What does the sport science say about EMS training?

EMS training has been used for decades in the field of sports medicine and rehabilitation. Over the last 10 years EMS training has widened its spectrum of application to include general fitness and sports performance. Therefore a wealth of research information exists on EMS training amongst its different areas of application and has proven its scientific effectiveness. Some of the most significant research findings have shown positive training effects on muscle-mass (Kemmler & Von Stengel, 2013). Research from the German Sports University Cologne (Filipovic et al., 2012; Speicher et al., 2008) found significant improvements in speed and maximum strength after a period of EMS training. Research in the field of rehabilitation at the University of Bayreuth (Boeck-Behrens et al., 2002) has shown significant levels of pain relief in participants suffering from back pain. EMS training has further shown to be an effective training method for the elderly (Kemmler & Von Stengel, 2012) and for cardiologic patients, as research from Bad Oeynhausen has shown (Fritzsche et al., 2010).