Want to get more out of your workout?
You probably already know that wearable technology, such as smartwatches and heart rate monitors, can help athletes optimize their training and improve performance.
But have you heard of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) devices? new analysis We have found that wearing them during strength training improves strength and muscle mass.
“Under normal conditions, the brain sends signals through the nervous system to activate the muscles,” explains Sudip Vajpayee, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at El Paso.
“NMES mimics this process by sending an external electrical current to the nerve, causing the muscle to contract, without input from the brain,” Bajpeyi continued. “Think of your muscles contracting involuntarily.”
The device can be attached to gym shorts, which may raise some eyebrows in the weight room.
This is a handheld unit that holds wires attached to electrode pads that the athlete places on the skin over the targeted muscles. Users can adjust pulse frequency, intensity, and stimulation duration.
Bajpeyi's team analyzed 13 studies involving about 400 people who performed strength training exercises such as bench presses and squats.
Participants' muscle mass and strength were measured at the beginning and end of each study.
Researchers compared the results of those who incorporated NMES during exercise and those who did not, and found that using the gadget significantly increased strength and muscle mass.
Results have been announced It was published this month in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
past research We found that NMES activates more muscle fibers within a muscle group, potentially slowing muscle fatigue and allowing you to train for longer.
Bajpeyi said future studies should investigate whether utilizing NMES during resistance training may affect metabolic and heart health.
Bajpeyi is studying whether NMES can lower hyperglycemia and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
“Exercise is medicine, but not everyone is able or willing to participate in traditional exercise,” he says. “NMES has great potential to improve metabolic health by increasing muscle mass, which allows the body to handle blood sugar more effectively.”
