To build up the drama, I kept telling everyone I know that I was going to be getting electrocuted for my next fitness review. To be honest, it was an attempt at a humorous cover up for the fact that I was really nervous as to what exactly was about to go down at First Salt Room on that fateful Tuesday morning in September.
I had signed up for an EMS session. EMS stands for Electro- Muscle Stimulation in which a device is hooked up to a jacket and Velcro straps through which electricity is distributed.
The idea is that by sending electro-stimulation straight to the muscles, the muscles respond with much more intense muscle contractions than if they were simply being targeted by weight training alone.
Hence, a 20-minute session of EMS is equal to almost an hour and a half of a strength training session in the gym! Not hard to see what all the hype over EMS is, in a world where people barely have enough time to sit down for a proper meal, much less make time for the gym.
After a briefing session with the Business Development Manager of FSR, Ahmad, I felt like I was pretty well informed as to what I was about to venture into. While Ahmad was super helpful in terms of informing me about EMS and its benefits, he was also pretty good at adding to my already nervous state by enthusiastically mentioning how I probably won’t feel much while doing the exercises, but will definitely wake up unable to walk the next day from how sore I would be.
And with that, I began to suit up. I was given a special suit – ¾ length stretchy top and separate pants, which would allow for the impulses to flow easily to my muscles. Then came the jacket. This thing was totally out of Mission Impossible; it was easy enough to put on, and had wires coming out from everywhere. Also, it was COLD.
Apparently it needs to be wet, so before the workout began I was already feeling very odd at the newness of the outfit. Then came the exposure to the electro-impulses. As my trainer, Kosta (super nice guy who helped me feel a little less nervous as he cranked up the electricity) told me, I tried to focus on the impulses feeling more like a massage and less on the fact that I was being pumped with electricity. It felt like a buzzing, tingly feeling and after a couple of minutes, I began to get used to it.
Kosta then led me through my 20-minute session of basic exercises with things such as crunches, wall sit and bicep curls. The workout wasn’t difficult at all although I did complain a bit as sometimes, when the jacket would get tight on my back or buttocks, I would feel the impulses even stronger on those muscles and freak out.
I was surprised with how quickly the session finished! I walked out of the studio feeling like I was still buzzing and some of my muscles kept twitching throughout the day. I was pretty satisfied that I had had a good workout, however I was interested to see how sore I would be the next day.
Turns out, I should have let Kosta push me more because while I did feel a bit of soreness in a few muscles, it was nowhere near as bad as what I had been told it could be. Bummer.
All in all, it was an interesting experience and surprisingly pleasant. Throwing in some EMS sessions (2-3 per week) along with some cardio could result in good muscle gain and fat loss. Plus the session is so short it’s refreshing to feel like you are getting maximum output within such a short amount of time!
A drawback is the parking situation in JLT. Although the studio is located in Cluster F, it’s much better to park in Cluster E and walk (it’s still a short walk). The music wasn’t special, either, but the team there is quite cool so if you brought your own I think they’d be able to hook it up. Also, the studio in which the exercise is done in is a small, enclosed space and would definitely be more enjoyable in a room with windows and some better lighting.
That said, I definitely think it’s worth a try for anyone really short on time but keen to get more toned and lose fat.
And FSR is currently running a promotion: 199 AED/session when you buy 10 and you get the 11th session for free. Sessions require booking ahead of time.
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss Aya’s fitness review of Speedflex