Electric muscle stimulators: Any recommendations?

What’s the consensus on this device—and others like it? These "no-sweat" ab trainers and "beginner-friendly" gadgets... to me, they reek of nothing but cheap marketing gimmicks. Is anyone actually seeing results, or am I right to suspect side effects like muscle atrophy? Does the toning effect just vanish once you stop using them? Furthermore, is there anyone here actually using this specific machine?

I don't personally use one... but I happened to see some testing on German TV regarding those kinds of devices, and the results were 👎

It’s just a marketing gimmick, honestly... I could dig up some specifics if you really want them, but the bottom line is that those muscle contractions are never going to be nearly as intense as when you actually push yourself through a workout. When it comes to EMS, the results are just incredibly underwhelming.
And let's be real—you aren't going to sculpt a physique without breaking a sweat... Honestly, it would be way more convenient to just stick some electrodes on my body and lounge in front of the TV instead.

So, Nicholas Perricone—the dermatologist basically printing money with his whole "ageless beauty" brand—is out here pushing facial electrostimulation paired with certain topical treatments. His pitch? It beats plastic surgery hands down. According to him, surgeons just hack away at tissue, leaving muscles disconnected and stripped of that natural tightness and tone that actually makes someone look youthful.

As for using it on the rest of the body, honestly, it feels like a gimmick for people looking for a shortcut to skip the gym. That said, it might actually be useful for folks dealing with muscle asymmetry for whatever reason.

I'm not entirely sure how much truth there is to this, but I've heard that using those kinds of machines long-term can actually lead to muscle atrophy 😕 ...

...my take on it: sports should stay focused on actual movement. I just can't wrap my head around the idea that two women with the exact same lifestyle and physique would end up looking identical if one relies on those machines while the other sticks to aerobics, swimming, or running outdoors.

Winona Ryder: I’m not sure how much truth there is to it, but I’ve heard that using those machines long-term can actually waste away your muscles.

hiddenviper9:
And it isn't just the muscles—it can mess with your entire nervous system too.
Obviously, it doesn't happen overnight.

Winona Ryder: ...just my two cents: sports should stay sports. I can't imagine two women with the exact same build and lifestyle having the same body if one uses those machines while the other sticks to aerobics, swimming, or running outdoors.

hiddenviper9: 👍 I am 100% with you on that! 👍

Honestly, this is one of the biggest marketing scams out there.

It’s just a massive load of nonsense designed to fleece people. 👎

Apparently, they even built these high-tech electrical stimulators for NASA astronauts—only way more expensive, intense, and over-engineered.
The result? They still end up with basically atrophied muscles after a few months in space.

Look, nothing replaces actually lifting weights and running. 🙂

If this stuff actually worked, I guess you wouldn't see stars like Madonna or big Hollywood actors dumping all their money into personal trainers. They could just post videos of themselves sweating through grueling workouts to prove it’s effective. Not to mention the long-term health benefits, but whatever. 👎

I have a question for the group: are you guys actually looking at the data here, or just reciting things from memory?
Of course, electrical stimulation isn't going to cut it if you're trying to build a physique like a pro bodybuilder, but it’s definitely better than doing nothing at all. Besides, EMS is a standard component in about 90% of medical physical therapy protocols used to target specific muscle groups, so all this talk about it destroying your muscles or wrecking your nervous system just doesn't hold water.

A few of my buddies tried them out. 🙂

Read this if you're planning on heading into space.

Look, I can only speak from my own experience: I tried using this alongside my standard workouts, and as far as actual muscle toning goes—it does absolutely nothing. It’s okay for a massage, especially on areas where you don't have much cellulite, but whenever I used it on my stomach, it felt like it was just aggressively PULLING at my skin!🙄 😕 Honestly, I don't know why, but using it just leaves me feeling starving.
The first time I accidentally set it to the highest setting, I wouldn't recommend that to anyone—I was doubled over in pain and practically ripped it off myself!
Bottom line? This thing is useless. Mine is just sitting in the closet. I'd much rather just knock out a hundred crunches... it takes less time, the results are actually better, and I don't have to deal with being covered in weird gels (which I HATE!).

Yeah, sure, the commercials claim you can use it anywhere. Yeah, right!

🙄 Plus, after every single use, you basically have to jump in the shower...👎

I wouldn't have even bought this if it wasn't a gift. But hey, I guess you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth...

Oh, awesome. 🙂
Just needed some firsthand advice—you know how it is! 👍

Steven Ward10 said:A few friends of mine have used it. 🙂

Read this if you want to be an astronaut.

I read what Steven Ward10 wrote. I was lucky enough to spend some time working at NASA once, and trust me—what you're talking about has absolutely nothing to do with electrostimulators. 😉

They used basically the same gadgets for their "daily workouts."

Electrostimulators!

banderas said:I have a quick question—is anyone here actually looking up the data, or are we all just talking from memory?
Look, obviously you can't compare electrical stimulation to hitting the weights at the gym, but it's definitely better than doing nothing at all. Besides, EMS is a core part of about 90% of medical physical therapy sessions where they need to jumpstart certain muscles, so all these horror stories about it destroying your muscles or wrecking your nervous system just don't hold water...

Listen, I know what I'm talking about—there aren't any real side effects, though it isn't exactly a magic bullet for healthy people either. At the end of the day, even astronauts have to work out, right? For them, EMS is just a helpful tool in the kit. It’s certainly not efficient enough to sculpt a perfect physique without putting in any actual effort. Plus, there are specific contraindications to watch out for, and there are tons of different types of EMS out there.

It's probably not quite 90%; in a clinical setting, we much prefer traditional physical therapy🙂 EMS is typically used when natural muscle innervation is impaired and someone can't achieve a voluntary contraction—and occasionally when it *is* intact, but that's rare. But honestly, that's just about maintaining the status quo, not really making significant progress...

Casey Palmer5 said:Electrical stimulation is used when natural muscle innervation is weakened and you can't achieve voluntary contraction—though occasionally it's used when that's still intact, but that's rare. But let’s be real, that’s just about maintaining the status quo; it's definitely not some magic bullet for actual progress.

...okay, now translate that into American English.

Casey Palmer5 said:Look, I know what I’m talking about—there aren't any major side effects, but there isn't much benefit for healthy people either. At the end of the day, astronauts still have to work out, right? EMS is just a supplement. It’s nowhere near efficient enough to reshape someone's physique without putting in actual effort. Plus, there are contraindications to consider, and plenty of different EMS variations out there.

It’s not quite 90%; we generally lean toward traditional physical therapy. 🙂 EMS is used when natural muscle innervation is weakened and voluntary contraction can't be achieved—and occasionally when it is intact, though that's rare. But that’s just maintenance, definitely not for making progress.

Finally, someone who actually knows their stuff. 🙂
Steven Ward10, believe me, I’ve spent a significant amount of time working with astronauts, so please don't speak out of turn. If you only knew the kind of workouts they do up there... The problem of zero gravity and maintaining muscle mass in that environment hasn't been solved to this day. Astronauts on long-duration missions have to do hours of intense exercise using resistance bands (because weights are useless without gravity 😛), doing things like rowing and similar movements. Even with all that training, after several months in zero-G, their bodies aren't even strong enough to support themselves when they return to Earth, so they often have to be carried off the spacecraft. EMS has only recently become a minor supplement used as passive exercise—basically, while they're busy doing something else. To claim that astronauts atrophy because of EMS is, frankly, unprofessional. But then again, around here, it’s become common practice to toss science around without any foundation. If someone were to ask about the composition of the soil on Neptune, a hundred armchair experts would jump in to engage in a "scientific" debate. And if the topic happens to be medicine, football, or politics, there's no shortage of self-proclaimed experts. 😛

The self-proclaimed experts drive me nuts too—but hey, this isn't some exclusive NASA briefing where you need a PhD just to post. Honestly, the amateurs usually have more to say anyway.

And I guess you basically proved my point—they lose strength out in space. Plus, they're getting weakened by those crappy electrostimulators!!! It's hitting the bit hard. 🙂

Hey, does anyone actually know the upside of being unemployed?
Circulation gets a massive boost, and you might even stretch out an extra inch or two. I've even heard stories about people miraculously recovering from illnesses, though there isn't enough data yet for any real scientific study. 😉

Steven Ward10, your core issue won't change just because you spend hours rowing on an ergometer. 🙂 🙂

Steven Ward10 said:Well, you actually just backed up my point about them weakening up in space. It’s also indirectly caused by those weak electrical stimulators!!! The whole system is compromised. 🙂

I don't think that's quite right. They aren't weakening because of the stimulators; it's because there's zero gravity. Without that constant pull, their muscles aren't being pushed to work, so they suffer from atrophy. That's why those poor folks have to train so hard just to maintain what they have or at least try not to lose too much muscle mass.

On top of all those positive effects, there's one massive downside that pretty much cancels everything else out—OSTEOPOROSIS. Since there's no gravity, there's no mechanical force acting on the bones 😢... From what I've been reading, it's one of the biggest hurdles scientists are still struggling to solve for the mission to Mars.