Table of Contents
- What is EMS training about?
- What does EMS training look like in the studio?
- What does EMS for home use look like?
- Overview of various EMS products for home
- EMS for home use with PEPPER
- How effective is EMS?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of EMS for home?
- EMS for home – what you should be aware of
- Frequently asked questions about EMS for home
What is EMS training about?
The term EMS is an abbreviation for electrical muscle stimulation (sometimes called electromyostimulation). In EMS training, natural processes in our body are mimicked. When we exercise, our brain sends electrical impulses through the nervous system to our muscles. Muscles that receive the electrical impulse contract.
In EMS training, the electrical impulse does not come from the brain, but from specially designed EMS suits that contain electrodes. The electrodes in the suit are placed against the skin and send the electrical impulse directly to our muscles, causing the corresponding muscles to contract. Since our muscles cannot distinguish whether the stimulus to contract comes from the EMS suit or the brain, the electrical impulses stimulate, contract, and build up our muscles.
EMS training with an EMS suit can be just as effective as strength training with weights thanks to the electrical impulses that increase muscle contraction. Initially, EMS was mainly used in rehabilitation sports, physiotherapy and by professional athletes to build up strength and muscles after injuries and to alleviate pain. But what is the difference between EMS studios and EMS for home use?
What does EMS training look like in the studio?
Before the actual EMS training takes place in the studio, a consultation appointment is scheduled in advance, during which personal fitness goals (e.g., muscle building, performance enhancement, or weight loss) are set.
After the consultation, the EMS training can begin. First, the EMS suit, which is provided by the studio and moistened with water, must be put on. Then, the suit is connected to a device that sends the electrical impulses to the electrodes in the suit. Now the EMS training can start! Each workout is supervised by a personal trainer, who adjusts the frequency and intensity of the electrical impulses to the training and guides the exercises, which typically include a full-body workout. Depending on the studio, some people find EMS training in the studio to be monotonous, as most exercises are performed while standing and the workout tends to be more static.
After about 20 minutes, the EMS training is complete, and it is important to give the body time to recover afterward. To allow for proper recovery time, most studios recommend their clients do EMS training only 1 to 2 times per week. After several completed training sessions, the EMS training is intensified by increasing the strength of the electrical impulses. The process of EMS training at home differs somewhat from that in the studio.
What does EMS for home use look like?
Before you start EMS training, make sure you have enough space to perform the exercises, prepare a yoga mat for floor exercises, and ensure you have enough water available during and after the workout. Once you have put on your EMS suit, do a short warm-up on your own before starting the EMS training. After warming up, the workout can begin! You can perform exercises just like in the studio and adjust the frequency and intensity of the EMS suit during the training without the need for a personal trainer. The workouts last around 20 minutes, just like in the studio. With EMS for home use, it is also important to give your body time to recover before starting your next session.
Overview of various EMS products for home
EMS for home varies greatly from product to product. There are different EMS devices, ranging from simple adhesive electrodes to products with integrated electrodes such as belts, suits, vests, and pants. Some home EMS products for home use cables, similar to those in EMS studios, while others are wireless, offering significantly more freedom of movement. Additionally, some EMS products, like belts, are limited to specific body parts, such as the abdomen, while others allow for full-body training through a full-body suit.
Since EMS products vary greatly in quality, you should pay attention to the following points to choose the right product for you:
- The EMS product should have multiple electrodes placed on different body parts to target various muscle groups with the desired intensity.
- Choose an EMS product with different intensity levels that provides enough power to produce noticeable effects. The frequency of the impulses should also be adjustable.
- A wireless EMS product can offer additional comfort through increased freedom of movement.
We will explain how EMS training at home works specifically with the PEPPER EMS suit.
EMS for home use with PEPPER
PEPPER offers an EMS suit with an app to enable EMS for home and on the go. Whether you are a beginner or an expert in EMS, PEPPER provides an introduction to EMS for home use in the PEPPER App, so you know how to train effectively and reach your future goals. If you wish, you can also schedule a personal onboarding via the app to answer any unresolved questions (you can book your onboarding through the link in your purchase email or by emailing [email protected]). Before starting the actual EMS training, you need to connect your PEPPER EMS suit to the PEPPER app to later adjust the frequency and intensity of the impulses, and then you are ready to start EMS training at home! In the PEPPER app, under the video section, you can choose a workout from the library that you like and train with the guidance of a personal trainer. Depending on your preference, you can also perform your own exercises with the EMS suit or even engage in other sports, such as running or tennis, while wearing the EMS suit. Since PEPPER’s EMS suit is wireless and does not need to be moistened, it offers plenty of freedom of movement, allowing you to engage in various sports activities at home or on the go. You can select which muscles to stimulate and adjust the frequency and intensity of the impulses by clicking the suit symbol in the app. These settings can also be saved in the PEPPER app, so you do not have to adjust the impulses every time.
For beginners, it is recommended to do full-body training only once a week with the EMS suit, allowing your body to recover from the intense EMS training at home. Later on, you can increase the frequency to several times per week if you wish. You can set your training focus and frequency in the PEPPER app, which allows you to create a personalized EMS training plan under “Activate the Weekly Plan” in the app, helping you achieve your goals quickly and effectively.
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How effective is EMS?
A frequently asked question is: How effective is EMS at home? The effectiveness of EMS at home depends on one’s personal definition of the term “effective.” Studies have shown that EMS can achieve fitness results in a shorter timeframe compared to traditional strength training. Additionally, with EMS for home use, muscles can be more specifically targeted. Often, there is also reduced joint strain through gentler training without weights, allowing for better recovery. Cardio training, such as running, is also possible while wearing an EMS suit. However, it is still recommended to also engage in sports without the EMS suit to better train coordination and endurance.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of EMS for home?
Advantages of EMS for home
- Suitable for beginners, advanced and professional athletes
- Time-efficient thanks to short and intensive training sessions
- Targeted muscle training
- Cheaper in the long run than training in a gym
- Train independently at any time, anywhere – even while traveling with the lightweight EMS suit
- No travel costs and travel time to an EMS studio
- Not tied to any opening hours or fixed appointments at the EMS studio
Disadvantages of EMS for home
- Exercises are not performed in the presence of a personal trainer
- For balanced exercise, other sports should also be performed without an EMS suit
- Personal initiative required to exercise
Group training with the PEPPER Party feature
With EMS for home use, you can even do EMS training with several people at the same time, which is not possible in a studio. With PEPPER you have the option of calibrating your PEPPER suit with other people who have a PEPPER suit so that you feel the impulses at the same time during your workout. Of course, everyone can still set the intensity themselves.
EMS for home – what you should be aware of
EMS newcomers in particular often ask themselves whether they can do anything wrong with EMS. There are a few things you should be aware of before you start EMS for home use:
- When should you not do EMS? If you have any pre-existing conditions or are a high-risk patient, you should check with your doctor in advance whether EMS training at home is suitable for you. Pregnant women and people with electrical implants, cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, metabolic disorders or cancer are generally advised against EMS training.
- It is important that the EMS suit fits close to the body, as this is the only way the electrical impulses can reach your muscles and lead to a training effect.
- When setting the intensity of the electrical impulses, you should make sure that the intensity feels appropriate and is not painful. Do not set the intensity too high, as this can overload the muscles. With EMS, more is NOT necessarily better.
- A misconception about EMS for home is that you wear the EMS suit, set the intensity and lose weight and/or build muscle without exercise. This is not true! For EMS for home to have an effect, you need to be physically active.
- Especially without previous experience, it is advisable to take advantage of introductory opportunities on the subject of EMS, whether via an app or in person, to ensure that EMS training is carried out safely.
- With EMS for home use, it also makes sense to have a personal EMS training plan drawn up to help you achieve your personal training goals.
Frequently asked questions about EMS for home
Has anyone lost weight with EMS? Can you lose belly fat with EMS?
EMS at home can help you lose weight by increasing muscle activation and the metabolic rate in the body. EMS training can also improve blood circulation. All these components can help with weight loss, but it is also advisable to follow a lifestyle with a healthy diet and physical activity, as EMS at home alone cannot replace a healthy lifestyle.
How often EMS at home?
Absolute beginners should start with EMS training at home once a week. Once you have become accustomed to the stimulation of the muscles by the EMS suit, you can also gradually complete EMS training several times a week. However, as with any sport, it is important to give your body enough time to recover between EMS training sessions.
Does EMS training have side effects?
As a rule, EMS is harmless for healthy people when carried out correctly. Nevertheless, the question often arises as to whether EMS training is harmful. If you go beyond your capacity during EMS training at home, it can happen that the creatine kinase (CK) level in the blood rises. CK is primarily broken down by the kidneys. If you train beyond your own capacity in the long term and do not give your body a break, the increased CK level can damage the kidneys. It is therefore particularly important for newcomers to start EMS training slowly, allow for recovery time and increase training after getting used to it. If you are pregnant or have a pre-existing condition, you should always seek medical advice first to determine whether EMS is suitable for you.