twitch fibers are activated first. As demand on the muscle increases the larger fast-twitch fibers engage. This makes it difficult to work the fast-twitch fibers.
Strength is defined as the ability to generate maximal muscle force. Power is the product of the force and velocity of muscle contraction. The large fast-twitch generate four times the power output of slow-twitch fibers.
Ageing
As we get older there is a selective reduction in the number and size of the power-generating fast-twitch muscle fibers. So power declines before strength. Muscle power has been identified as a more influential predictor of functional performance in older adults compared to muscle strength.
Back to EMS
The most important difference between EMS and traditional training is EMS’s capacity to stimulate muscle in a random pattern, simultaneously hitting slow and fast-twitch fibers. This permits activation of fast-twitch fibers without the punishing work usually required. For the middle-aged, older, immobilized and infirm, this presents an enormous benefit. EMS can prevent the selective loss of power-generating fast-twitch muscle.
Like traditional strength (resistance) training, EMS increases muscle strength and mass. Is it a replacement for resistance training? No. It will however significantly decrease your workload and risk of injury. In addition, research suggests EMS can increase recovery between workouts.
So, get current. Turn on, tune in and work out.
To learn more on how the thinking individual keeps fit, follow Paul Spector MD.