What Is Electric Muscle Stimulation?
Simply put, electric muscle stimulation trains your muscles in a way that traditional workouts alone cannot. It is a "best kept secret" many elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts use to enhance their workouts and training programs. Electric muscle stimulation (EMS) -- also known as neuromuscular electric stimulation (NMES), muscle stim or e-stim -- sends electronic pulses to your motor nerves in order to create muscle contractions.
When Compex electric muscle stimulation is added to your training, it helps maximize your muscular effort by engaging a greater percentage of muscle fibers. Compex targets both Type 1 slow twitch muscle fibers which impact endurance and Type 2 fast twitch muscle fibers with impact power and explosiveness. Compex can help your training efficiency allowing for enhanced fitness results.
Benefits Of Electric Muscle Stimulation*
Whether you're a weekend warrior looking to speed your recovery or an elite athlete trying to increase vertical jump,
Compex devices can help you reach your goal.
NMES has been shown to:
- Increase Muscle Strength and Density
- Larger Muscle Size
- Improved (VO2) Max
- Increase Explosive Strength
- Speed Up Muscle Recovery
Using pre-designed programs,
NMES devices can help:
- Increase vertical jump
- Increase muscle strength
- Speed up recovery
- Enhance local blood circulation
- Improve core strength
* Electro stimulation is not meant to replace your fitness routine, but rather enhance the workouts. Athletes can use pre-programmed workouts on the Compex device to help maximize their training.
TENS vs. EMS
What is TENS?
TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) are tiny electrical pulses delivered through a device which can help alleviate pain through two different means. By stimulating the sensory nerves TENS produces high levels of endorphins to help ease body pain. The other method of pain relief, known as GATE Control Theory, works to block pain signals to the brain.
How is EMS different than TENS?
EMS (Electrical muscle stimulation) is often confused with TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), a common modality used in physical therapy offices. Compex EMS provides an electrical current at a specifically designed frequency to target motor nerves. These nerves activate the muscle to contract based on the amount of resistance applied through the device. The brain goes through a similar process when actual weights are lifted.
TENS is designed to target sensory nerves. Typically, sensory nerves receive a signal that they relay to the brain, the brain then decides if the stimulus is painful, soft, warm, etc. When using a TENS program the goal is to alleviate pain by either inducing an endorphin release (Low Frequency TENS programs) or to block the pain signals to the brain through the Gate Theory (High Frequency TENS programs).
Learn More About TENS Shop TENSHow Compex Electric Muscle Stimulation Works
Super charge your workouts without spending more time in the gym or on the track. A non-invasive approach, Compex offers unique programs for your key performance areas, activating more of your muscle fibers for:
Dynamic Warm-ups
Warm up your muscles with pre-designed programs so you can make your time in the gym more efficient.
Warming up the muscle before a workout has been shown to help reduce the risk of injury during your workout and activities.
Performance-boosting Workouts
Your muscles don't know if you're using EMS or lifting weights. When you do both, Compex recruits your muscle fibers to help take your workouts to the next level.
The Compex device allows you to add additional resistance to the muscle without having to lift as must weight.
This helps keep stress off of the joints while you to work towards your goals.
CAN EMS HELP BUILD MUSCLES?
Clinical studies have found that EMS (or NMES) can help build muscle and provide a variety of performance enhancing effects.
Some of these effects are increasing muscle density, improving VO2, increasing strength, and power output for movements such as a vertical jump*.
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QUICK RECOVERY
Compex has multiple post-workout programs available to jump start your Recovery. *
The different programs are designed to bring fresh oxygen and nutrients to the muscles to facilitate the flush of toxins, helping you to recover faster.
Simply place the self-adhesive pads on the muscle area you'd like to target. Select your program and let Compex help you get stronger and fitter faster than you would with your regular routine.
*Data on file