Since humans became aware of the existence of electric current, they have tried to apply that power to their own body. As detailed in a report by The Wall Street Journalthis fascination goes back a long way: from the ancient Roman belief in the healing impact of torpedo fish, to the famous vibrating belt machines that promised to sculpt silhouettes in the 1950s.
Today, the industry fitness has taken it a step further with whole body muscle electrostimulation (WB-EMS). The concept itself seems straight out of a science fiction movie: users don a wet suit covered in electrodes that delivers simultaneous shocks to major muscle groups for about 20 minutes.
The marketing hook is irresistible, as these strength and bodyweight training sessions are sold as the ultimate shortcut to replacing hours of sweat in the gym. On social networks, dozens of influencers They upload videos doing squats and arm lifts while wearing this bionic suit. But, beyond the aesthetics and the promise of a toned body with little effort, what is true in all this?
From the clinic to global fashion
The technology behind electrostimulation is not a recent invention nor was it born in a trendy gym. Initially, it was used in hospitals and rehabilitation settings for a strictly medical purpose: to relieve pain, prevent muscle atrophy in bedridden patients, and improve circulation. However, in recent years, it has experienced explosive growth as a business model. fitness.
The data is there. On the ClassPass platform, the number of centers offering EMS training worldwide increased more than 16% between 2023 and 2025. International franchises such as the French Iron Bodyfit plan to open more than 50 studios in the United States in the next three years, while the Californian company Body20 has gone from 46 to 67 locations nationwide since 2023. All this despite the fact that it is not an economic activity: classes cost between $40 and $100 per session.
To understand the phenomenon, you have to understand how the experience works. The wet suit—water is necessary to conduct electricity effectively—sends electrical impulses directly to the muscle. This forces a greater percentage of muscle fibers to contract simultaneously involuntarily.
As described by journalist Ellen Gamerman in The Wall Street Journalthe physical sensation is similar to that of receiving a call on a mobile phone in vibrate mode, with the difference that, in this case, “you are the phone.” Combined with core exercises, the level of muscle contraction makes the effort feel as intense as a high-intensity interval (HIIT) class. If you extend one arm without bending it slightly, the current can cause it to lock up completely until the trainer lowers the intensity of the machine.
But who is attracted to this technology? Helge Guetzlaff, business development director of the German brand Miha Bodytec, joked in the American newspaper claiming that it attracts “a lot of lazy people.” However, Sabine Padar, owner of the exclusive Body Alchemist NYC studio, points out that she often has to convince her clients that spending more hours in the gym is not the only way to gain muscle. She insists that EMS sessions aren’t necessarily easier than traditional training, they’re just faster.
The user profile is varied: from women concerned about losing strength during menopause to fashion professionals, such as Max Auth, a director of the Wolford brand who confesses to spending about $300 a month on these sessions to maintain his figure with a minimal investment of time.
The reality bath
Faced with marketing claims that “20 minutes are equivalent to 4 hours in the gym”, the scientific community has decided to take action on the matter. Cedric X. Bryant, executive director of the American Council on Exercise, points in WSJ that these claims are hyperbolic and that what one should expect from these workouts is being greatly exaggerated, while acknowledging that they may offer mild to moderate improvements.
To shed light on the matter, various studies have analyzed the real impact of WB-EMS on different population groups:
- In older and sedentary adults: A research published in Clinical Interventions in Aging demonstrated the effectiveness of this technology in sedentary and thin older women, at risk of sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass) and abdominal obesity. After subjecting a group of 23 women to 18 minutes of WB-EMS (three sessions every 14 days) for 12 months, the results showed significant and positive differences in appendicular muscle mass and a reduction in abdominal fat mass compared to the control group. The study concluded that, given the good acceptance of the technology, WB-EMS is a valid and less daunting alternative for subjects who do not want or cannot do conventional exercise.
- In recreational athletes: Another essay published in Frontiers in Physiology analyzed the effects of WB-EMS in male recreational runners. For 6 weeks, participants reduced their running training to a single day per week and added a weekly WB-EMS session. The results indicated that the electrostimulation group improved their maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), their ventilatory thresholds, their running economy and their vertical jump. This suggests that WB-EMS may be an effective stimulus to maintain and even improve performance in periods where resistance training volume is reduced.
- The definitive comparison (The WB-EMS is not a miracle): To check whether electrostimulation is really superior to classic sweating, the FIT-AGEING project evaluated 89 sedentary middle-aged adults. A rigorous study also published in Frontiers in Physiology divided the subjects into three 12-week programs: traditional concurrent training (recommended by WHO), high intensity interval training (HIIT), and HIIT added to WB-EMS. Finally, all types of exercise induced similar increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength. In fact, the scientists explicitly concluded that the changes observed in the WB-EMS group were not superior to those of the other conventional exercise programs. The suit does not provide any extra decisive advantage compared to sweating the shirt in a traditional way.
The silent danger of overexertion
Despite the obvious benefits, WB-EMS is not a toy and carries risks if not properly supervised. As he warns The Wall Street Journalthis practice eliminates familiar biological markers of burnout; Since the muscle is contracting involuntarily, it is very difficult for the user to calibrate their real level of effort.
Francisco J. Amaro-Gahete, Spanish researcher leading the WB-EMS study (and author of several of the studies mentioned), warns in the American media of a serious danger: rhabdomyolysis. It is a severe muscle breakdown caused by excessive effort that can lead to kidney failure. “It is not a trivial intervention,” emphasizes the expert.
Other precautions are added to this. Alex Lagoutte, owner of two Iron Bodyfit franchises in New York, acknowledges that there have been cases of people fainting during sessions. The intense vibrations and the novelty of the sensation sometimes cause first-time clients to forget something as basic as breathing, or come without having eaten properly. In addition, there are absolute contraindications: it is a practice that is totally discouraged for people with pacemakers and patients with certain chronic health conditions. Therefore, the figure of an accredited trainer responsible for controlling the machine is non-negotiable.
The ‘boom’ of electrostimulation suits is not a simple scam, but it is not the absolute panacea that will free us from physical effort. For German researcher Wolfgang Kemmler, a pioneer in the study of this technology, WB-EMS can be considered a solid option for those people who “are unwilling or unable to participate in conventional exercise programs,” but who seek to improve their muscular fitness for healthy aging.
Well-known figures from the world of biohackinglike Bulletproof Coffee founder Dave Asprey, have been integrating EMS into their routine for years and say the results are “remarkable.” Like Asprey declares in the Wall Street Journal: “I have no problem with someone saying, ‘All my muscles come from electricity.'”
In short, whole body electrostimulation is a fascinating tool supported by scientific literature to improve health and strength parameters in record time. However, the science is clear: putting on a wetsuit with electrodes will get you in shape, but it will not make you better or give you more physiological benefits than going to the gym, lifting weights and sweating out your shirt the old-fashioned way. Electricity can give you a valuable boost, but human effort, at least for now, still does not have a magic button that can completely replace it.
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