When I have used it on my quads, I always sit in a fairly deep chair that has its back against the wall, and just wear some shoes that grip the floor surface well. I have never had any problems with keeping my butt down, and on my knees it certainly doesn’t “feel” hard on them at all. You kind of have to “brace” at each contraction, but it isn’t bad at all. Because my legs weren’t jolting straight at every contraction, I was concerned that the contraction might not be strong enough, so out of curiosity I kept my legs free and straight for a few contractions; my legs jolted straight and cramped up so hard I could hardly do it. That at least convinced me that the intensity I was working at was still stimulating the muscle quite well, even if my legs were not straightening every time.
F-that. I just tried it on one quad with my leg strapped to the leg of the chair and cranked the bitch up and couldn’t even stay seated!
Were you actually sitting up with your leg straight out? (Bad plan)
If you’re lying down with your leg straights, it’s fine.
I wasn’t sitting with my legs straight out, I just let them hang off loose, instead of planting my feet on the ground and bracing, and it was only for a couple contractions to see what it would feel like. And mortac, I am not sure… Before I have tried sitting on an adjustable weight bench with a block at like mid shin level, and the exact same thing happened, I could not keep seated at all and I would just pop up at every contraction, but the way I described seemed to work well, even at way higher intensities than with the weight bench set up… sorry I couldn’t be more help
Mortac, the only video I have is this. For a strong individual, if you don’t have a leg press available, you could use a metallic chair and strap both ankles and the hips.
I agree with Charlie. Most of the research on EMS in North America has been done with medical therapy in mind. Some scientists (not all) used: current intensity that was too low; pulse widths that were too short; off time between contractions that was too short, causing muscle fibers to fatigue too soon. In other words, they had a background in EMS for physiotherapy, but not in training. No wonder they didn’t get results, or they couldn’t reproduce results shown in other studies. That said, there are examples of good studies too. Most of them are done in Europe by scientists knowledgeable about training. Besides the study mentioned by KBM, see the following (with links to the abstract):[ul]
[li]The use of electrostimulation exercise in competitive sport
[/li]Int J Sports Physiol Perform, Dec 2006 -
This is a good review of the field, although what is said on recovery is superseded by more recent studies showing results on recovery too.
[li]The effects of electromyostimulation training and basketball practice on muscle strength and jumping ability - Int J Sports Med, Aug 2000
[/li]Neuromuscular adaptations to electrostimulation resistance training - Am J Phys Med Rehabil, Feb 2006
[li]Feasibility and efficacy of progressive electrostimulation strength training for competitive tennis players - J Strength Cond Res, Mar 2009
[/li][li]Electromyostimulation and plyometric training effects on jumping and sprint time - Int J Sports Med, Jul 2006 -
[/li]This study actually is evidence that 3-second contractions are not long enough to generate adaptation.
[li]Effects of electromyostimulation training and volleyball practice on jumping ability - J Strength Cond Res, Aug 2003
[/li][li]Effect of electrostimulation training-detraining on neuromuscular fatigue mechanisms - Neurosci Lett, Aug 2007
[/li][li]Effect of combined electrostimulation and plyometric training on vertical jump height - Med Sci Sports Exerc, Oct 2002
[/li][/ul]
I have a semi-related question. I have a problem with the vastus medialus not being strong enough or not firing well. This causes patellar tendon pain while recovering from a deep squat position, unless I move very slowly.
I’ve been using EMS on that muscle only, but doing with a straight leg. Should I use a bent leg position to get more strength carry-over similar to isometric training? In other words, does the angle matter?
I’ve always been told that the angle matters, and that one should EMS train at an angle close to the most important phase in the sport movement in question.
best to use a variety and or combine with full movements i.e., ems before jumps?
I agree with you,
I’m all for dynamic EMS use, i.e. EMS with full movements. As a matter of fact I’ve listened to a lecture at the National Strength and Conditioning Association symposium, 2007 (Atlanta) which comparing static to dynamic EMS, showed better results for the latter (this was a study on diabetic patients, but I suppose the results apply to athletes).
I’m not a sport kinesiologist, but IMHO if you do not have the possibility of using a legg press with EMS, to train for jumps one could pick the position that develops most power.
Thanks guys.
I watched Al Vermeil’s video. It made me reflect on the importance of a 48-hour recovery when one trains at the max. I have a question for Charlie.
Many EMS users swear that the EMS program Active Recovery helps to recover faster, and spring back in shape ready for the next intense training sooner. Do you think Charlie that is a possibility, and therefore the adaptation of muscle fibers would be even more effective with the EMS active recovery program?
EMS helps with muscular recovery but I suspect not CNS recovery which still requires the full 48hrs between intense sessions. That said, the enhanced muscular recovery may well help allow for increased intensity in the next HI session with the same recovery time between.
What video of Al’s?
I think the video for now it is posted in the home page. Maybe it will be moved at a later time.
There may be a few here who’ve lived in a cave for the last few decades, so for those:
Al Vermiel has 7 championship rings as the Strength and Conditioning Coach for The San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bulls and must be considered the most successful and innovative S and C coach of all time.
You can see his comments on the home page of our site. (Of course, I’m honored!)
Apparently you are more famous than him:D
There is a Wikipedia page on you, and none on Al Vermeil.
Al is probably one of the most modest guys in the business. Especially considering his accomplishments in many sports. There are guys that haven’t accomplished 1/10th of what he has done going around claiming that they are the best in the business. Al, in the meantime, is continuing to build his knowledge, assuming that there is always more to learn.
And, there is a whole legacy of Al’s influence in the business in the form of S&C interns from when he was with the Bulls. I have met and talked with many of these former interns, and they all continue to demonstrate Al’s work ethic, modesty and thirst for good knowledge. One of them most recently won a NCAA b-ball championship with the NC Tarheels. Good work Jonas!
Absolutely. Al will never toot his own horn but I know that many innovations were started by him- like re-thinking the routine taping of ankles in football and its contribution to hamstring injuries way back in 1981. Only now are people are catching on.
Mortac8,
Could you please tell me which one of the four quads you are stimulating?