Electric Shock Fitness

Is wearing padded suit with electrodes during workouts really a good idea?

17:13 07 April 2016

One of the latest fitness fads these days is called whole body electrical stimulation that involves wearing padded suit with electrodes to stimulate muscles during workout. It promises wearers the benefits of an hour’s workout in just about 20 minutes.

 

While wearing the suit, the wearer must complete a conventional workout while receiving little electric shots from the attached electrodes at the same time. These electrodes make the workout harder and more painful and it is claimed that the increased level of pain makes the exercise more effective.

 

But is it really a good idea to stimulate lots of muscles all over the body while working out? Dr Nicola Maffiuletti from the human performance lab at the Schulthess clinic in Zurich thinks not. She said that the use of electric shocks during workout has the potential risks of suffering from severe muscle pain. The Israeli Ministry of Health agrees with her saying that ES devices "are intended for use by skilled healthcare professionals (primarily physicians and physiotherapists) for the purposes of diagnosis and rehabilitation. The devices must not be used in gyms. Use without medical supervision could cause danger to health".