Does Electrical Muscle Stimulation Work? What The Science Actually Says

Published: Aug. 21, 2019, 1 p.m.

What if shocking your muscles with electricity helped them grow and develop faster?

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What if it could reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and help you recover better from your workouts?

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What if it could straight up make you stronger?

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Well, this is why people buy and use electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) machines.

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They believe they\u2019re an easy and safe way to gain muscle and strength faster and boost post-workout recovery.

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You might want to believe, too, but you\u2019re skeptical.

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On one hand, the whole approach sounds pretty scientific, and haven\u2019t we seen various professional athletes hooked up to these machines?

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Then again, some scientific studies aren\u2019t worth the paper they\u2019re published on and some athletes will beat the drum for anything that brings a paycheck.

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EMS machines are expensive, too, so there would need to be a considerable payoff to justify the cost.

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Well, when you take a cold, hard look at the science, here\u2019s what you learn:

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EMS isn\u2019t silly pseudoscience, but it\u2019s also not as great as the machine manufacturers would have you believe.

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Yes, it\u2019s safe, but no, it\u2019s not going to dramatically impact muscle growth or recovery.

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That said, it doesn't mean you shouldn't necessarily give it a go. You should just have the right expectations.

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And in this podcast, we\u2019re going to break down what EMS is, how it works, and what science has to say about its effectiveness. Let\u2019s get started.

5:00 - What is EMS?
5:26 - Does EMS work?
6:37 - Does EMS increase muscle growth?
7:59 - Does EMS increase strength?
12:35 - Can EMS improve muscle recovery?
12:52 - How do I do EMS correctly?
18:56 - How do I use EMS to build strength?

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