Recent research indicates that combining electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) with resistance training can significantly improve muscle strength and mass.
If enhancing strength and increasing muscle size are part of your fitness goals for the upcoming year, this innovative approach may be worth considering.
Understanding Electrical Muscle Stimulation
Electrical muscle stimulation, also known as neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), utilizes electrical currents to generate muscle contractions. Dr. Sudip Bajpeyi, a faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology at The University of Texas at El Paso, emphasizes that these stimulation devices are widely accessible and user-friendly.
He has often explored whether these stimulators can amplify the effectiveness of resistance training and what existing studies reveal about this potential.
A new meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology explores this topic.
The analysis reveals that the integration of NMES with resistance training produces greater improvements in muscle size and strength compared to resistance training alone.
Research Findings
Dr. Bajpeyi and his team conducted a thorough examination of more than a dozen studies focused on NMES, analyzing their combined results.
Meta-analyses offer a comprehensive view of research addressing similar questions, enabling researchers to overcome the limitations of individual studies and arrive at more evidence-based conclusions.
The research specifically probed the interaction between NMES and various resistance training forms.
In the studies reviewed, people engaged in standard resistance exercises, such as bench presses and squats, while using NMES devices.
Each session typically included eight to twelve repetitions of a given exercise, followed by a period of rest.
Implications for Health and Fitness
The findings compared the muscle mass and strength gains of those utilizing muscle stimulators during their workouts to those who did not use electrical stimulation.
Measurements of muscle mass and strength were taken at both the beginning and end of the studies.
The training programs varied in length from two to sixteen weeks, with more extended training durations correlating with greater improvements.
Typically, the brain triggers muscle contractions by sending signals through the nervous system.
Conversely, NMES mimics this process by applying electrical currents to nerves, causing muscle contractions independently of brain signals, resulting in involuntary muscle movements.
As the lead of UTEP’s Metabolic Nutrition and Exercise Research (MiNER) lab, Dr. Bajpeyi investigates the potential of NMES and other interventions to enhance physical and metabolic health.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, supports this research as Dr. Bajpeyi examines how NMES influences blood glucose regulation and its potential to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
While traditional exercise serves as a beneficial form of medicine, not everyone can engage in conventional workout routines.
NMES offers a promising option for improving metabolic health by increasing muscle mass, which may enhance the body’s capacity to manage blood sugar levels. Dr. Bajpeyi plans to share additional findings from his NMES research in the near future.
“`htmlStudy Details:
- Title: The additive effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and resistance training on muscle mass and strength
- Authors: Gabriel Narvaez, Jehu Apaflo, Amy Wagler, Andrew McAinch, Sudip Bajpeyi
- Journal: European Journal of Applied Physiology
- Publication Date: January 2, 2025
- DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05700-2