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Talk about a shock to the system: According to new research, zapping yourself with an electrical muscle stimulation device during resistance training can lead to greater muscle mass and improved strength compared to weightlifting alone.
The work, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiologyis a meta-analysis analyzing 13 different studies involving a combined total of 374 participants – providing, in theory, more comprehensive results.
As the authors note, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) devices are affordable, widely available and easy to use – so the findings could offer a practical way to boost the gains of idiots everywhere.
On paper, the idea makes sense. Resistance training is the path to build muscle, while NMES is typically used in muscle therapy and rehabilitation to prevent loss of strength and mobility. Both alone are proven to increase strength and mass. So why not combine them, the researchers thought, and get the best of both worlds?
This is what the meta-analysis sought to discover. Until now, it was unclear whether there was an additive effect of using NMES with resistance training, the authors wrote.
“Under normal conditions, the brain activates muscles by sending signals through the nervous system,” explained Sudip Bajpeyi, co-author of the study and professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Texas at El Paso, in a press release on the work. “NMES mimics this process by delivering external electrical currents to nerves, causing muscles to contract, without intervention from the brain.”
“Think of it like your muscles contracting involuntarily,” he added.
The constituent studies were chosen to combine neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) with resistance training.; 13 of these were randomized controlled trials, with the majority of studies favoring athletic participants (although sedentary people, i.e. most of us, were still fairly represented). Subjects’ strength and muscle mass were assessed at the beginning and end of each study, which included training periods lasting between two and 16 weeks.
It may not be the largest meta-analysis, but the results showed a statistically significant increase in strength and muscle mass gains when combining weight training and electrical stimulation. In particular, IIt appears that electrical signals from NMES can be used to activate parts of your muscles that you don’t fully contract. That’s part of the problem with resistance training: You can pick up a dumbbell and still not effectively use the muscle it’s supposed to target. This is why the connection between muscles and mind is so important in the world of weightlifting, which can take a lot of focus and discipline to develop.
There is, however, at least one major caveat. As New Atlas RemarksNone of the studies analyzed controlled participants’ diets—a pretty important oversight, since eating enough calories and protein is essential to building muscle, like any gym rat. will tell you.
But if you’re an experienced lifter, it might be worth a shot – at least once the science is better established. After all, it can’t be a more off-putting concept than cutting off your blood flow for bigger arms. Beginners, however, would probably be better off focusing on getting off their elevators and eating enough food.
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