Muscle Stimulation – Optimally Train, Treat and Relax Your Muscles

Either electrical impulses are generated via electrodes or muscle contractions are triggered with mechanical impulses. This might normally conjure up images of sci-fi films. However, in the sporting world this futuristic scenario has long been common practice for many athletes. Regardless of whether you are shooting goals or pounding the track as an athlete, muscle stimulation is now commonplace in virtually all sports events. Even in endurance sports such as cycling or triathlons, stimulating one’s muscles with specially designed machines is part and parcel of their sport. So it's no surprise that you will find a wide range of devices for electronic muscle stimulation, also known as EMS (electric muscle stimulation), in the sports electronics section of the BIKE24 webshop. Moreover, non-electric muscle stimulators are also offered, such as massage guns.

In principle, muscle stimulation is a treatment method in which impulses are initiated in the muscles. Such impulses cause muscles to contract and in doing so improve blood circulation. Muscle stimulation is mainly performed directly on the skin, but can also be initiated in a non-electrical manner. The current and intensity of the impulses vary based on the desired effect. The effect of muscle stimulation has been scientifically proven and may differ depending on the area of application. It is therefore not a coincidence that muscle stimulators are regarded as an essential piece of for serious cycling equipment.

As a professional cyclist or triathlete, you can benefit from muscle stimulation in several ways. Firstly, the treatment method can be utilised to warm up your muscles before commencing your sport and therefore minimise the risk of being injured. Secondly, muscle stimulation can be used after the sport is finished to accelerate muscle regeneration, as blood circulation is improved. Muscle stimulation is also a great way to target certain muscle groups and so promote muscle development. 

The Benefits of Muscle Stimulation at a Glance:

• Particularly time-saving and efficient training
• Improves blood circulation
• Specific targeting of muscle groups and targeted support of muscle development
• Warm-up prior to a training session or competition
• Accelerated regeneration after completing a training session or competition

As previously mentioned, muscle stimulators are grouped into electrical and mechanical devices. Both versions have their pros and cons, which we list in the following section. 

For the electronic muscle stimulators, you stick electrodes onto the muscles to be stimulated. The electrical pulses are then used for specific training or a targeted massage. The benefits here are a more targeted application and results with higher precision. The disadvantages though are its more complex application as well as increased costs.

In contrast, the application works extremely quickly on mechanical stimulators such as massage guns. That’s because all you need to do is connect the device and you’re off. These devices also tend to be a tad cheaper. The application does, however, call for greater expertise, as you first need to master applying the right points with the right level of intensity.

In addition to the previously mentioned handheld massagers, there are also more affordable variants of equipment for mechanical muscle stimulation. The keyword here is the so-called muscle fascia, i.e. the conjunctive tissue that surrounds the muscles. In case of tension, you can gently knead these structures with a fascia roll or, in the case of very precisely localized problems, with a fascia ball in just a few minutes.
If your tension is so great that active movement via a fascia roll or ball becomes difficult, we recommend that you use a massage ball or a roller with a massage function. Even cheaper than massage guns or EMS muscle stimulation devices are electric massage accessories that allow you to regenerate faster. Small integrated electric motors set the massage rollers in vibration and loosen even deep-lying tensions with gentle vibrations.

The legs of a human being generate a large part of the power when cycling, but also in other sports. Regeneration is particularly important after intensive rides, competitions, units and workouts - apart from the typical baths in the ice bucket, many professional athletes now also rely on a softer method of muscle stimulation: so-called leg massagers. Visually reminding of high boots, these foot and leg massagers are electrically powered and use pulsating pneumatic compression from all sides to stimulate blood flow. This, in turn, promotes the removal of toxins, which can otherwise lead to the dreaded muscle soreness. Like other electro-mechanical muscle stimulation devices, leg massagers are a bit more costly. However, this pays off, because body and mind are thus given significantly more rest.

The risks associated with muscle stimulation are low, if used intensively there is the potential to cause injury to your muscles. The same applies to an actual training session: if you train for too long, too intensively and too frequently, you will also damage your muscles or overtrain them. Another risk of muscle stimulation is that it underestimates the importance of classic training, as you overly rely on electrical training. We therefore only recommend using muscle stimulation as a training aid, for instance, for regeneration after a training session or competition.

Regardless of whether you’ve got your eyes on an electronic or mechanical model – in our sports electronics section you can find a wide range of muscle stimulation devices that can help you train or relax muscles. We stock classic electric stimulators, for example, but also handheld massagers. Moreover, we offer massage guns and accessories such as replacement electrodes for the corresponding stimulators. If you want to push your regeneration independently of electronics, we also have a large selection of fascia balls and rollers in our range.