You want to train effectively and save time and wonder if EMS training at home makes sense? We've done some research and tried it out for ourselves!
Train little and get a quick result, we all dream, right? :)
With electrostimulation, this should be possible.
But because it is very expensive in the studio and you are bound to the opening hours, you can do EMS training at home.
How it feels, what you have to pay attention to and the most effective EMS exercises you will find in this article.
Table of contents
What EMS Training actually is
You're probably familiar with the term. But let's quickly brush up on it. The meaning of EMS abbreviation is Electric Muskelstimulation.
During the workout your muscles are stimulated by electrical impulses. This makes the workout mega effective and builds muscles faster.
Electricity and training? Now you think: OMG, that must be painful.
Don't worry it doesn't feel like you are attacking a pasture fence :)
EMS training at home or in the studio is not painful. You feel a tingling sensation but no more. The strength of the tingling depends on how high you choose the intensity. What you will still feel is soreness the next day.
For the training, you slip into a tight-fitting suit. It looks a bit like a short diving suit and is equipped with electrodes.
Alternatively, there are EMS sets where you simply stick the electrodes on your body. Without a suit. But this is only half as intensive and effective. However, it is often sufficient for the beginning.
EMS in the studio - I tested it!
The training principle
When we exercise or physically exert ourselves, our brain sends electrical impulses to the muscles via the nerves. They contract and relax again.
In the EMS workout, the command for the muscles to contract does not come from the brain, but from the EMS training device. That is, from the outside, through stimulation current.
How to do it?
Small electrodes are incorporated into the suit. They transmit electrical impulses to the muscles. The light electric shocks caused muscle contraction. They virtually mimic an intensive workout.
So when we exercise regularly with EMS, our muscles are quite challenged. They adapt to the effort and become bigger and stronger.
This is what women need to know about muscle building!
When you build muscle mass, your basal metabolic rate increases, which reduces body fat. The result: a toned body.
So just put it in the suit, start it up and you're done?
That would be too easy. If you want to do effective EMS training at home, you need to move.
This is where bodyweight exercises come into play. Squats, crunches, push-ups are the classics.
During the workout, you can control individual muscle groups via the device. For example, it is possible to work the abdominal muscles more than the pomus muscles and vice versa.
You want sexy butt muscles? Then look here!
Important:
If you want to start with the stimulation current training method, have yourself checked by a doctor beforehand. When you get the ok, you can start.
EMS training is not suitable for you if you have a pacemaker, cardiovascular disease or an increased risk of thrombosis. Pregnant women should also choose a different training method.
How EMS training works at home
Whether you choose to work out in a studio or in your living room is up to you. The big advantage of the living room workout is that you save an additional way to the studio.
You can buy or rent a set for EMS training at home. If you want to buy a set, you have to plan for more than 1000 euros. Renting is the cheaper option.
Tip: For this test we have used the EMS training set ordered from Stimawell. You can rent the sets by the month and thus train at home.
You will get access to training videos and telephone consultation if you have any questions, in addition to the training equipment (suit, cuffs, EMS device, remote control).
Learn more about the EMS rental set here!
EMS for home
- lets you train independently from the gym
- allows you to manage your time freely
- is more effective than classic strength training
- you can perform location-independent
- is cheaper than in the studio
If you travel a lot for work, this training method is also worthwhile. You can easily store the suit and take it with you on your travels.
When you feel ready, you're ready to go.
For a session you plan 20 minutes and no training equipment. Your training equipment is the suit. Additional dumbbells are not necessary. By the way, you burn up to 500 calories per session.
That is why muscle building is more effective than any diet!
If you buy a set for EMS training at home, you will find in it
An EMS device
This emits electrical impulses that stimulate your muscles. Depending on the brand, you can choose different programs and intensities.
There are training devices that have additional low-frequency programs, they are more suitable for loosening muscles with tension than for training.
For muscle building you need medium-frequency current. It penetrates into the deep muscle layers.
A good EMS device should be able to handle both frequencies.
The electrodes
Electrodes conduct the alternating current from the EMS device to your body.
There are two options here. Either the electrodes are incorporated into the suit, or they are glued on.
Usually electrodes are self-adhesive. You can attach them to abdomen, buttocks, arms, calves, thighs. Some have a coating of silver. This is to increase the conductivity.
Suits or vests
Are not a must have, but make the workout more intense. Depending on the brand and model, they have between 6 and 12 pairs of electrodes. Because the suit is tight, the electrodes are always on and can not slip.
Plus, there aren't as many cables dangling from your body, making the workout more effective.
What you also need is an exercise mat.
You'll love these muscle building snacks!
EMS training at home in the test
Beginners like me start with one 20 minute session per week. Later, you can increase the number of sessions. However, after each workout should be at least 48 hours break.
I was in an EMS suit a few years ago and was allowed to test the training principle. I can still remember the sore muscles afterwards. :)
I've collected a few more questions here that you'll want to make sure you know before you start training.
What to wear under the EMS suit
So you've decided to do EMS training at home with a suit. But now the question: What do you wear underneath?
Leggings? Sports bra? Or even naked?
There are special EMS underwear that you can buy, but you don't have to.
This underwear has a very high cotton content. In the studio you will mostly be put into an EMS functional underwear. It consists of a T-shirt and shorts. The underwear is tight-fitting and breathable.
It is made mostly of cotton, mixed with elastane and polyamide. Under this underwear you wear neither bra nor panties.
You should not train with a normal bra or synthetic underwear. Unfortunately, this does not work with the current flow. You can do without a sports bra just as you can without the EMS special underwear.
Just slip into a pair of cotton panties and you're done.
This is how you prevent sore muscles!
How the suit feels
The suit itself fits very tight. If you have ever been snorkeling or diving, you can compare it with the short diving suit "Shorty".
Shape Ware also feels very similar.
Once you've made it into the suit, you zipper it up.
Then the cuffs are put on the legs and arms and linked to the suit with small cables.
Because the cables are relatively long, they do not interfere with exercising. The only thing that is a bit unusual are the two long cables that lead from the lower back to the EMS device on the right. But even here there is enough room to move.
How to make your training even more intense
You can use small dumbbells, Minibands*Therabands, kettlebells and the like. As a beginner, however, you should stay away from these.
In the beginning, bodyweight exercises are quite sufficient.
Especially because you can regulate the intensity per muscle group. And then again, the intensity as a whole. You can choose between levels from 0 to 100.
Find the best exercises for your deep muscles here!
How to get started with EMS training at home
So first you have to get into the suit. To do this, moisten the electrodes on the inside of the suit. This works wonderfully with a sponge.
Once you've done that, slip into the EMS suit. Close the zipper, put on the cuffs, plug in the cable.
Switch on the device. Select intensity and off you go.
You can find more detailed instructions on the Stimawell website read up.
Always start with the lowest intensity level. Feel the tingling sensation first and get used to it.
These are the nutrition tips you need to follow if you want to build muscle!
The three best EMS exercises
Just because the intensity is right for one exercise, it doesn't have to be right for the next. You can adjust the power for each exercise. The most important thing is always to listen to your body!
You don't have to do all EMS exercises every workout. Pick a few exercises per session and rotate them regularly.
By the way, when you rent an EMS set, you get access to a whole series of training videos. Here it is explained exactly what you need to pay attention to. In addition, you will be shown the best EMS exercises. You can do them directly.
For me, it has worked out wonderfully. Especially when I first started EMS training at home and was still a bit unsure.
Squat
You train: thighs and buttocks
- Stand shoulder-width apart. The tips of your toes point slightly outward.
- You hold your arms in front of your body.
- Lower the buttocks until they are at the level of the knees.
- Hold this position.
- Tighten the buttocks and return to the starting position.
The squat, by the way, is the starting position for very many exercises that you perform while standing.
Plank
You train: trunk and arms
- Lie down on the exercise mat.
- Place your elbows under your shoulders.
- Tighten your abdomen and lift your body off the floor.
- Now you touch the floor only with your arms and the tips of your toes.
- Hold this position for at least 30 seconds. 3 repetitions.
Crunch
You train: The abdominal muscles
- When you are lying on the exercise mat, put your legs up.
- Cross your arms in front of your body.
- Using the strength of your abdominal muscles, straighten up so that your head and shoulders leave the mat.
- The back remains on the mat throughout the exercise.
- Lower the head again - without putting it down. And lift it again.
- Do 12 repetitions and 3 passes.
What you need to pay attention to after the power training
Workout done? Hopefully not overdone? Remember: 20 minutes of easy exercises are more than enough as a beginner!
Then you start to disconnect the cables very carefully. Turn off the device and make sure that you have loosened the long cable at the back. I almost forgot to do that at the beginning!
Drink a glass of water first.
Then carefully take the suit off again. Put it on a clothes horse to dry.
Off to the shower. And after that it's time to relax and give your body a break.
Just because you're doing your EMS training at home doesn't mean you get to slip right back into the suit tomorrow.
Your body needs time for regeneration. By the way, you will most likely get sore muscles. For me it was two days afterwards. But a lot of it. And in the whole body.
Not as intense as normal strength training. But for that really just everywhere.
2x EMS training per week is more than enough!
Our conclusion
If you want to try EMS at home, you can order a test set from many providers. This way you can try it for the first time at low cost. EMS training is mega intensive and saves a lot of time. So 20 minutes with current pulses are just as effective as an hour of strength training.
But you have to find out for yourself if it is suitable for you. If you have never tried it before, we recommend visiting a studio the first time.
We wish an intensive training and quickly visible success! :)
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more