TJ García

Physiotherapist and L1 CrossFit Trainer, TJ García walks us through integrating Compex with your functional training routine.

Compex: Hi TJ, hope you're well! What benefits does Compex give you for your functional training?

TJ García: Sometimes functional training focuses on all-over exercises such as squats, dead lifting, and others. But we mustn’t forget the need for exercises that target specific areas, in order to avoid potential imbalances that can stop us from seeing improvements from these workouts. In these cases, electrical stimulation can help us to work on a specific muscle, such as the gluteus medius through squats, to make sure that the knee doesn’t go inwards.

It also helps us to gain strength since electrical stimulation helps us increase the number of muscular fibres that respond to contraction, making it more powerful and efficient. We can also work on muscle resistance to make the muscles more resistant to fatigue. It is a great help in recovery, because it helps our muscles to relax, and it vascularises the area, cleaning waste products away from the muscle, which are generated when we train.

Other benefits are the convenience of being able to stick on some electrodes anywhere, at a competition, in the car, before and after training, and with wireless technology you can easily include it in your training.

Compex: How would you define Compex in 3 words?

TJ García: Effective, convenient and versatile.

Compex: Do you have any tips for anyone starting functional training?

TJ García: Always start off with a good trainer who corrects your technique, and have the patience to learn to do the movements properly.

Compex: What is it that makes functional training attractive and essential to you?

TJ García: The fact that it helps us become more agile and stronger for our daily life, for lifting suitcases or children, having a strong and healthy back, being able to run after your child or your niece or nephew without getting out of breath, at the end of the day it helps us enjoy life more.