EMS Ab and Bicep Muscle Stimulator Workout Pads Review

EMS Ab and Bicep Muscle Stimulator Workout Pads Review

Buy it at Amazon: EMS Ab and Bicep Muscle Stimulator Workout Pads [Affiliate Link]

Takeaway: Good for toning/massaging muscle, strong EMS pulses, battery sometimes comes loose.

You'll receive three pieces in this set individually boxed. There's a large ab trainer pad and two bicep trainers. All the units are made of semi-rigid, flexible silicone. On the backs are the electrical stimulation points marked and templated to fit the gel pads in silver. The square box is the control unit which accepts the included CR2032 coin cell battery with each unit. You'll get a plastic 'key' to open the battery door, but if you lose it you can also use a coin. The battery is installed flat or positive side up and you should hear a beep if it is seated correctly (the door will close even if the battery isn't properly seated, but the unit won't turn on). The cardboard pads are for storage after applying the conductive sticky pads. You can store everything in the included ziptop bag, although my bags started to come apart at the side seams rather quickly. The spandex/neoprene belts are worn over the units to keep them in place and maintain good skin contact with the gel pads.

The instruction manual is pretty clear and illustrated, but note that the English section starts about halfway through the booklet. The control interface only has a plus and minus button to control the impulse intensity and on/off. The unit turns on as soon as you press the '+' button and starts at level 1, but can go up to level 20. The '-' button decreases the level and if you press and hold it, turns the unit off. Installing the gel pads for the units only takes a couple minutes. You just have to be careful not to let the pads fold onto themselves and try not to touch the sticky parts too much with your fingers during application.

Since I have a busy schedule, I don’t really have much time to work out at all. I use these machines at my desk while I'm working and each one runs for about 15 minutes. I can control the intensity and the bicep pads can also be used on other parts of your body like legs and back. For me, I currently use the ab trainer at about level 10 out of 20. The EMS pulses are moderately intense and at 20 can feel somewhat painful. The 'workout session' cycles through a number of different patterned pulses which range from short quick bursts to longer kneading contractions. With the ab trainer, it is slim enough to wear and use under a shirt. However, the bicep trainers are harder to use under clothing and the electrical pulses tends to run down my arm and shake it or contract my hand and fingers. This prevents me from using my hands while the bicep trainers are in use, so plan accordingly.

For me, I found that after 6 weeks of use about every other day, I did gain some muscle definition in my abs and got a very modest increase in mass in my bicep circumference (1/8""). The results occurred in absence of any other type of directed muscle training for these muscle groups. I wouldn't say that the EMS trainers are particularly good for weight loss as you don't burn a significant number of calories when using them. Their primary use in rehabilitation and physical therapy is to prevent muscle atrophy. They do induce very real fatigue after you use them though, so I recommend taking breaks between uses to recover.

The bicep pads are also quite nice as muscle massagers for other parts of your body and can work some tension out of your muscles if you’re experiencing pain or soreness. Overall, these EMS units are pretty effective muscle stimulators. The contractions are strong and they’re easy to apply and remove. They seems to help a little with muscle toning and preventing muscle loss, though for significant weight loss and large muscle gains you will need to implement a good diet and strength training plan.

Buy it at Amazon: EMS Ab and Bicep Muscle Stimulator Workout Pads [Affiliate Link]
Not in stock? Try this one from Gearbest: http://bit.ly/2MOTSca [Gearbest Affiliate Product Link]