When Tom Holland wanted to get in peak shape for his leading role in Marvel’s “Spider-Man” series, he turned to electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) training. Like his superhero alter-ego, the high-tech workout requires a specialized suit.
In at-home and in-studio workout classes, these futuristic workout suits transmit electrical pulses at controlled intervals. The pulses stimulate contractions in major muscle groups, simulating an intense, high-impact weightlifting session in a short amount of time.
Low-impact, high-intensity sessions
A 30-year tech industry veteran, Glenn Braunstein opened his EMS-based workout facility, Pulse Performance Studio, in Buckhead in 2024. Braunstein said the combination of advanced technology and cutting-edge fitness is what sets this modality apart.
“What makes EMS so unique is that it allows us to activate multiple major muscle groups simultaneously and intensify those contractions without relying on heavy weights or high-impact movements, so we can deliver a very challenging full-body workout in just 20 minutes,” Braunstein said.
At Pulse, class participants wear wireless, skin-tight suits with built-in battery packs. The intensity of electric stimulation mimics traditional heavy resistance training. A trainer controls the level and frequency of electrical pulses, which can engage up to 90 percent of muscle fibers at one time.
“We can individually adjust both the exercises and the intensity of the EMS stimulation, so someone who’s extremely fit can have a very demanding workout, while the person next to them can work at a completely different level,” Braunstein said.
Watch Rough Draft reporter Laura Scholz demonstrate an EMS workout
EMS training is also low-impact, making it safe for people with joint issues or returning to exercise post-injury. Braunstein also recommends classes for people who are taking GLP-1s, which can cause rapid weight loss.
“Resistance training, along with adequate protein and proper nutrition, can play a major role, and EMS provides a very efficient way to incorporate that strength training,” Braunstein said.
Flexible at-home workouts
A professional ballerina for more than 20 years, Maria Chapman knows first-hand how critical strength training is for dancers and other athletes.
Chapman discovered Katalyst, the first FDA-cleared EMS suit for at-home use, in 2018. She and her husband and business partner, six-time Ironman triathlete, Brendan Kennedy, now own the company.
“When I tried it for the first time, I was hooked, because it provided a 20-minute workout that felt like I had work out for hours. And, as a dancer, I knew what it felt like to work out for hours,” Chapman said.
As a parent to three young children, she relies on her portable Katalyst suit — and the brand’s app of 600-plus workouts — to stay in shape at-home and while traveling.
“I’ve taken my suit all over the world, and it keeps me consistent in my workouts and keeps my body strong,” Chapman said.
Just like with trainer-led sessions at studios like Pulse, Katalyst suits feature adjustable electrical stimulation options. The suit offers four frequency levels, from an intense “power” mode that targets fast-twitch muscles to a continuous, lower-frequency setting designed for cardio sessions like walking on a treadmill.
Katalyst even has a recovery mode, with a frequency designed specifically to flush out lactic acid and speed up muscle repair.
EMS training may look futuristic, but for working parents like Chapman and for people with tight schedules, the benefits are simple: maximum high-intensity, low-impact strength training that fits a busy lifestyle.
