Sports-And-Fitness

The electrical stimulation

Synonyms in the broadest sense

Electrical stimulation, nerve stimulation, muscle stimulation

introduction

The question arises again and again why athletes lift the weights for hours in the gym, although the muscle stimulus can also be applied externally. The idea of muscle growth and the associated burning of fat on the couch in front of the TV is particularly popular with those who don't exercise.

Die-hard strength athletes and fitness athletes, however, usually don't think much of electrical stimulation and prefer training with dumbbells to this method. In order to increase the training stimulus, this form is often combined with the conventional (eccentric and concentric) Training connected. However, this form of strength training should be enjoyed with absolute caution, as particularly high loads on the muscles are to be expected.

This method of muscle innervation through external electrical stimuli has advantages and disadvantages. (see below)

EMS training

The abbreviation EMS, as it is used in EMS training, stands for Electromyostimulationwho have favourited Electrical Muscle Stimulation. It describes a whole body muscle training with the help of electricity. The advertising promises of the providers are overturning, but which of them is reality?

In any case, the EMS training takes place in a special suit with integrated electrodes. This suit is connected to the EMS device via a cable. The trainee experiences 4 seconds of current pulses from the suit. Another 4 second pause follows. In this scheme, simple exercises (such as squats) are performed under one-to-one supervision by a trainer. No additional weights are necessary. The 20-minute training program is designed to stimulate all of the body's muscles to the maximum in order to enable highly effective training in the shortest possible time.

Basically, this method - or the idea behind it - is not new and has been scientifically well researched. Electrical stimulation of the muscles from the outside works because the EMS only imitates natural body processes: Every muscle movement in the body is preceded by an electrical impulse, which normally comes from the brain and is conducted to the muscle via nerve pathways. This electrical stimulus triggers the contraction of the muscle.

However, EMS training should not be viewed entirely uncritically. The success and the safety of this type of training depends to a large extent on the training and level of knowledge of the trainer, which unfortunately varies greatly from provider to provider. Good trainers point out the danger of overtraining, avoid excessively high currents and recommend EMS training only as a supplement to regular endurance and strength training. Pure EMS training can never completely replace physical activity, even if many advertising promises promise just that.

Further information is available under our topic: EMS training

TENS

The abbreviation TENS means transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. This means the irritation of nerve fibers with the help of electrical current through the skin (transcutaneous). It is mainly used in pain patients. The aim of TENS is to increase the pain threshold of the person affected, i.e. to make the patient's pain more bearable.

With the help of electricity, one tries to activate those endogenous nerve fibers that inhibit the transmission of the pain signal to the brain at the level of the spinal cord. If these inhibitory signals are particularly strong, only a fraction of what is perceived as pain by receptors at certain parts of the body reaches the brain. As a result, the patient should become less aware of the pain and thus better bearable. Many patients also report an improvement in their symptoms. Unfortunately, this improvement is seldom drastic, but mostly rather moderate.

An exclusive TENS pain therapy is usually not sufficient, especially since the effectiveness of the method has not been adequately proven from a purely objective point of view and is therefore considered controversial. Some studies show it is effective, while others deny it. The slight improvement in some patients could possibly also be attributed to the placebo effect of this method. In order to finally clarify this question, there are no large, methodologically good studies from which clear results can be read. Nonetheless, the TENS procedure is now recognized by many health insurance companies and can certainly be used in addition to the usual drug-based pain therapy in suitable patients.

Read more about this under Electrotherapy

Principles of electrical stimulation

Maximum 3 muscle groups work out
The electrical stimulation only complementary use in training.
Pulse frequency between 50 and a maximum of 100 Hertz
Stimulation duration between 3 and 10 seconds, depending on the training goal
For short, intense loads, the Pause length be enough. (with 3 seconds of load approx. 3 minutes break, with 10 seconds of load 1 minute is sufficient)

Benefits of electrical stimulation

Due to the external stimuli, increased tension in the muscles is to be expected, and this improves muscle development.
The electrical stimulation can achieve longer muscle tensions, which also leads to increased adaptations.
Muscle groups and individual muscles can be contracted in a more isolated manner.
The fatigue-related reduction in performance of the central nervous system is excluded and an increased scope and intensity of training can be achieved.
The time required is significantly less than with conventional strength training.

Disadvantages of electrical stimulation

The adjustment of the electrical stimulation relates only to the muscles. Long-term training leads to deficits in the joint area and long-term damage is inevitable. Therefore, this workout should be viewed as a variation on the dumbbell workout.
The muscles and the adjacent tendons have numerous protective mechanisms to protect against overstretching (muscle spindles) or excessive contraction. These are overridden by external innervation.
Strength training is the interaction between the nervous system and muscles. This definition of strength training is being overridden
The improved coordination between muscles and nervous system caused by strength training does not take place.
In conventional, arbitrary strength training, the small and slow motor units are contracted first and then the large, fast units (Hennemann's principle of innervation). With electrical stimulation, this order is reversed and there is no intramuscular coordination. This method is therefore not effective for professional weight training.
The electrical stimulation mainly contracts the muscle fibers lying on the outside. The stimulus is often insufficient to reach the inner fibers of larger muscles.

To build muscle

Despite all the risks, EMS training is good for building muscle. Various studies were able to demonstrate clear effects that were very similar to those achieved in classic muscle training, for example with dumbbells. The success of the training is explained by the maximum irritation and stimulation of the muscles. This easily damages them, which also explains the following sore muscles. Following the damage, the muscles must eliminate it. The repair process, known as regeneration, makes the muscle bigger and more powerful.

However, if you overdo it with the stimulation or if you don't give the body enough time to allow the important regeneration processes to run, not only does the muscle build-up effect fail, there is also the risk of serious injuries and damage to health.

EMS training is also suitable for building muscle in certain areas of the body. It was precisely these applications that were originally the main area of application of the method. After injuries or operations, for example, in cooperation with a physiotherapist, muscles around the knee can be rebuilt using EMS training without putting any strain on the joint. However, these exercises require a completely different approach than the "sporty" EMS, which is offered and advertised by so many studios today.

One should also be careful with belts or belts for EMS home use. Without professional control and supervision, there is a risk of severe side effects, injuries or - in the best case scenario - no effect of EMS training.

Electrostimulation (EMS) advertises building muscles without a lot of movement, so that even those who don't move can achieve their dream body. Reaching deep muscle fibers is said to be an advantage. This could often only be insufficiently developed with "normal" training. Above all, the fast muscle fibers that humans need to perform fast movements are stimulated by EMS. Up to 90 percent of the existing muscle fibers in a muscle should be reached by EMS.

A trainer controls the electric shocks and thus the muscle contraction. This should stimulate muscle building. In addition, no other muscle building training should be carried out in addition to EMS training so that the body has enough time to recover. Many experts agree that EMS training alone cannot replace regular strength training.
There is also agreement that EMS is not suitable as a substitute for quality muscle building training. If you lift a weight, the brain activates many muscles at the same time: muscles that do the pulling or pushing work of the exercise and many different muscles that have a supportive effect and stabilize and coordinate the movement.

EMS training cannot reach and activate all of these muscle groups in the same way as our brain can and therefore someone who wants to do something to build muscle should also use the appropriate exercises. EMS training can support some improvements in muscle building. However, EMS as isolated training alone does not bring any great success. Self-directed muscle building training should always be the first choice.

If you want to incorporate EMS training into your existing muscle building program, you should choose a modulated medium frequency as the frequency, as this can penetrate into the muscle cell. This is where muscle building is controlled and can best be supported. You should include eccentric exercises in your training plan that stretch or lengthen the muscle. The combination of eccentric movements and EMS can have a positive effect on muscle building.

For training the abdominal muscles

As part of a full-body training with the help of EMS, the muscles of the abdomen can also be trained in any case. The deep abdominal muscles are particularly well addressed. Effects similar to those with long, slow holding exercises in yoga and Pilates can be achieved quickly.
Various special belts are designed exclusively for training the abdominal muscles, some of which are aggressively advertised with full-bodied promises on commercial television. A benefit of these devices has not been proven and also not to be assumed. There is no scientific evidence for the dream of a quick six-pack from home. Only the consistent lowering of the body fat content and many repetitions of the well-known abdominal muscle exercises are certainly helpful.

Read more about this under

How to successfully train your abs
Six pack

Areas of application

The electrical stimulation is especially used in Rehabilitation area used as a improved hypertrophy (Muscle building) is to be expected. In addition, there is no stress on the joints.

Due to the improved muscle building, the electrical stimulation is particularly useful for ambitious strength athletes used as supplementary training.

As with the voluntary contraction, the training goal depends on the duration of the contraction. A Load of 3 seconds and less promotes the Speed power, 6 seconds improves the Maximum strength and loads in the range of 10 seconds cause a muscle building stimulus.

Dangers of electrical stimulation

EMS appears to be one to many athletes pleasant method to train the muscles, without moving much to have to. But there is also very critical voices to this new form of training. Some of them claim that there are certain risks involved in exercising this method regularly.

There are certain risk groups who should refrain from EMS training, otherwise health problems may occur. This includes patients with multiple sclerosis, Pregnant women, Cancer patients, people with thrombosis, People with a Pacemaker and epileptic.

For these groups an EMS training very dangerous become. Also some advantages of one EMS training can reveal themselves as a danger and a disadvantage. EMS training is supposed to Protect your jointsas no heavy weights are used. This sounds very logical at first. In the case of permanent EMS training without additional conventional strength training, the Joints become weaker.
If a joint is no longer used, or used significantly less often than was normally the case, our body notices this. Our body strives for effectiveness and breaks down everything that is not needed. Ligaments, tendons and bonesthat support and strengthen the joint are reduced.

EMS training will especially for non-athletes offered. People who have nothing to do with sport should be motivated to visit a gym. These people are mostly muscular imbalances available. These can be strengthened by EMS training. In combination with the breakdown of holding and support mechanisms in the body, EMS training extensive long-term damage arise.

Cases keep cropping up where by one Excessive electrical impulse injures muscle tissue has been. If the patient complained of pain, this was dismissed by the trainer. Pain indicates Injuries to the tissue and should not be ignored in any case. In order to prevent damage injuries, on the one hand an additional conventional strength training take place and the choice of studio and the training of the trainer are further crucial points. If you do not feel that you are in good hands with an EMS trainer or in a studio, speak to them or change them. Health should always take precedence in this case.