Miraculous fitness device?

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insightfulpace

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Hi,

In order to mantain my fitness conditions, I exercise regularly (4 days per week at the gym), about 40/50 mins of cardio and 1 hr of weight.

I usually don´t pay attention to those miraculous tv advertisements that sell fitness equipments able to transform you in Arnold Schwarzenegger in a few days.

However, I saw that ad about a little device that promotes "passive workouts": it estimulates your muscles (by electrical shocks) frequently, so 15 or 20 minutes of it would be compared to a complete exercise (here in Brazil this device is called "Total Shape" - I think it is imported from the USA).

Since that I am not a specialist in biology or physics, I don´t have any idea if this device has a scientific support. For me, it makes sense, but is it true? (of course, I believe that it should work as a part of a complete workout program)...

Thanks!
 
No, I am not joking. Since that I am not a specialist in the subject, I have been asking for this information and I always receive the same answer: "No, it doesn´t work". But nobody gives me an explanation why...

Why doesn´t this device work?

I don´t believe in "free lunch", but, with my (very) basic knowledge in physics, it makes sense: that device stimulates your muscles. Due to that, they move at a frequent rate, and the results should be fat burning, since that they are spending energy...

Of course, ads exagerate the effects (nobody will be a champion weighlifter using this device...), but... would it be useful as a complement in a fitness program? Or maybe it works, but the effect provocked by this device is insignificant?
 
It´s not that I consider that this kind of device is a miracle. No. I made it clear in my posts. In fact (as mentioned in the link provided by abear), they sell a false image that you can be a wealthy guy in a couple of days just because of this product.

BUT the point of my posts is not that. The point is : theoretically, the biological and physical principles used by this device should work.

My question is: has anyone measured the effects provided by devices like that? Is it insignificant? Or could this device be used as a complement in a fitness program?

Again: I am not saying that I would buy this thing in order to become an Arnold Schwarzenegger in a couple of days. However, I would like to know if the biological and physical principles assumpted by this device are correct.

Let´s think outside of the box and not reject any idea just because "someone told that it doesn´t work". I have heard a lot of people that say that, but are unable to explain the reason.
 
I have read probably 15 reviews on these products electro stimulators.. Of coarse if you do nothing at all any kind of muscle stimulation is better than nothing. they use these in muscle rehab after bone breaks and injuries alot, but they are not enough to get arnold huge. the amount of electrical stimulation needed would be painful. they may work to a short extent but not noticable results like the gym. Remember there are no shortcuts to a great body. eat right and work out.
 
My two cents

Hey,

A couple years ago I had wrist surgery due to a wrestling injury and in my drugged up state ask somebody to pick one of these up for me. The Ab-Energizer to be exact. They felt bad for me and did so. After one-handedly trying to put the gel on my stomach, fidgetting with the belt for about 30 minutes and shocking my fingers with surprisingly painful currents, I got this thing to work.

So yay, my stomach was sore the next day. That was the last sign of any strength gain I ever saw. Sure, I wrestled and was in decent shape but I never had visible abs. Trust me I used this thing while healing up around the house for probably a good month. Keep in mind I did move around a bunch. I wasn't a slug. I put that thing to it's most demanding setting and never felt sore or anything again.

Sure, it's a good concept. As a matter of fact I know someone who helps sell something similar. The army has actually used it to help soldiers recuperate in Iraq. It helps repair muscle with currents. Only problem is that it costs a few thousand dollars for one. It's bulky and uses a decent amount of electricity. You could probably find a really simple one at a chiropractor's office or in a trainer's office. They get used for rehabilitation but even those plans go along with hours of exercises.

The conclusion I've come to is that the belt simply doesn't provide enough current for people to actually see changes. I'm sure anything much stronger and used incorrectly would be dangerous for household use. Trust me, I zapping my finger and it honestly killed. Somebody who hasn't done exercise for years might be sore after a few uses and think it works but they're wrong. You'd be better off sitting on your couch tensing and untensing your stomach by flexing it on your own for thirty minutes. (sound familiar? Crunches anyone?)

But if you wanna screw around and watch your muscles tense up without your body's consent then go ahead. It works on any muscle. My buddies and I checked thoroughly with much laughter.

I didn't mean to type that much but I just worked out and didn't feel like moving much right now. Hope you didn't get too bored.
 
Interesting thread. I had a friend hook up one of those machines to my leg without telling me what it was. Suddenly my muscles started moving - it's like when you get a twitch, and I ripped the thing off instantly by reflex action - it feels very weird!

I believe the use of these is not 100% safe - in some cases it can be dangerous to your nervous system, so I have been told. (Don't know if true or not)

It's not going to give you "results without work." In fact, something like this would allow you to get some exercise while seated and watching tv, if you can do that without being distracted! Your muscles are working, it's just that the machine replaces deliberate movement. As all of your other muscles are relaxed, it would isolate more than most exercises. Probably it would place less stress on tendons and joints. However, I doubt the actual results would match real exercise, which tends to work more muscles at a time. Also you would probably not see the same improvement in bone density which comes from weights.

I could be wrong but I suspect it would be more like aerobic than anaerobic exercise.
 
This machine is a joke, so don't waist your time with it. Just like MadBuddha7 said, it doesn't provide enough current to produce a maximum contraction of the muscle. There is a high voltage version of this, but it is used strictly for rehab purposes. At high settings you can get burns and I heard if put in the wrong spots can basically contract the muscle so hard it will pull itself off the bone or break the bone (let me check w/ whom I heard that from).

If these things actually worked, they'd still be on the market from back in the last 2-3 years when they came out... it was just a sucker gimmick to get money..
 
DeX said:
If these things actually worked, they'd still be on the market from back in the last 2-3 years when they came out... it was just a sucker gimmick to get money..
Click to expand...
Maybe, DeX, that just shows how much you know about these products.

These products have been around since the 70's, at least, since it's known that when Bruce Lee injured himself and was unable to train, he would use these devices to keep his muscles toned and conditioned for when he could start back up.

The proper term for these devices is EMS - Electronic Muscle Stimulation. It's used successfully in medical applications (therapy for atrophied muscles, muscle reeducation, muscle healing, ... it's a much longer list, but this doesn't really matter to you at the moment).

On the flipside, studies have shown that it doesn't really do anything for weight loss or muscle building, since the actual activity is so negligible and doesn't run on your own nutrient calorie production. It can be good for keeping muscles healthy and conditioned during long periods of inactivity.

A miracle solution? No. Does it work? Not as well as they say, but it does have a lot of good applications.
 
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