Archives for April 2014

What exactly is an electric muscle stimulator? In short it is a machine that can work your muscles for you. When you walk, run, or move in any way your muscles move when your brain tells them to contract. An electric current is sent from your brain to the muscle telling it to contract. Now enter the muscle stimulator device, it merely replicates the same action of your brain and tells the muscles to contract.

Muscles cannot tell the difference between a voluntary contraction triggered by the brain and an electrically induced contraction.

Other terms that you may read about all refer to the same process, you may also read about electro muscle stimulation (EMS), electrostimulation, or similar phrases.

Benefits of a Muscle Stimulation Device

Muscle stimulation has many benefits and is used for both recovery and muscle training. When using a device for muscle stimulation there is no cardiovascular strain or mental fatigue. Benefits include but are not limited to:

• Easing lower back pain
• Alleviating neck pain
• Recovering faster and better after exertion
• Improving stamina and endurance
• Gaining strength and speed
• Improving blood circulation
• Preventing twisted ankles
• Significantly improving your abdominal muscles
• and more

How Compex Muscle Stimulators Work

This video shows you specifically how a Compex device works and how electro muscle stimulation woks.

Compare Compex Muscle Stimulators

There are three models, the Edge, Compex Performance, and Compex Sport Elite. The main differences are the programs that are included with each. When you use the device you set a particular program. For example you may want a warm-up program, or endurance workout for your muscles, recovery, massage and other programs. Here is a Compex comparison chart showing the programs that each has, and a list of what each program does below it.

• Potentiation : Optimizes muscle potential before a workout or competition.
• Endurance : Targets slow twitch muscle fibers.
• Resistance : Targets both slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. Builds muscle size, strength and density.
• Strength : Targets fast twitch muscle fibers. Increases sheer strength.
• Explosive Strength : Targets fast twitch fibers located in large muscle tissue. Improves “explosive” muscle movements.
• Active Recovery : Produces a muscle twitch. Clears lactic acid, increases blood flow.
• Recovery Plus : Produces a muscle twitch.
• Pre-Warmup : Produces a muscle twitch.
• Massage : Produces a muscle twitch.

Compex Devices

The Compex devices assist with increasing muscle strength, muscle size, endurance, and explosive strength as well as muscle recovery. These devices are cleared by the FDA. Now let’s be clear about why you use electrostimulation. It is not meant to be a replacement for traditional strength training exercises. But it does allow you to attain results that were previously unachievable through strength training alone. Use electrostimulation to complement your existing sports training program and recovery.