Exercise is a daily ritual that I simply wouldn’t skip, and with a busy schedule it can sometimes be challenging trying to squeeze my workout in, so when I heard about EMS training, which takes a total of 20 minutes, I was dying to try it out. Renowned for delivering insane results, EMS training is a tech-driven workout loved by A-listers, athletes and just about anybody who tries it!

EMS training aka Electro Muscular Stimulation uses technology to work all major muscle groups simultaneously. Now, if you think of your typical workout at the gym, different exercises are targeting different areas of the body. With EMS, you can work every muscle at the same time, maximising on results in less time, hence why it’s so highly effective (and additive). Just 20 minutes per week is all you need of EMS training to experience the long list of results which include; building lean muscle tissue, decreasing body fat, improving mobility, less injury risk and pain relief, to name just a few. EMS is even used for physiotherapy and medical purposes showing just how versatile this serious bit of kit is.

Using electrical currents to heighten the contractions in your muscles, EMS has the ability to mimic the natural messages sent by your brain to your muscles. Essentially EMS is doing the hard part for you, as it recruits involuntary muscle contractions to maximise the output. 

The training involves wearing the EMS electrode vest, along with electrodes targeting your arms, legs and glutes. Don’t be alarmed when you’re trainer drenches your suit in water, this is important for it to activate properly. Suited up and ready to roll, I couldn’t help but feel like I was going undercover on a secret mission, but it’s all part of the fun! Once you’re all connected up to the machine, your PT will adjust the impulse contraction levels to make sure they’re right for you…it also gives you a taste of what is about to come, then you’re straight into you’re 20 minutes. 

The workout itself uses relatively simple functional movements which are intensified by the muscular contractions. At first, the sensation felt very foreign and tingly but after just a couple of minutes, I soon got used to it and strangely enjoyed the feeling! At the gym, I’d have to do multiple squats with a barbell stacked with plates just to feel half the burn I was feeling after just 5 reps using the EMS technology. So basically if you are constantly chasing that deep burn, you’ll be absolutely hooked! As you can imagine, the session flew by with just 20 minutes on the clock…my lovely trainer took me through a series of exercises, including squats, kickbacks, plank, mountain climbers, bicep curls and tricep extensions (minus the dumbbells). The thing I found most interesting was the way my body fatigued in every muscle during every exercise, it didn’t matter whether it was an upper or lower body-focused, everything ached…and that is the beauty of EMS. It is a true full-body workout, where everything is working from start to finish. I found that my weaker muscles (I clearly neglect my upper body and favour leg day) fatigued faster and I had to lower the impulses which is totally fine. At any point, you can tell your trainer to increase or decrease the intensity as it suits you. So in my case, it was ‘crank it up’ for the glutes, hamstrings and quads and ‘maybe a bit lower’ (reluctantly as I’m a high achiever) for the biceps and triceps.

All in all, I absolutely loved the experience and am definitely sold by the results element. Be warned the DOM’s you will endure are quite intense as EMS training fires up each and every muscle very deeply, even those muscles you rarely use which will add to the burn. But trust me, it’s all worth it! 

I visited the very sleek Surge Studio in Hammersmith, dedicated to solely EMS training. You can find you’re nearest space that provides EMS training with all the fancy equipment by visiting ems-training.com. With over 62 locations in 49 cities, this amazing workout is probably more accessible to you than you think.

words by Isabelle Shury