Get fit fast with EMS training

Fit & Fast in Amsterdam are bonafide EMS pioneers with lots (and lots) of experience. Get the best possible training from personal trainers who are also physiotherapists.  

If you really don’t have much time to waste, but still want to become or stay fit, EMS should be right up your alley. In merely 20 minutes you get the equivalent of a 3-hour work-out. EMS is efficient, effective and proven! 

EMS Training: What is it?

EMS stands for Electro Muscular Stimulation. It is a full-body training method using impulse currents. This is not as scary as it may sound; it is perfectly safe to use.

Every day, our body sends millions of signals through our central nervous system to receive information about our muscles. These signals not only enable us to control our muscles, but they also inform the brain about the shape and status of our nerves, which movements we want to make and how many muscle fibres need to be activated to execute the movement.

EMS uses this same system but intensifies the process, especially the number of activated muscle fibres. Did you know that you can stimulate up to 90% of your muscle fibres with EMS? With regular conventional training, you activate no more than 60%.

Electric signals are sent to your muscles and nerves with the specific purpose of training them. For the body, it really doesn’t matter whether the signal comes from the brain or from a second device like the "Bodytec" machine used in EMS training.

It is possible to reach deeper muscle fibres using this machine, which are normally hard to activate through conventional training methods. One 20-minute EMS training session is therefore just as effective as three strength-training sessions of 60 minutes. There you go – a maximum training in a minimal time frame!

What are the advantages of EMS training?

EMS training offers many advantages:

• It is a time-saver. Twenty minutes of EMS training, twice a week is all it takes to realise a stronger and healthier you.
• Since EMS is much more effective than conventional training, you achieve more strength, endurance and maximum power from your workout in a shorter amount of training time.
• Whether you are the occasional gym participant, an amateur or professional sports person, you train at your own physical capacity based on the intensity of the stimulations and exercises performed.
• EMS helps to sculpt and tone the body. People tend to experience a lift-like effect on their body and feel healthier overall.
• EMS can stimulate up to 90 percent of muscle fibres.

EMS Training: What can I expect?

It’s a bit like exercising in a tight wetsuit under the guidance of a personal trainer. You wear a special body suit which consists of a jacket, a belt and straps. You are then connected to the Bodytec machine, which transfers electrical impulses that stimulate the muscles of the torso, legs, buttocks and upper arms while you exercise.

You get to choose the intensity of the currents for each specific muscle group, ranging from 1 to 10. Together with a personal trainer, you’ll determine the intensity of each muscle group. As you train more and get fitter, the intensity level usually is increased. Even though the training session is intense, the electric impulses themselves will not be painful, and your personal trainer is always there to make sure it is not unpleasant!

An example exercise would see a participant do a four-second squat or plank position during which the electronic impulses are activated. In the four seconds after that, you get a rest period, which means there are no contractions. You may also choose to continue the exercise without contractions which will make it (much) more intensive.

Once again, your personal trainer is always there to make sure you don’t overdo it and incorporate ample rest during the training session. You will receive a workout schedule based on your individual goals, discussed by you and your trainer. The trainer will help you do the exercises correctly and in the right form, so you get the most effective workout possible!

Most importantly, during your fitness journey, the trainer is there to motivate you, because - every now and again - we all need that extra mental push! Right?

Studies about EMS training

According to several studies, EMS training is a very effective form of training. Many positive results, like increased speed, strength, endurance and maximum power, are shown.

Speicher et al. (1) compared classical forms of strength training to EMS training. In this study, speed increased more than 30% compared to the classical methods (16-18%). This is apparently due to the direct influence of EMS on the fast-twitch muscle fibres.

Boeckh-Behrens et al. (2) proved in his study that EMS training fights back injuries. The electronic pulses activate the deep muscles, which are very difficult to activate during conventional training. After 10 EMS sessions, 88.7% of the participants felt a reduction of back problems. In 38.8% of the cases, the participants felt a significant reduction in back problems.

Maffiuletti et al. (3) showed that volleyball players using EMS on the lower body, are able to significantly increase their strength and power which leads to an increase of their vertical jump height by >20%. This was after a short period of four weeks.

Sources

1. Speicher, U. / Nowak, S. / Schmithüsen J. / Kleinöder, H. / Mester, J., German Sport University Cologne, 2008; published in "medical sports-network" 04/2007, among others.
2. BOECKH-Behrens, W.-U. / GRÜTZMACHER, N. / SEBELEFSKY, J., Bayreuth, Institute of Sport Science, 2002; not published thesis.
3. Maffiuletti, NA, Dugnani, S, Folz, M, Di Pierno, E, and Mauro, F. “Effect of combined electrostimulation and plyometric training on vertical jump height”. Med Sci Sports Exerc 34: 1638–1644, 2002.

Why train with Fit & Fast?

• You train with a certified personal trainer, who in most cases is also a physical therapist
• You never train with more than 2 persons at the same time
• Tailor-made program based on your goals
• Professional means to test and measure your fitness during your fitness journey

Curious what EMS can do for you? Make an appointment for a trial EMS training today!