The effects of lower body electromyostimulation training and detraining on performance

Electromyostimulation (EMS), is the electrical current applied externally muscle or nerve area to get muscle activation for the synchronous recruitment of fast motor units with slow motor units, which hard to be activated in voluntary contraction and unconventional training method used for the purpose of obtaining functional increases in athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate of the effects of a six-week lower body EMS training and a following four-week detraining on performance. Physically active but non-competitive volunteered 38 participants [age: 21.5±2.5year, body height: 175±6.5cm, body weight: 67.7±7.7kg, body mass index: 21.7±1.9kg/m², body fat percent: 14.4±5.3%] was divided into two groups as EMS group (EG, n=16) and voluntary group (IG, n=22). Pre-, post-training, and post-detraining anthropometric measurements, squat and countermovement jump, 40m sprint, isokinetic strength (knee extension-flexion at 60, 180 and 300o.s-1 angular velocities), anaerobic power and capacity were tested. EG participated a six week, two days a week EMS training with self-adhesive bands attached to major muscles of upper and lower leg and buttocks. It was synchronously adjusted to maximal voluntary isometric contractions with at the knee joint angle of 110-120°. EG participated the same training application without EMS. Nobody from the groups participated to lower body exercises during the detraining period. The differences among pre-, post-training, post detraining tests and measurements were tested with two way variance analysis. Logarithmic transformation was conducted on data baseline that violated of normality assumption. LSD (Least Significant Difference) post hoc test was used to the significant difference in ANOVA. There was a significant difference in training and detraining period between the groups (p=0.043) and within the groups (p=0.034) related to squat jumps. There were no significant differences between two groups in anthropometric and body fat percent measurements, countermovement jump, 40m sprint, left and right knee extension and flexion isokinetic strength values at 60, 180, and 300o.s-1 angular velocities, anaerobic power and capacity. These findings proved that the 6-week lower body EMS training and 4-week detraining were ineffective training period to the performance variables except squat jump. In conclusion, the findings indicated that lower body EMS training with maximal isometric contractions including maximally tolerated current intensity, applied to non-competitive physically active individuals, is not more effective than the conventional training. There are necessities for more comprehensive and detailed studies with different protocols.