By Henri Schmidt - Founder & CEO of VBTec/Visionbody, Muscle Expert
If you are a fitness enthusiast, a biohacker, or someone seeking longevity, you have likely encountered terms like EMS, TENS & EMA in your online searches.
As someone with over 35 years of experience in the fitness and health industry and the founder of Visionbody, the pioneer of EMS suits, I know that understanding these differences is the key to choosing a tool that actually transforms your body.
In this article, I aim to clarify the differences between these technologies, which are often grouped together, as well as answer the most common questions I have received so far.
TENS vs. EMS: Pain Relief vs. Performance
What Is TENS?
TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, and is built for one thing and one thing only, and that is: pain management.
How does TENS work? It sends low electrical impulses through your skin to stimulate your sensory nerves to block pain signals from reaching your brain. It is fantastic for chronic back pain or post-surgical recovery, but it will not build an ounce of muscle because the electrical impulses used by a TENS machine don’t reach your muscle fibers.
What Is EMS?
EMS stands for Electrical Muscle Stimulation, and it works by delivering controlled electrical impulses to your muscle fibers through an EMS suit, triggering involuntary muscle contractions. With a high-quality EMS system, your body can recruit significantly more muscle fibers in less time compared to a conventional workout.
My wife and I had a very educational discussion on a podcast called Performance Driven Living, where we explained what EMS is and what it does for the body, and we also talked at large about our Visionbody suit.
Watch it for more information about the technology and the benefits it brings for your health.
EMS Is Used For:
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Muscle strengthening
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Gaining muscle mass
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Muscle recovery
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Fat loss
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Body toning
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Skin tightening
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Cellular rejuvenation
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Rehabilitation
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Muscle re-education
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Performance support
EMS is widely used in:
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Physical therapy
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Sports medicine
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Professional fitness
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Advanced recovery protocols
Do EMS and TENS use the same frequency range?
No, they typically use different frequency ranges, tailored to their specific purposes.
1. EMS Frequency Range
EMS devices usually operate in the range of **20 Hz to 100 Hz**.
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Purpose of Frequency: The frequencies used in EMS are chosen to induce muscle contractions. Lower frequencies (around 20-50 Hz) are used for slow-twitch muscle fibers, which are involved in endurance activities, while higher frequencies (50-100 Hz) target fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are involved in short bursts of power or speed.
2. TENS Frequency Range
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Frequency Range: TENS devices typically operate within a broader range of 1 Hz to 150 Hz** or even higher, depending on the mode.
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Low-Frequency TENS (1-10 Hz) is often used to promote endorphin release, which can provide longer-lasting pain relief.
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High-Frequency TENS (50-150 Hz or more) is used to block pain signals through the "gate control theory" of pain management, providing immediate but often shorter-lasting relief.
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Purpose of Frequency: The goal in TENS is to modulate pain signals, either by stimulating endorphin production (low frequency) or by blocking pain transmission to the brain (high frequency).
What Is EMA?
EMA uses electrical impulses to stimulate the nerves that control muscle contraction, rather than directly stimulating the muscle fibers themselves, and by doing so, it improves neuromuscular function, enhances muscle performance, and optimizes muscle activation patterns. If EMS says to the nerve, "Tell the muscle to move," then EMA is the one that says to the muscle, "Wake up and work."
Key differences between EMS and EMA
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Target: EMS directly stimulates muscle fibers to contract, whereas EMA targets the nerves that innervate the muscles to optimize their activation.
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Application: EMS is commonly used for muscle strengthening, rehabilitation, and recovery purposes. EMA is often used for enhancing neuromuscular function, improving muscle coordination, and optimizing movement patterns.
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Effect on Muscle: EMS primarily focuses on muscle contraction and strength building, while EMA focuses on improving the nervous system's control over muscle activation.
Why the "Frequency Cocktail" used by Visionbody is a Game Changer
If you want to reach a high level of performance, then low frequencies are simply not enough because they primarily reach the superficial muscle layers. To be able to reach the deep stabilizers and the powerful fast-twitch (Type II) fibers that protect your body as you age, you need Middle Frequency.
That's why we developed a unique "frequency cocktail" approach by mixing low and middle frequencies. To ensure:
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Deeper Penetration: Middle frequency currents (typically in the kHz range) penetrate deeper into the tissues compared to low frequency currents. This deeper penetration allows for more extensive stimulation of muscle fibers and motor nerves that are located deeper within the muscle tissue.
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No Plateau: Just like your body gets used to the same weight in the gym, it can adapt to a single frequency. Our complex programs constantly vary the signal so your muscles never stop progressing.
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Enhanced Comfort: Middle frequencies are much more comfortable on the skin, allowing for higher intensity without the "stinging" sensation.
In essence, a combination of frequencies in electrical stimulation offers a more comprehensive approach to muscle activation and therapy by targeting a broader range of muscle fibers, improving muscle coordination, and potentially reducing discomfort associated with higher intensity low frequency stimulation.
Conclusion
There you have it: if you’re looking to lose fat, build muscle, or simply maintain your mobility as you age, the technology you choose matters. And the best choice that can help you achieve that is an EMS suit; because you can’t expect to build your muscle mass using a TENS machine.
And if you want to use the best of the best, give our suit a chance and experience for yourself the magic of the „frequency cocktail” we use.
