I just bought an EMS-6500 and had a few questions about optimizing my EMS time.
It has two amplitude hookups that go from 1-8 and rate between 5-120Hz and width between 1-300. It has a total of 4 electrodes.
I set the on time to 10 seconds, rest time to 50 seconds, ramp time to 1 second and experimented with my quads.
I know that when I raise the rate and width and amplitude, it is more intense. But which should I be trying to increase if my goal is explosive power, maximum fast twitch fiber recruitment for jumping higher?
I used 120 Hz, 3 amplitude, and 300 pulse width (?) on my right quad for 10 minutes. 10 sec on, 50 sec off. By the time I got to my left quad, I had lost some guts (more likely placed the electrodes slightly differently for a more intense contraction) and dropped it to 3 amplitude, 100 Hz and 200 width.
To say it was more intense that I was expecting would be an understatement. I of course started much lower. Then, knowing Charlie advised cranking it up as much as tolerable for maximum benefits, I started upping the numbers. By the time I got to those numbers my jaws were clenched and I could’ve used something to bite on.
Also, what is the width?
Thank you in advance for your time. I have another session planned for Wednesday night before bed.
Background: I am a walk on basketball hopeful who weighs 210, is 6’4" and has a 34-36" vertical and a 36-38" jump with steps. Both off two feet. I have lost my ability to jump any higher than 24-28" off one leg (I of course would like it back). I am also battling shin splints and “jumpers knee” but still want to jump higher and move faster.
-Erik Lukas
The pulse width is just another means of controlling the intensity, so for the most intense contraction you would use 300us pulse width and maximum amplitude. Hope this helps.