What is EMS?

Electro Muscular Stimulation (EMS) is a whole-body, time-efficient training method that combines the electric activation of your muscle fibres with simple and targeted body weight exercises.

Using medically certified equipment, EMS sessions are carried out under the guidance of a trained instructor.

How does it work?

During conventional exercise, your muscles are controlled by electrical signals from your brain, resulting in contraction of the muscles that move your body.

During EMS training, electrical impulses stimulate the muscles. These low-frequency impulses are transmitted through electrodes in the vest and belt system that you will wear.

What is it like?

The first time you try an EMS training session will be your free trial session. The EMS trainer will demonstrate the exercises that you will perform while the suit generates pulses lasting four seconds on, four seconds off.

The pulses start as a tingling sensation and are adapted for each part of your body, to suit the level that is most effective but still comfortable for you.

What to expect

You will be able to change into the technical base layers (T-shirt and shorts) in our changing room. An experienced personal trainer will then fasten you into the EMS suit. In the EMS studio, you will be guided through a 20 minute programme during which the electrical impulses will energise your muscles while you move through a set of guided exercises.

Where does EMS training come from?

Electro Muscular Stimulation has been used for a long time. As far back as 1780, experiments on frogs’ legs proved the excitability of muscle tissue by electrical stimulation. In 1939, tests on mammals showed higher muscle contraction forces with EMS than with voluntary contractions.

In the 1960s, Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) were developed. EMS started to be used as physical therapy, targeting individual muscles.

In the 1970s, Russian athletes were using EMS to improve strength and performance, but it wasn’t until 2003 that the first, whole-body EMS system
was launched.

Equipment

The system that we use at The Balance Zone has been under continuous development and improvement by Miha Bodytec since its first launch in 2007. The current 20 minute full-body EMS workout is an evolution of this pioneering technology.

Our state-of-the-art equipment safely energises your muscles intensively meaning that a 20 minute workout is the equivalent of one hour weight training in a traditional gym.

Benefits

Get stronger - stay strong to maintain balance

The best way to reduce your risk of falling over is to maintain and build your muscle strength. Yes, it is possible to increase muscle strength at any age. In fact, the older we get, the more important it is.

Get fitter - stay fit enough to enjoy life

What is it that you would like to be fit enough to do in five years time? By focussing on your strength, mobility and balance now, you will stay fit enough to do whatever brings you joy.

Get fitter faster - EMS builds your muscles more quickly than conventional strength training

EMS training targets 90% of your body’s muscle fibres and fires them up 85 times more than during traditional weight training. Your muscles work harder and get stronger more quickly.

Have fun - we aim to make training fun

We only work on a one-to-one basis and we want you to enjoy your training sessions. Your personal instructor will tailor your sessions to your goals and will help you to enjoy the process of achieving them.

Relief of non-specific back pain

Often caused by tension, stiffness, or muscular imbalances, back pain can be relieved by strengthening the muscles in the back and abdomen. Studies have shown that EMS is as effective as the gold standard conventional back strengthening exercises – but in half the time.

Joint-friendly exercise

The electrical impulses reach the deep lying muscle structures that stabilise the spine. Combined with simple bodyweight exercises, EMS strengthens passive core muscle structures in a way that is easy on the joints.