Making your workouts more ‘electric’ can grow muscles and strengthen them, says new study

Looking to improve your workout gains?

You probably already know that wearable technology, such as smartwatches and heart rate monitors, can help athletes optimize their training and improve their performance.

But have you heard of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) devices? A new analysis found that wearing one during resistance training can increase strength and muscle mass.

“Under normal conditions, the brain activates muscles by sending signals through the nervous system,” explained Sudip Bajpeyi, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Texas at El Paso.

“NMES mimics this process by delivering external electrical currents to the nerves, causing the muscles to contract, without input from the brain,” Bajpeyi continued. “Think of your muscles contracting involuntarily.”

The device, which can be attached to gym shorts, may raise a few eyebrows in the weight room.

It’s a hand-held unit that holds wires connected to electrode pads that athletes place on the skin over the muscles they want to target. Users can adjust the pulse frequency, intensity and duration of stimulation.

Bajpey’s team analyzed 13 studies involving nearly 400 people who performed resistance exercises such as bench presses or squats.

Participants’ muscle mass and strength were measured at the beginning and end of each study.

Researchers compared the results of those who embraced NMES while exercising with those who did not, finding greater gains in strength and muscle mass with the equipment.

The results were published this month in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.

Past research has found that NMES can activate a greater proportion of muscle fibers within a muscle group, potentially delaying muscle fatigue and enabling longer workouts.

Bajpeyi said future studies should investigate whether using NMES while resistance training can affect metabolic or heart health.

For his part, Bajpeyi is exploring whether NMES can lower high blood sugar and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

“Exercise is medicine, but not everyone is able or willing to engage in traditional exercise,” he said. “NMES has great potential for improving metabolic health by building muscle mass, which can help the body process blood glucose more effectively.”