Events

Sunday 10 May is the day of Go Vertical the virtual challenge that will give you the possibility to ride with many Compex athletes from around the world.

Whilst in some country it is now possible to train alone outside, in some others this is still impossible: “Go Vertical!” is the opportunity to cycle together, have fun and get to know our top athletes.

What is “Go Vertical!”?

From morning to evening you will have the opportunity to ride on Zwift with your champions and to follow their live interview on Instagram.

Reach the top of the Alpe du Zwift with the 2013 Ironman world champion Frederik Van Lierde, Team MMR pro cyclist David Valero, the two times ironman Lanzarote winner Alessandro Degasperi and the South African track cyclist champion Maroesjka Matthee, and many others...

This is not a competition, but of course we’ll keep track of every performance.

Go Vertical! How to participate

Would you like to cycle with our champions? Here’s what to do:

• Find the athlete meetup on Zwift: give it everything you’ve got and have fun
• Follow our Instagram Live
• Recover like a champ with your Compex

The program (UK time):

• 8:30 am Alessandro Degasperi, Maroesjka Matthee, Manon Genet and Claudia Galicia (live at 9 am on @compexita, @compexsa, @compexfrance and @compexspain)
• 9:30 am Frederik Van Lierde, Jeremy Leroux and Dani Niekerk (live at 10 on @compexbenelux, @compexfrance and @compexsa)
• 10:30 am David Valero, Yvan Jarrige and Laura Cosentino (live at 11 on @compexspain, @compexfrance and @compexita)
• 3:30 pm Catherine Colyn (live at 4 on @compexsa)
• 4:30 pm Giulio Molinari and Courteney Webb (live at 5 on @compexita and @compexsa)

COMPEX IS BY YOUR SIDE

Compex exists to give athletes of all sports and skill levels the tools they need to be better today and tomorrow.

We believe when clinically proven technology is paired with the passion for sport, the results are game-changing. And life changing.

Read our news and tips at our official blog, watch interviews and tutorial on our YouTube and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

We hear from Managing Director of Stronglines Physio Clinic, Fred Braithwaite, as he tells us how Compex assists them on their mission to rehabilitating their clients.

Compex is an awesome product. We have used it at Stronglines for years. We have used it post surgically, to facilitate muscle recruitment and to utilise eccentric overload without direct joint stress. We like it because it works and it fits perfectly into the rehab process.

At Stronglines we are very selective with the clinical intervention we use. Often products that physio’s use are trying to replace hands on treatment or apply some mystical powers to the area with very little clinical reasoning at all. Compex is NOT this.

Compex is unique in its ability as it is not trying to replace anything. It acts as an adjunct to accelerate treatment and allows the therapist and client to work together toward a common goal. It is the only clinical intervention that really facilitates active rehabilitation. Aside from it being the best in the market, it also has products available for both clinicians and clients. This makes it clinically relevant and applicable as the client can take home the benefits from using it in clinic.

We view it as a useful clinical tool to facilitate 3 main things:

#1 MUSCLE INHIBITION (see video)

• In the first clip you see near total involuntary contraction of the quads. The Compex is extending the knee joint almost entirely. For the client, it is uncomfortable yes, but it gives fantastic input and the benefits far outweigh the discomfort.
• Even if there is total 100% muscle inhibition we can fire it up and gain some afferent input as well as stimulating all muscle fibres to help prevent as much atrophy.

#2 NEUROMUSCULAR REPROGRAMMING (see video)

• The second clip is a patterning exercise, this a nice way to create or reinforce the engram without excessive load but offers a real challenge for lower limb control also.
• The electrodes are on the glute and quads in this
• Once the muscle is firing we can put it into a functional pattern and use Compex to turn the heat up on it.

#3 MUSCULAR CAPACITY  (see video)

• The third clip is a squat to build capacity in the movement. The Compex creates a massive eccentric component which will bring on serious DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) with very little volume or intensity.
• The electrodes are on the glute and quads for this.
• Once the muscle is patterned we can build capacity with very little loading. Whilst the Compex is on there is little fatigue, but the eccentric component creates superb adaptation.

#4 ECCENTRIC OVERLOAD (see video)

• The fourth clip is an example of loading with Compex. Again you can use relatively low loads but yield high stimulus with Compex.
• The electrodes are again on the glutes and quads.
• Get the most from the protective and restorative effects of eccentric training using Compex. The DOMS from Compex are second to none! This means micro trauma, which means supercompensation leading to a solid recovery.

With all these benefits clinically, you can also use it to recover from sessions with the massage settings. That’s why we love Compex. It is so useful for all clients, from post-surgical, to athletes, to weekend warriors it has a huge potential application.

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Greek trail runner Spiros Logothetis sits down with us to tell us all about his training routine and how Compex helps him to enhance his performance.

Compex: Hey there, Spiros - can you let our readers know a little bit about you?

Spiros: Hello Compex, I am from a small island in Greece called Angistri. I have studied in the UK and I have a degree in Sports and Exercise Science as well as a Masters in Sports Nutrition. For the past two years I have been working as a professional trail ultra runner. I am part of the Compex Greece team. 

Compex: What sport do you do and how did you get into it?

Spiros: The sport I am involved in is ultra running, and in particular trail ultra running which means running distances that exceed that of 42.2km in mountains and deserts. I have taken part in many 100 mile races including the toughest race in the world which is the Marathon Des Sables (256km in the Sahara desert in 7 days). I got into running as I found it’s a good way of solving life’s problems as well as getting inspiration and getting a better quality of life. My biggest achievement of my short 2 year running career is that I managed to raise £8000 for the charity "Hope for Children". 

Compex: Wow that's amazing and well done on raising that money! How does Compex Muscle Stim help you to find a competitive edge?

Spiros: Compex is my favorite gadget as I can carry it with me anywhere I want without making life hard as well as using it on the go. I mainly use it to recover after long running days in the mountains and after hard strength training sessions. Compex has the ability to shorten the recovery length which is another positive fact about Compex.  Last but not least, Compex is a great tool for increasing aerobic capacity. 

Compex: Which programme/s do you use?

Spiros: Depending on how hard my training sessions are I use the "training recovery" or "competition recovery" programs to get rid of the fatigue and relax my muscles faster and more efficiently. Another program I use is the "capilarization" which is a great alternative way to train your body. Additionally, Compex is with me at the end of a hard day with the program "Reviving & Relaxing Massage" offering me the relaxation I need. 

https://www.instagram.com/logothetis_trail_running/

https://www.facebook.com/spiros.logothetis.5

Whether you’re a die-hard or more of an enthusiast, CrossFit is not for the faint of heart. Intensity is the name of the game and the goal is to push your body as far as it can go; you’d be surprised at what you’re capable of!

With any intense workout program, proper form, training and conditioning is crucial to achieving results and preventing injury. First and foremost, make sure your CrossFit program, gym, and coach are the right fit for you.

Once you’ve solidified a good workout / rest routine and dialed in your diet it might be time to consider taking your training to the next level with Compex electric muscle stimulator. Compex is not only designed to help you recover, but also to build strength; strength you can use to lift more, to jump higher and to exceed your fitness goals.

If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t. Here is how Compex can help you with CrossFit.

Recruiting More Muscle

Compex can help you to build strength by recruiting more muscle but how? What does that mean exactly?

Say you are looking to increase the amount of weight you can lift. To be able to lift more weight, you need to train your body to recruit more muscle to the task. By lifting progressively more weight in the same motion, you more develop pathways from your brain to recruit more muscle, which is essentially what building strength is. This takes time and even at your fittest, you’re probably only recruiting around 30% of the muscle.

With Compex, you can recruit more muscle because the stimulation is direct and does not involve weight increases. The device works as the signals telling your muscles to fire instead of your brain. Targeting of these muscles is also easier because you are placing the pads over the muscles you want to contract. This is also helpful for underutilized muscle groups like gluteals that are important for strength but not as easy to build.

You can either use Compex to build strength instead of weight training, in addition to your weight training program or while you lift.

Lifting with Compex muscle stim can help you build more strength by firing more muscle while you’re lifting, thus allowing you to lift more weight. If you’re working on your deadlifts or clean and jerks, this can help you reach new weight goals.

Reducing Impact

Typically, in order to build strength, you need to lift more weight. However, this can lead to soreness and recovery time, pressure on joints and connective tissue, and possible injury. Compex muscle stim can help you work passed some of those hang ups and still increase your strength.

Using Compex muscle stim while you are training helps you have more muscle contraction without adding more weight. This reduces the impact on joints without sacrificing performance. Because of the impact reduction, this can also lead to a shorter recovery time. Get the most from simple bodyweight exercises or make your lifting sessions count more.

Balance

We all have a stronger side. When you are doing CrossFit, even if you are aware of which side is weaker, you body will still automatically compensate as soon as you lift, land or run. If you’re not balanced, there is risk of injury. If you have a weaker side, you’re not truly maximizing your strength.

Compex muscle stim has 4 different channels; that means you can hook the device up to both sides of the body at the same time. Use Compex to either strengthen a weaker side or to keep both sides of the body balanced while building strength.

Speed of Contraction

How fast your muscles contract is not crucial, but it is important for quick movements like clean pulls or jumping. Training your muscle to fire a certain way every time is the best way to increase the speed of contraction. Practice makes perfect and the same is true for your muscles; the more times they fire a certain way, the faster they’ll do it.

For example, when you jump, your leg muscles need to fire right away in order to send your body upwards. Jumping repeatedly to increase your jump or using weights can have a negative impact on your knees, feet or ankles before you reach your goals. However, training with Compex muscle stim allows you to train those muscles to fire how you want and as fast as you want.

Early this year, we told you about how volleyball player Brandon Talbot used Compex to increase his vertical leap and potentially break three world records. Talbot didn’t want to use weights so he chose electric muscle stimulation to increase his explosive strength. By doing so, he increased his jump using just Compex and ultimately was able to leap onto a 61’’ platform from the ground.

Recovery

As important as training is to reaching your fitness goals, so is giving your body time to recover. When you’re in the zone, it might be hard to a take a day or two off to rest your muscles but Compex can aid in recovery and help you get back on the floor faster.

Using an electric muscle stimulator like Compex helps increase blood flow up to 600%. This means you’re moving out waste products that build up from intense physical activity like lactic acid or debris from muscle fibers. This leaves more room for fresh blood to help your muscles heal.

Foam rolling is a great way to break up adhesions that can cause muscle pain and soreness. However, foam rolling is a very mechanical process where you physically roll out your muscles like you would with a rolling pin and dough. While this is very effective, it can be painful. Using the Active Recovery program helps break up some of the adhesions, but it only targets the muscle, not any connective tissue, making it less painful. At the same time, it helps to release endorphins, making you feel better and want to get back out there.

Download 'How to improve your WOD with Compex' guide

We caught up with our Latin American Compex ambassador, model, triathlete and real-estate agent Vanessa Goncalves to talk about training and how Compex helps her to reach her full potential. 

¿Cuál es la motivación que te ayuda a superar cualquier reto?

Mi mayor motivación en la vida es Dios y mi familia. Todos los días enfrentamos retos, adversidades, momentos difíciles, decisiones cruciales... Pero cuando tenemos a Dios cerca, cuando creemos en el, dejamos de agobiarnos en la preocupación, pues confiamos plenamente que lo que sucedes es los mejor para beneficio de quienes el ama y no tengamos duda nunca, pues "No se mueve la hoja de un árbol sin que el así lo quiera".

Partiendo de esa expresión de fe con la cual muevo mi vida entera y con el apoyo incondicional que me brinda mi familia es que he podido salir adelante en superar cada reto que se presenta.

What has been your credo in life that helps you overcome each challenge?

My greatest motivation in life is God and my family. Every day we face challenges, adversity, tough times, crucial decisions... But when we have God close, when we believe in him, we stop being overwhelmed by the concern, because we fully trust that whatever happens to you is the best for those who love without a doubt, because "a leaf from a tree doesn’t move without his willing."

With this expression of faith and with the unconditional support given by my family, I can overcome any challenge I face.

¿Puedes compartir algunos de tus consejos de entrenamiento para un mejor rendimiento?

El rendimiento físico es sin duda una de las labores más difíciles que como atleta amateur me ha tocado aprender.
Pues el rendimiento viene vinculado a muchas cosas, no solo a tu condición física y resistencia, está íntimamente vinculado con tu preparación mental, en toda disciplina deportiva existen a mi parecer 3 factores sumamente importantes:
·         Alimentación
·         Preparación física
·         Resistencia mental
Esos 3 factores juegan un papel importante en mi como atleta. Mantener disciplina en estas 3 áreas, ser constante con el entrenamiento, comer saludable (NO ES HACER DIETA), y controlar tus emociones y pensamiento en los puntos claves cuando te encuentras sometido a tu mayor desgaste físico.
Es por eso que mi mayor consejo para entrenar es tener dominio de tu MENTE, nuestra mente nos puede llevar a rendirnos en una carrera, a exigirnos por alcanzar la meta o a elevar nuestro ego y en ocasiones continuar una carrera aun sabiendo cuanto nos estamos lesionando. Aprender que al igual que entrenas tu cuerpo, entrena tu mente.

Can you share some of your training tips to perform better?

Physical performance is undoubtedly one of the most difficult tasks that an amateur athlete faces, as the performance is linked to many things, not only to your physical condition and endurance, but also to your mental preparation. In all sport I think there are three very important factors:
·         Nutrition
·         Physical preparation
·         Mental preparation
These three factors play an important role for me as an athlete. Maintain discipline in these three areas: be consistent with your training, eat healthy (this doesn’t mean dieting), and control your emotions and thoughts in key moments when you are subjected to your greatest physical wear.
That's why my main advice for training is to control your mind; our mind can lead us to give up on a competition, to reach the goal or elevate our ego - and don’t give up even if you are injured. Learn that you train your body but you need to train your mind as well.

¿Qué ventajas o beneficios ha aportado COMPEX Wireless a tu rendimiento?

La recuperación post entrenamiento es fundamental, no debemos subestimar esta fase, y desde que conocí Compex ha sido para mi un aliado incondicional.
Compex me ha brindado todo lo necesario para recuperarme post entrenamiento, permitiendo que mis fases de recuperación sean mucho mas rápidas, que mis lesiones hayan disminuido ya que la gran mayoría de mis lesiones venían a causa de no hacer una adecuada recuperación con estiramiento.
La versión Wirelees es sensacional, esa es la palabra que lo describe, comodidad para transportar, sencillo de usar y sobre todo cómodo... Dando un brinco agigantado a todo los demás equipos competencia que terminan siendo aparatosos y complejos, trayendo como consecuencia que nos fastidiamos de usarlos.

What advantages or benefits has the COMPEX Wireless brought to your performance?

Post-training recovery is critical. We should not underestimate this phase, and since I’ve gotten to know Compex, it has been my staunchest ally.
Compex has given me everything I need to recover after training allowing a much faster recovery, and my injuries have decreased since the vast majority of my injuries came as a result of not doing adequate recovery stretching.
The word that describes the Wireless versions is sensational - it is convenient to transport, simple to use and above all comfortable... giving a gigantic leap versus competitors’ devices that end up being cumbersome, complex and difficult to use.

¿Cuales son tus programas preferidos y cuando los utilizes?

En línea general uso todos, los que más uso son RECUPERACIÓN POST-COMPETICIÓN  y MASAJE RELAJANTE.

What are your preferred programmes and when do you use them?

I use all the programmes, but the ones I use the most are POST-COMPETITION RECOVERY and RELAXING MASSAGE.

¿Cuál es la máxima meta deportiva a la que aspiras en tu carrera?

Mi máxima meta deportiva es sin duda hacer algún Ironman 70.3. Soy una atleta amateur, disfruto del deporte mas allá de verlo como una competencia. Mi competencia es a diario conmigo misma, en superar mis marcas y hacer de mi una mejor versión.

What is your ultimate goal in your career?

My ultimate goal is to do an Ironman 70.3. I’m an amateur athlete and I enjoy the sport beyond seeing it as a competition. My competition is everyday with myself, to overcome my boundaries and to become a better version of myself.

Images and content exclusive to Latin America

Full list of programs per device in the Compex Fitness & Sport range:

We caught up with Compex triathlete Josh Amberger to talk about his favorite Compex program he uses and how he incorporates it into his weekly workout routine. Here’s what Josh had to say:

"I love the strength mode on my Compex and I use it twice weekly to compliment my strength sessions on the bike. We can only stress the heart and lungs to a certain point before fatigue, but I find I can use the Compex in strength mode to get a little bit more from the muscles without stressing the heart and lungs beyond the bike ride. Once I get in the door from a key bike ride, I prepare a meal and then sit down to eat whilst dialing the Compex into a strength program. The strength program has different levels of operation, which I can adjust depending on how hard and low I pushed on the bike, what training I have tomorrow, and how far away from a key event I am. It’s the perfect mode for going one step further in my training."

Connect with Josh and follow him on Facebook.com/Josh.Amberger and Twitter.com/JoshAmberger

Compex Interview with Andy Potts (Professional triathlete and 2007 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion)

After finishing in the top 5 last year have you done anything different for your preparation this time? Every year, I am always trying to introduce different things, so we are constantly improving. Contrary to most triathlon advice, I try something new every race too. Sometimes it works and sometimes it’s a flop but it helps me learn and get better. In preparation for Kona, one year, we tried to do more moto-pacing, another year I spent a month out on Big Island before the race. This year, my focus has been on a few key things- A specific focus on the bike, given how important it has been to the race in recent years, and recovery. My recovery routine has developed extensively and is as important to my racing success as any other element. Some of the key things I am doing include active stretching for about 30 minutes each day, weekly massage, daily use of my Compex Muscle Stimulator and a renewed focus on nutrition pre and post workout.

What’s your pre-race meal?

I try to keep it really simple and fairly light pre-race. I will eat what’s available but typically stay away from foods high in fiber as that could be dangerous on race day.

How do you include Compex in your daily routine?

I typically use Compex during and after my stretching routine. With that, I sometimes use Compex at the beginning of the day as a way to activate my muscles and also provide a little bit of ‘work’ before I head out for the day. [andy-potts-compex-athlete]

What’s one piece of advice you would give some who wants to do an Ironman?

First thing is listen to your heart. If Ironman is something that you will both enjoy and challenge you, jump right in. I highly recommend racing all types of events and distances, not just Ironman. There is an amazing network of local races at varying distances that provide a great opportunity to race locally, connect with your community, make friends and learn a lot about racing and yourself. In addition, it’s important to to make a commitment to yourself by eating right, gaining strength, and learning about your new pursuit. The last step would be to reach out to trusted people to find out how you can get more engaged and dive in. What’s the one thing you look forward to most after swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running a marathon? I love the finish chute. There is so much energy and excitement. Whether you are first or 50th, there is a real energy that gets me pumped. A big part of the finishing chute for me is seeing my wife and family. There is nothing more important to me in the world than them and being able to see them after a hard fought day is truly special.

What’s one thing people may be surprised you eat out on the race course?

My race day diet has really refined itself over time. I am almost exclusively on Powerbar products, so nothing too earth shattering there. It wasn’t always that way and I have experimented with everything from muffins in my bento box(btw- they get really crumby) to skittles in my special needs bag. WATCH LIVE footage of the IRONMAN Kona World Championships here: IronMan.com To learn more about integrating Compex electric muscle stimulation into your workouts visit our Compex Training page, and to discover more information about electric muscle stimulation visit our page on How Electric Muscle Stimulation Works.

Stay Connect with Andy Potts by following him on his social media channels:

Facebook.com/AndyPottsRacing

Twitter.com/Andy_Potts