On the above-mentioned basis (animals with electricity), the mayor of Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke (1602-1689), developed the first friction electrification machine. A rotating sulfur ball was used as a friction body, which, after being charged by friction with a cloth, either attracted or repelled paper or feathers. 

The doctor Christian Gottlieb Katzenstein first used these electrifying machines for medical therapy. In 1745 he wrote the book “Treatises on the Use of Electricity in Pharmacy”. A therapeutic application of the friction electrification machines was named after Benjamin Franklin (1706-1795) known as Franklinization. Here, a pain relief occurred through targeted short electric shocks to certain parts of the body.

In 1745, at the same time as Dean Kleist, Professor Pieter van Muschenbroek discovered a way of briefly storing the electricity generated by the electrification machines using the Leyden bottle (also known as Kleist’s bottle). Inside, two electrically conductive plates face each other, which in principle is similar to today’s capacitors. Due to their high withstand voltage, they are mainly used as high-voltage capacitors. 

Italian physician named Luigi Galvani in the late 1700s  discovered that electrical currents could cause muscle contractions in frog legs.

Over the years, the application of electrical stimulation to muscles for medical purposes continued to evolve. Researchers began to explore the use of electrical stimulation for therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes. This included the use of EMS to help patients with muscular atrophy and other neuromuscular disorders.

And EMS has been used as a specific form of training in competitive sports since the late 1960s as well. In this setting, however, the focus is primarily on strength and muscle mass gains. In the 1960s, EMS technology was also used in the USA and the former USSR in space travel to maintain muscle mass in weightlessness and in the military to improve soldier performance. In the 1970s USSR won the most medals during the Olympic games thanks to the EMS technology. The Olympic anti-doping committee was about to ban EMS technology as a stimulating drug. But as a natural way to increase your strength and endurance ,with 20-25% can’t be banned as our brain does this naturally.

In recent years, however, EMS technology has found its way into the fitness/wellness sector. From the original local EMS application, a new technology was developed – whole-body EMS training (WB-EMS), in which electrode vests and electrode belts or -cuffs several muscle groups of the body can be stimulated simultaneously in the sense of a full body workout. Due to the proven effectiveness and time efficiency (high training effect with low time investment at the same time), WB-EMS training is enjoying increasing popularity in the fitness and wellness industry.

The interest in EMS training is rapidly growing. The technology has become more advanced, with new wireless and portable devices making it easier for people to train. Additionally, studies have shown that EMS can be effective in promoting muscle strength, endurance, and recovery, leading to increased popularity in the fitness industry.

Today, EMS training is a popular form of exercise and rehabilitation, used by professional athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and people seeking to improve their overall health and wellness.