EMS toning systems

CrazyRabbit

I've a fairly weak lower back due to injuries received in a crash many years ago. It prevents me from doing sit-ups, pushups or any other excercise that stresses the lower back.
However, I want to tone my ab muscles. So, I was looking at these EMS toning systems that seem to use electric pulses to cause muscle contractions. In theory, they look like a good solution, but I've seen very mixed reviews. Does anyone here have any experiences with these machines? Do they work, are they safe, and do they hurt? And finally, can anyone recomend a make/model?

(Oh, I'm not overweight and I don't have any heart problems or diabetes)

Sorry if this is the wrong forum to ask this question, but it seemed like the most appropriate. And thanks for any advice.

CerebralCortex

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

I've a fairly weak lower back due to injuries received in a crash many years ago. It prevents me from doing sit-ups, pushups or any other excercise that stresses the lower back.
However, I want to tone my ab muscles. So, I was looking at these EMS toning systems that seem to use electric pulses to cause muscle contractions. In theory, they look like a good solution, but I've seen very mixed reviews. Does anyone here have any experiences with these machines? Do they work, are they safe, and do they hurt? And finally, can anyone recomend a make/model?

(Oh, I'm not overweight and I don't have any heart problems or diabetes)

Sorry if this is the wrong forum to ask this question, but it seemed like the most appropriate. And thanks for any advice.

I think the kind of response you'll find in here will be of the nature of you can't spot reduce. I am concious of my diet and although I've spent time the gym and will again in the future I'm not doing much physical activity. Even when I was I wasn't targeting my abs and today if you were to lift up my shirt you'd see a well defined stomach (imo).

rubadub

CrazyRabbit wrote: »

However, I want to tone my ab muscles.

What do you mean by tone? and why do you want to do it?

i.e. do you just want visible abs for asthetic reasons, or do you actually have a weakness in the area due to it being untrained after the crash.

If you have a injury I would be looking for advice from a medical professional.

If you just want visible abs then adjust your diet. These machines were developed to stop muscle wastage on comatose and bed ridden patients. If you really are unable to exercise it could offer some help, but wont give you a "6-pack" on its own.

Hanley

Tricky call tbh... I assume you mean you physically can't do any lower back exercises becuse of your prior injury? Have you talked to a good physio abotu this recently?

The thing is, by strengthening your abs you're only gonna put MORE pressure and greater an even greater imbalance in your bak which will potentially lead to more pain in the area.

Racing Flat

Will try to keep this simple..... for a muscle to contract the motor area of your brain sends a message via the spinal cord and nerves to the muscle so the muscle contracts. With EMS, the nerves under the electrodes get stimulated so the muscle(s) that they supply contract. This contraction is physiologically fairly similar (but not identical) to a normal/exercise muscle contraction. So the fact that the muscle contracts (regardless of whether it's through exercise or electrical stimulation), means that the body will experience the effects of muscle contraction - i.e the muscle will get bigger (if the normal principles of strengthening, e.g. overload etc. are adhered to). So, essentially it will work to make the muscles bigger. However, if there is overlying flab, no matter how big the abs are, they may not be visible. I think that's the main reason these things have not taken off - they have been available for a while now, but if they really did have the desired effect (ie bigger visible abs), most people would use them, powerful word of mouth adverts. Now if you were to use it in conjunction with a healthy diet and sufficient cardiovascular exercise, it may have a more desired effect. But I think the diet and exercise would probably achieve this desired effect anyhow...

Another thing is, while the muscle may get bigger and 'strengthen' this increased strength may not be 'usable' ie the brain and nerve pathways will not have been effected so while physiologically and ? morphologically your abs may be the same as someone who trained their abs through exercise, if you entered a abs exercise competition they'd whip your ass.

One other difference - with natural muscle contractions, slow twitch fibres (posture/endurance fibres) are recruited first (to offer some postural control/support) and subsequently the fast twitch fibres (strength, speed, power fibres). With electrical stimulation, the order of recruitment is reversed, so the fast-twitch fibres are recruited first, which a) makes the contraction less applicable/functional and b) means the muscle fatigues more easily, so it can't do as much work.

In summary ES can work to build muscle bulk, but most people seem to just want their muscles (which are there anyway but are covered in flab) to be more visible, so they should be looking to lose the flab rather than build muscle IMO.

Finally, you can get cosmetic surgery for a 6 pack. Silicon pads inserted in front of the abs. I've seen one or two Americans who've had this done. Looks ridiculous, waist 40inches with a 6-pack:eek:

CrazyRabbit

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

I'm not interested in the asthetics, I was just hoping that some stronger 'belly' muscle would help with certain tasks that currently put more strain on my back than I'd like and result in pain. Is there some way perhaps to strenghten the lower back muscles without too much strain being placed on the area?

I've already reduced my weight (probably to less than it should be for my height/build), and it helped.

And physio can only do so much I'm afraid. Diet is lost on me. I really don't know what foods to eat that help build muscle mass. I've read some of the threads here, but most of it goes over my head to be honest.

I guess I'll just have to stick with things are they are and hope the physio improves things.

Thanks again everyone.