Elite Traveler Summer 2022

LEADERS IN LUXURY

E-PULSIVE

EMS, or Electrical Muscle Stimulation, is a new workout craze that’s got London buzzing. Why? Simple. It’s the novel way to tone without having to spend hours in the gym each week. It works by sending low-frequency impulses (think of them as painless zaps) to contract your muscles while you perform basic moves, from squats to lunges and presses. The best part is that it only takes 20 minutes, so it suits not just those with busy lifestyles but also people who don’t want to devote hours on end to the gym. EMS has been around for a while but has been predominantly used by athletes to improve performance and aid recovery — the likes of Usain Bolt and Dina Asher-Smith are both big fans. To fi nd out more about the trend, we sat down with Spanish-born Eladio de Leon, co-founder of London-based EMS studio E-Pulsive, who takes us through the ins and outs of the gym tech.

So, what is EMS? EMS training is a full-body workout that targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously and engages 98% of your muscles on every zap. It uses electrical currents to create controlled contractions deep into the muscles, which are similar to the messages sent by the central nervous system to muscles during a regular workout. The impulses are more targeted and focus on the key parts of our bodies we are always looking to tone, from legs to glutes, biceps and abs. Essentially, it’s a lower-impact strength training session designed virtually for anyone, no matter their fi tness level. How did E-Pulsive start? When I was studying in Germany, I saw it was hugely popular with the fi tness locals and decided to try it for myself. A year later, I lost lots of weight, got very toned and achieved the body I had always wanted. At the time I moved to the UK, nobody had a clue what EMS was, and I wanted to change that. At fi rst, we started with a small studio in Knightsbridge, and o ff ered home sessions to locals in search of something di ff erent from all the other usual workouts on the market. E-Pulsive’s success started with word of mouth, and we got the support of all sorts of celebrities from Courteney Cox to Poppy Delevingne, which helped spread the word of this new cool and e ff ective way of spicing up your exercise routine. Eladio de Leon Co-Founder, E-Pulsive

Why choose EMS over another workout? It takes just 20 minutes. Most people are pressed for time, and in the busy, ever-changing world we live in, they can end up neglecting themselves. EMS is all about convenience at your own pace. It’s easy to do, e ff ective and is results-led. Over time it will help you achieve the goals and results of a personalized fi tness routine tuned to your own beat. EMS is about what you want to look like, not what a trainer dictates you should look like. What are the bene fi ts? It’s the future of fi tness. Just twice a week, 20 minutes of training over six weeks can help reduce average body fat by about 4%. Another perk is that it is all targeted to speci fi c parts of your body, especially the deep layer of muscles which helps reduce weight bearing and joint damage that your body may be prone to in more traditional workouts and classes. In addition, if you’ve damaged muscles as a result of a previous injury, EMS is a great way of building muscle without putting more pressure on your body and causing even more damage. Tell us about the tech behind the suits. We’ve been looking at the technology since 2014 when the business started. When we fi rst opened, we used big bulky machines that hooked you up to a great big box that was not very user-friendly in terms of really

stretching your body through a traditional HIIT. Then we found our current suits, which work on a completely wireless basis. Aside from its good looks, the kit can be tailored just for you, and custom-made at your request. Is EMS training more planet-friendly? The suit lasts for years. It’s not like a weight, or a machine or a rubber band that needs a lot of TLC. It’s built to be a long-term product, and this means the tech behind it is built to withstand and hopefully reduce waste. Can you use one on your own private jet?! Yes! We’ve done it before. Our trainers, as well as our suits, are the most portable gym accessories out there today. It’s a matter of just asking, and we’ll sort the rest. e-pulsive.co.uk

Photos Eva Espresso, Can Yesil / Shutterstock.com