By Henri Schmidt – Sports Scientist & Founder of VBTec
Why EMS Training Deserves Your Attention
Forget what you thought you knew about working out. In today’s fast-paced world, people want smarter, faster, and more effective ways to get fit, and EMS training delivers. Once reserved for elite athletes and rehab clinics, Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has evolved into a cutting-edge fitness method that’s transforming how we build strength, enhance recovery, and optimize performance.
I’m Henri Schmidt, a sports scientist and the founder of VBTec, the company behind Visionbody, the first fully wireless EMS system. With over 30 years of experience in EMS technology and training science, I’ve helped athletes, therapists, and fitness pros in over 40 countries experience the power of Whole Body EMS. This guide reflects my expertise and insights into what truly works when it comes to next-generation muscle training.
Whether you’re a fitness studio owner, trainer, or biohacker looking to level up, here’s everything you need to know about EMS training, how it works, who it’s for, and how it can change your body, one pulse at a time.
What Is EMS Training and How Does It Work?
Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) uses controlled electrical impulses to activate muscle fibers more efficiently than traditional workouts. During an EMS session, electrodes placed on the body send signals that trigger muscular contractions. These contractions mimic what your brain would normally tell your muscles to do, only with greater intensity and depth.
In Whole Body EMS, these impulses are delivered simultaneously to multiple muscle groups via a specialized suit. This makes it possible to train your entire body in just 20 minutes, using less time to achieve stronger, more effective results.
Unlike other workouts that rely on weight resistance alone, EMS can stimulate even the deep, hard-to-reach muscle fibers, including fast-twitch fibers that are key for strength and hypertrophy.
Core EMS Components:
- PowerSuit – Dry, antibacterial suit with built-in electrodes
- PowerBox – Controls pulse rhythm and intensity
- App Interface – Real-time program control via iPad with the Visionbody App
Whole Body EMS Training Method Explained
The Whole Body EMS method involves working out in a suit that simultaneously stimulates up to 12 muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, quads, abs, back, shoulders, and arms. You perform functional movements or dynamic exercises while the system enhances muscle recruitment.
This full-body approach activates up to 98% of muscle fibers in one session, far surpassing what conventional training can achieve in the same timeframe.
Why EMS Works:
- Muscle contractions occur up to 85 times per second, significantly amplifying muscle engagement during each rep.
- Boosts both strength and endurance by recruiting a higher percentage of muscle fibers than conventional training methods.
- Deep activation of fast-twitch fibers promotes explosive power and faster muscle growth, making it ideal for athletes and those targeting lean muscle development.
- Safe on joints, making it a perfect fit for injury prevention and rehabilitation.
What also sets EMS apart is its ability to reduce muscular imbalances by stimulating underused or compensating muscle groups with precision. This helps improve alignment, coordination, and overall biomechanical efficiency, crucial for both performance and injury prevention. Additionally, the neuromuscular re-education that occurs during EMS sessions trains your nervous system to engage muscles more effectively, even outside of EMS use. Over time, this leads to more efficient movement patterns, better posture, and reduced fatigue during everyday activities or athletic performance.
Who Can Benefit from EMS Training?
One of the strongest advantages of EMS training is its versatility. From high-performance athletes to aging adults, the low-impact, high-efficiency design makes it accessible for almost anyone.
EMS is ideal for:
- Busy professionals seeking faster workouts
- Post-injury clients or those in rehab
- Athletes needing specific muscle targeting
- Biohackers and wellness optimizers
- Personal trainers & studio owners looking to upgrade their offerings
Whether you want to burn fat, improve posture, or gain lean muscle mass, EMS can be tailored to your goals.
What Results Can You Expect with EMS and When?
You’ll feel EMS training from the very first session, those rapid, deep contractions are unmistakable. But EMS does more than just activate muscles on demand. It fundamentally improves how your body performs, recovers, and adapts over time.
The Hidden Benefits Behind the Burn
While visible muscle tone and fat loss are common long-term goals, some of EMS’s most powerful effects happen beneath the surface. For example, EMS helps re-educate your neuromuscular system. That means muscles that were dormant or underperforming begin to fire properly again. This is especially useful for people recovering from injuries or coming back after a sedentary phase.
Research also shows that EMS promotes capillarization, the formation of new capillaries in muscle tissue. More capillaries mean better oxygen and nutrient delivery, which translates into improved endurance and faster recovery post-workout. And because EMS stimulates even deep-lying muscle fibers, it targets stability and posture muscles that typical workouts often neglect.
EMS For Performance, Not Just Aesthetics
It’s easy to focus on what EMS can do for your abs or glutes, but the bigger story lies in what it does for your movement efficiency and energy systems. Athletes who incorporate EMS into their programs often report increased power output, quicker activation speed, and a reduced risk of overtraining due to the controlled intensity.
EMS also supports mitochondrial density, the cellular powerhouses that influence your energy, metabolism, and recovery. This is part of what makes EMS a favorite among elite trainers and biohackers. You’re not just working out harder; you’re training your body to function better at the cellular level.
Backed by Science: EMS Training Data You Should Know
EMS is supported by decades of research and growing clinical evidence:
- Muscle Activation: EMS can activate up to 98% of your muscle fibers simultaneously (Kemmler et al. 2018)
- Caloric Burn: A single 20-minute EMS session can burn 500-700 calories
- Joint Safety: Ideal for those with arthritis or post-surgery recovery due to its low-impact nature
- Strength Gains: EMS users showed up to 30% more strength improvement over traditional training alone in several comparative studies
EMS Training vs. Traditional Workouts
EMS training doesn’t replace conventional fitness, but it enhances it. Think of it as a force multiplier.
What to Expect in an EMS Session
Your first session will feel different, but in a good way. Here’s a quick overview:
Step-by-Step EMS Experience:
- Wear the PowerSuit: A breathable, antibacterial textile suit embedded with dry electrodes.
- Connect the PowerBox: This compact control unit syncs with the iPad and the Visionbody App.
- Choose the Program: Trainers customize routines (strength, cardio, recovery, fat burn).
- Feel the Pulse: Controlled impulses contract muscles as you move.
- Cool Down: EMS can even help flush lactic acid and reduce soreness.
How Safe Is EMS Training?
Very. EMS has been used in sports medicine and rehabilitation for decades. Visionbody’s wireless EMS system is both FDA- and TÜV-certified, ensuring top-level safety, hygiene, and performance.
It’s also dry-contact and wireless, removing the risk of outdated gel pads or shared suits. You’ll never have to soak electrodes in water again.
The PowerSuit is easy to clean and personal to each user, key for hygiene-conscious studios and rehab clinics.
Setting Up EMS in Your Studio or Clinic
If you’re a business owner, EMS isn’t just a training method—it’s a growth strategy. Here’s how EMS can help your fitness or rehab facility stand out:
EMS Business Benefits:
- Serve more clients with 20-minute sessions
- Add premium pricing with minimal overhead
- Improve client retention with visible results
- Offer safe rehab for post-injury or older clients
- Set your studio apart with cutting-edge biohacking tech
Why Visionbody EMS:
- Launched in 2014 with over 10 years of innovation
- More than 40 employees across global markets
- Used in 40+ countries
- World’s first fully wireless EMS system
Final Thoughts
After years of testing, refining, and educating professionals around the world, I can confidently say EMS is more than a tool, it’s a transformation. Whether you’re aiming for high-performance muscle gains, smarter rehab, or new revenue streams for your business, EMS training offers a proven path forward.
I’ve seen firsthand how EMS empowers both the body and the business. With the right equipment, coaching, and consistency, anyone can harness its power.
Ready to unlock the future of fitness and recovery? Let’s revolutionize how we train one muscle at a time.
References
- Kemmler, W., et al. (2018). Whole-body electromyostimulation to fight sarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling older women at risk: Results of the randomized controlled FORMOsA-Sarcopenic Obesity Study. Osteoporosis International.
- Filipovic, A., et al. (2011). Electromyostimulation, A systematic review of the influence of training regimens and stimulation parameters on effectiveness in electromyostimulation training of selected strength parameters. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
