Electrical Muscle Stimulation

[Sdewitt10]

Hi Coach,

Been a fan of yours for a while and thanks for providing this forum.

Had a question about EMS, I bought a Compex unit recently and wanted your perspective. I know opinions vary between it supplementing workouts, replacing workouts, and being junk.

Curious as to if you had any opinion(s)

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'm sorry, this is a strength training board.

[AndrewLewis]

How does electrical stimulation produce an effect that demands sufficient force production that will then cause adaptation?

Is there a specific claim that surrounds electrical stimulation that people commonly espouse?

[heinz83]

You just have to crank up the voltage.

[Frank_B]

If this worked, I’d imagine that getting struck by lightning, and surviving, would give one a 12,000 pound deadlift.

[wal]

You just have to crank up the voltage.

That,s right, if you get across mains voltage from your house supply you either become paralyzed or dead. It is the frequency that cause an interruption to heartbeat rhythm and you go into fibrillation. Not real pleasant.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Very helpful, wal.

[wal]

Very helpful, wal.

Applying a voltage to stimulate muscles to increase explosive strength and you keep doing it is like working with a jack hammer, over a period of time you could end up with nerve damage. I think I would rather spend the money on a new set of weights. The only time you need electrical stimulation is if you are having a heart attack and hopefully someone nearby that knows how to use as defibrillator.

[Maybach]

Electrical muscle stimulation (to the point that it causes a forceful contraction) is sometimes used in animal studies when studying muscle hypertrophy. I suppose you COULD stimulate some adaptation by throwing your muscles into forceful contraction (the stress being "a forceful contraction"). But then, the obstacles to persuading an animal to forcefully contract their muscles are hopefully not ones you are burdened with.

[JFord]

Hi Coach,

Been a fan of yours for a while and thanks for providing this forum.

Had a question about EMS, I bought a Compex unit recently and wanted your perspective. I know opinions vary between it supplementing workouts, replacing workouts, and being junk.

Curious as to if you had any opinion(s)

Electrical stimulation obviously causes muscle contraction buts it’s generally against a zero load. Not a lot of stress leading to adaptation followed by recovery.

But here’s a thought: apply a set of electrodes up to the exact muscles needed for say a squat to a typical weightlifting enthusiast. Program the delivery and sequence of voltages to precisely duplicate say a 135 lbs deadlift. Also program in the voltages for the relaxation.

Get him into the proper deadlift starting position with bar and plates). Blast him for a set of five. Repeat for two more sets. The following week program your equipment for say a ten pound increase.

Shouldn’t be difficult or inconvenient. Even if it didn’t actually work at building strength you HAVE to admit it’d be fun to watch!

Just spitballing here.