This post was written by Pippa Turley. Pippa, a former Future Fit student, used her qualification to become an EMS Instructor. She shares details of the invaluable technology now shaping her work in the fitness industry. Pippa integrated EMS technology into her work to deliver time and space-efficient results to the people of Surrey from her home studio and in lockdown, in outdoor public spaces too (photo below taken 2019).
Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) training challenges the status quo of conventional gym training. Whether orientated towards building strength or burning calories, this futuristic training style can offer the results of a 90-minute traditional workout at a gym in just 20 minutes!1 But what benefits can EMS training offer to Fitness Professionals themselves?
Read on to discover more about how EMS can be a revolutionary tool for your fitness business, with expert advice from Sofie Husfeldt, XBody Master Trainer.
- Why EMS is so Popular
- Sofie Husfeldt – My Story as an EMS Trainer
- Sofie Husfeldt – Why I Believe EMS is a Beneficial Tool
- Sofie Husfeldt – Why EMS is a Game-Changer for the UK Fitness Industry
Why EMS Is So Popular
The enhanced results of EMS training are made possible by cleverly placed electrodes in a whole-body suit and a qualified instructor who expertly tailors a varied programme. The suit delivers electrical impulses to the major muscle groups. The instructor controls these through a device, activating fast-twitch muscle fibres from the outset of the strength programme.
Existing EMS instructors have remarked upon the high uptake, space efficiency and rapid results achievable with the wireless XBody technology. Along with its diverse applications both in and outdoors, CEO Lewis Thompson of London based EMS brand EXERCEO said:
“The short session time is perfect for professionals who can pop a meeting in the calendar, go train, change, and be back at their desk within the hour.
From a business perspective, we require only a tiny space in order to operate at full capacity, making the potential for our studios really huge. EMS is a truly 21st Century training solution and it won’t be long before it’s available in every city.”
Over the last decade, four key EMS business models have been distinguished:
- For small studios or franchises: Microstudio concept
- For mid-to-large sized fitness studios: Shop-in shop concept
- For personal trainers: Personal, VIP, Corporate concept
- For physiotherapists and medical experts: Medical concept
Lewis, at EXERCEO, runs several Micro studios across Central London and, now out of lockdown, is looking to expand into the South East in the coming months.
Sofie Husfeldt – My Story as an EMS Trainer
Sofie Husfeldt, XBody Master Trainer and behind the opening of many successful EMS studios across the UK and Denmark, shares why she has found EMS to be a game-changer in her career.
“I began EMS training 4 or 5 years ago. Unsatisfied at work and inspired by EMS, I decided to quit my job, become an XBody EMS instructor and start a new life in the fitness and wellness industry. EMS was spreading in Denmark, and my business grew fast. EMS is so great because results are completely accelerated. Even the sleepiest muscles in the body, like the traps and glutes, will fire, which improves posture alongside strength. EMS rebuilds lost mind-body connections, and movement is optimised completely.
Within that first year, my whole family relocated to the UK for my husband’s work. Though EMS was a much lesser-known training concept across the North Sea, I gained 50+ new clients within two months of launching, and 90% of my clients saw huge results. With this, I qualified as a Master Trainer to take EMS beyond Surrey and teach new instructors nationwide how to deliver perfect transformations.
Today, our XBody family in the UK consists of 20 knowledgeable professionals, mainly in the South, and our team is growing every single day. Professionals try EMS once or twice and realize that they can achieve much better results than without it and integrate it quickly into their existing fitness business. My dream is to have EMS training available in every UK town, just like in Germany and Brazil.”
Why I Believe EMS is a Beneficial Tool
“EMS makes you conscious of your body. The bodysuit filled with ergonomically placed electrodes doesn’t let your bigger muscle groups cheat and do the work for the smaller, sleepy ones. Even the weakest mind-muscle connections are activated, an impossible task without access to EMS. It is those sleepy muscles that cause imbalance, injury, and bad posture in the long term. EMS is a preventative and curative solution in one.
I love EMS because of the way it can be an effective treatment for injury and an effective training method in one. Even for professional athletes. It’s so flexible and safe. It’s efficient at building strength, correcting posture and beating those common excuses of ‘I have no time’ or ‘I can’t train because I’m injured’ or ‘I quit because I’m not seeing results’ that we are all too familiar with as exercise professionals. Unfortunately, for your unmotivated clients, EMS leaves no room for excuses.
With myself and my clients, I’ve found EMS so uniquely effective in rebuilding and reshaping the abdominal muscles after childbirth. The spreading of the abdominals is almost impossible to fix with traditional strength training because it’s dangerous to place strain on the muscles after being displaced. From 2 to 9 to 12 months (depending on the individual), I’ve seen post-childbirth abdominal muscles be completely realigned and reshaped in a safe way.”
Why EMS is a Game-Changer for the UK Fitness Industry
“I believe that EMS is going to transform the UK fitness market in the coming years. If we take Germany as an example, boutique studios offering EMS have been springing up countrywide, and gyms are now offering shop-in-shop EMS treatments in a small and designated space. EMS in the UK is young, and it’s a great time to get on board as the market begins to mature. It’s been wonderful to watch as EMS has enhanced and super-charged existing fitness businesses rather than replaced them, whilst simultaneously opening new markets up for professionals.
It’s a great business to run too! You have full control over the programming, delivery, and service style that you deliver. The XBody technology becomes your tool to deliver your best work. Back in Denmark now, I run 4 studios and I love my job. I can’t get enough. I help people get the best results they possibly can in a way that fits around their modern lifestyles and provides fast and visible transformations.”
To Conclude
From athletes to the elderly, a diverse fan base considers whole-body EMS training both time and results efficiently for strength building, weight loss, and injury rehab.
Ready to learn more about joining the XBody family? Visit emsworks.co.uk to get in touch.
Kemmer, W. et al (2016) Effects of Whole-Body Electromyostimulation versus High-Intensity Resistance Exercise on Body Composition and Strength. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2016, Article ID 9236809, 9 pages. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9236809