Nowadays, there are new theories of how to get fit coming out pretty much every day.  This one though, you’ve probably never heard of, and also never even considered to be possible.  How about zapping your muscles with electricity during a regular traditional workout?

It’s actually known as Electro Muscle Stimulation, or in short simply as EMS.  In fact, it’s nothing too new, however only recently did it become used for group exercise thanks to an American fitness company – Shock Therapy.

The idea behind this unique method is to create resistance by triggering muscle movement through the use of electrical signals. Those in the workout wear a bulky suit, which is where the shocks are sent through.  The muscles are then stimulated, making them either twitch or slightly prickle, causing a feeling similar to that of being strapped to tightly fitted resistance bands.

According to the theory, the mere fact that your muscles are subjected to more work as they try to counteract the spasms, causes you to burn even more calories and build even more muscles.

Scientists have actually found it to be effective, however also see it to have certain limitations, such as the fact that it’s not much more effective than any other traditional workout, and the fact that it’s much more costly than other methods.

Athletes have been playing around with it for years, however it seems as though the investment is not entirely worth it for them, especially when they can simply add for weights or resistance bands to their workout.