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Oxygen consumption and muscle fatigue induced by whole-body electromyostimulation compared to equal-duration body weight circuit training

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Abstract

Background

Whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) has become increasingly popular under the promise to offer a time-saving and effective exercise protocols. Few studies estimating the training intervention intensity of WB-EMS are available in the literature.

Aim

The aim of this study was first to estimate the metabolic demand and muscle fatigue induced by a training session with WB-EMS, and second to compare them to a control intervention.

Methods

Ten young participants performed two training sessions: an experimental condition constituted by five exercises with superimposed WB-EMS and a control condition constituted by five body weight exercises. Both sessions lasted 15 min and were based on isometric intermittent contraction (6 of contraction interspersed by 4 s of rest). Muscle fatigue was assessed by determining the force decrease in the following tests: isometric mid-thigh pull; plyometric push-up; counter-movement jump. Oxygen consumption and energy expenditure were recorded by measuring respiratory gases exchange to quantify the metabolic demand of the exercises.

Results

The WB-EMS intervention required greater volume of oxygen consumed (WB-EMS 1584 ± 251 ml/min; control 1465 ± 216 ml/min, p = 0.006) and energy expenditure (WB-EMS 470 ± 71 kcal/h; control 438 ± 61 kcal/h, p = 0.013) than in control intervention. Overall, the WB-EMS training induced muscle fatigue (all PRE vs POST tests p ≤ 0.02) whereas the body weight exercises did not (all p > 0.14).

Conclusions

These results indicate that WB-EMS intervention constituted a vigorous physical activity. The WB-EMS required also a greater metabolic demand and greater muscle fatigue than a traditional body weight circuit training. Thus, WB-EMS can be considered as an alternative training tool for physically active individuals.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CMJ:

Counter-movement jump

IMTP:

Isometric mid-thigh pull

MET:

Metabolic equivalent

WB-EMS:

Whole-body electromyostimulation

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Mara D’Alessandro, Damiano Fruet, Federica Gilli, Roberto Modena, and Andrea Zignoli for their valuable help in data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CeRiSM Research Center “Sport, Mountain, and Health”, via del Ben 5/b, 38068, Rovereto, TN, Italy

    Gennaro Boccia, Alessandro Fornasiero, Aldo Savoldelli, Lorenzo Bortolan, Federico Schena & Barbara Pellegrini

  2. Department of Medical Sciences, Motor Science Research Center, School of Exercise and Sport Sciences, SUISM, University of Turin, 12, Piazza Bernini, 10143, Turin, Italy

    Gennaro Boccia & Alberto Rainoldi

  3. Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Verona, Via Casorati 43, 37137, Verona, Italy

    Gennaro Boccia, Alessandro Fornasiero, Aldo Savoldelli, Lorenzo Bortolan, Federico Schena & Barbara Pellegrini

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  1. Gennaro Boccia
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  2. Alessandro Fornasiero
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Correspondence to Gennaro Boccia.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the local ethical committee (Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona) and performed in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.

Informed consent

All participants provided their written informed consent before participation in the experiments.

Additional information

The research was conducted at CeRiSM Research Center “Sport, Mountain, and Health”, via del Ben 5/b, 38068, Rovereto, (TN), Italy.

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Boccia, G., Fornasiero, A., Savoldelli, A. et al. Oxygen consumption and muscle fatigue induced by whole-body electromyostimulation compared to equal-duration body weight circuit training. Sport Sci Health 13, 121–130 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-016-0335-4

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