How to place electrodes on an electrical stimulation Wiemspro suit
Electrical Muscle Stimulation or EMS is an effective and very versatile technique, both in the fields of physical activity and cosmetic treatments. It consists of applying electrical impulses to certain areas of your body. The electrical impulses cause the muscles to contract, creating an effect that is similar to when you exercise those muscles.
This electrostimulation training is carried out by means of electrodes, which are placed on the body.
The more advanced versions, like ours, incorporate an electrostimulation suit or wireless biosuit.
What is an electrode?
These components of the equipment are responsible for harnessing the electrical current to produce the impulses capable of contracting the muscles of your body.
And so these are fundamental elements in the application of electrical muscle stimulation. If they’re not in perfect condition, or they’re incorrectly placed, the result obtained will not be what you’re looking for.
It is therefore very important that you take the time to maintain this equipment and replace the parts as necessary. If you carry out specific electrofitness training, tailored to your needs, but the electrodes are not placed correctly, the impulses sent from the electrical stimulator will be of no use. Therefore, you have to make sure you moisten the electrodes with the help of a spray, and that they are strategically placed on the muscles that you want to contract with electrostimulation.
The EMS machine operates from the muscle stimulator, the component responsible for emitting the appropriate electrical impulses, in the correct order and to the right places. We can use it, for example, to tone the legs or other parts of the body, to improve flaccid arms, to shape the buttocks, to strengthen the quadriceps, or to shape and work the abs. These elements are, therefore, “the tentacles” that are used to apply these electrical stimuli in the correct way.
What are the electrodes for?
The benefits of using electrodes in physical exercise have been absolutely proven. Electrical impulses are being used to complement exercise in all kinds of sports activities, from soccer to fitness, cycling, tennis or athletics, just to name a few.
Their functional task is to physically apply these electrical impulses in the right areas. That’s why they’re so important: they let you take full advantage of EMS techniques.
Generally speaking, the use of electrodes helps:
Optimize capillarization. Increase lymphatic irrigation and blood circulation.
Improve your stamina and your strength.
Activate your muscles and contract the fibers to a greater extent.
Energize fibers that are ordinarily inaccessible.
Accelerate recovery after active sessions.
Exercise with greater intensity and in less time.
Promote recovery from and prevention of specific injuries.
Lose weight quickly and eliminate cellulite.
How to place the electrodes
It’s important to correctly place these elements in the specific areas you want to target. If the muscles involved are not activated correctly, the end result of your EMS will not be the best. Having an electrostimulation suit facilitates this task, because it’s not left at the discretion of the user or their coach.
Before putting on the electrostimulation vest, it’s important to moisten the patches where the electrodes are located with the help of a spray. This is the best way to ensure the electrodes are working properly and transmitting the impulses to your muscles.
Finally, a critical question is where to place each electrode. Make sure when you put on the EMS suit that the electrodes adapt perfectly to your body, and that they occupy the “hot” or key areas of the muscles you want to work.
In this sense, remember to carefully read the instruction manual that comes with your equipment. If you’re advised by a coach or a specialist, you can be certain that you’re doing it correctly at all times. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble!
On buttocks
EMS helps you tone your buttocks, adds volume, and reduces flaccidity, as well as cellulite. In short, your glutes will be firmer and higher.
On arms
If you want to work the deltoid and the trapezius, the shoulders or the muscles of the arm and forearm, it’s best to place both electrodes a short distance from each other, near the epicenter of elongation of the corresponding muscle fibers.
On legs
Consider that, in general, these are the longest muscles in the body. You have two alternative options, both for the biceps of the thigh, like the rectus femoris and the medial thigh muscle, or the medial and the lateral. The first is to place them 5 centimeters apart. But your treatment will be more effective if you decide to work the entire muscle: in this case, place them where they begin to expand and at a greater distance.
On the abdomen
In this area, the muscles occupy a large volume. Therefore, you can decide to keep the electrodes closer together or further apart, depending on the specific element or elements you wish to activate. If you stimulate the central area of the abdomen, the so-called six pack will start to emerge. Do you want to work them in depth? Place them less than 10 or 5 centimeters apart, and you will get a deep stimulation in the abdominal tissues. In this way, gradually, you’ll start burning fat. Now, if the use of this abdominal electrostimulation seeks to relieve pain or muscle spams, it’s better to place them on the sides, moving them away from the center.
On the female abdomen
If you want to stimulate your rectus abdominis, the usual setup is two pairs of electrodes on each side. The first should be placed above the navel, just below the last ribs. The second should be placed below the navel, at the level of the iliac crests. There are other possibilities, but you should always consider muscle physiology and respect the disposition of the fibers. In any of the cases mentioned, the greater the number of electrodes applied, the more intensity, power and speed you will achieve in the process, which you will notice in the results obtained.
Conclusions
If you use, position, and maintain your EMS equipment correctly, you will ensure its proper use for a long time. It’s important that you know how to do this and take the utmost care when doing this. Depending on the area of application, and the objectives of the session, you’ll have to do it in different ways.