The Best Muscle Stimulator to Improve Fitness and Recovery

nupush May 6, 2015 Perform Better, Recover Faster No Comments

Muscle stimulators are back and for good reasons, these machines have many benefits for athletes. Some of these include warming up, improved performance, enhancing strength, recovering faster and therapeutic message. The improvements to recovery and performance are astounding, but these devices are still not mainstream in the US. If you are looking for a competitive edge one of these machines might be just what you are looking for.

Athletes and fitness enthusiasts have using these devices for years to perform better and recover faster. For many it has become part of their recovery protocol because of its ability to speed up healing time after performing tough workouts. It allows people to have that a sense of relaxation, which they haven’t experienced during their regular way of cooling down.

Today I’m taking a look at 5 of the top rated muscle stimulators on the market that you can buy over the counter. I want to see which is the best to buy, hopefully this post will inform your decision. Here’s the list:

TruMedic TENS Unit Electronic Pulse Massager

People love this machine and why it’s on the top of the list. When you place it on the injured area, it overrides nerve signals to deceive your brain into believing that there’s no pain in that spot. As a result, you’ll experience immediate pain relief. After a day’s workout, your aching muscles will be relieved and relaxed. Thus, soreness won’t be felt the following day so you’ll be ready to get back in the gym for another training session.

Compared to other units on the market, this one has buttons with clearly labeled words for each body part, like “shoulder,” “back,” etc. It has other settings and features to provide accurate therapy provide relief. It also shows you what’s happening while you’re using it. Plus, it’s very small and light in weight allowing you to take it to the gym. Finally, it comes with built-in rechargeable batteries, so you don’t need to purchase a new set of batteries every month.

It’s made by a high-quality brand, so its performance is guaranteed to be of first-rate. It’s only in the $30 – $40 range on Amazon. Learn more about TruMedic

Omron electrotherapy Pain Relief Device PM3030

Like many devices the Omron can improve your recovery time wen using it. But what makes it different is that it is considered a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator. Simply put, you can use it as a drug-free pain relief that enhances blood flow while it increases the number of endorphins in the body.

Because, it’s an electronic muscle stimulator and, at the same time, a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator this device can be used for several different purposes. This device doesn’t have that many features and settings, so you won’t get confused when using it. It’s a high quality device because uses the same technology as the devices used by physical therapists. It has 3 pre-set programs and 5 levels of therapy intensity. The nice thing about this unit is that the pads can be used 150 times and are replaceable.

Cleared by the FDA, this unit is safe and effective to use with a one-year guarantee. The price is also inexpensive in the $20 – $30 range. Learn more Omron electrotherapy Pain Relief Device.

PurePulse Electronic Pulse Massager

Using the PurePule is user friendly and easy. It’s as simple as placing the electrodes to areas where you want the stimulators to work on. Then, choose from it’s three setting to either beat, knead or massage the area.

It has a dual-channel with six high-frequency modes for different levels of stimulation. This allows you to stimulate different muscle groups at different frequencies for maximum relief. This is great for difficult body parts like shoulder, joint, waist and foot soles, among others.

The FDA has approved the PurePule, which is proof that it is safe to use. This simple hand-held device also comes with a one-year warranty. Its price? Very affordable — in the $20 – $30 range on Amazon. Learn more about the PurePule

Magicfly Tens Electronic Pulse Massager Muscle Stimulator

The magicfly is touted as the simplest tens pulse machine. In addition to it being used for muscle improvement, it also speeds up recovery after hours of fitness routines. It’s ideal for those who regularly go to the gym and individuals who experience chronic muscular conditions.

This machine is small, light weight and compact so it is great for travel or trips to the gym. It has simple buttons again labeled for different body parts such as the shoulder, waist and hands. This makes using it easy and you’ll avoid any mistakes of selecting the wrong pulse or wave from. It has 5 auto stim programs and 3 massage settings and an automatic shut-off feature to avoid over-stimulating the muscles, which, by the way, can cause damage.

This great little starter unit can be found on Amazon, for around $30. Even though it utilizes AA batteries, it can provide you with greater power output. Learn more about the Magicfly Tens Electronic Pulse

COMPEX Performance Muscle Stimulator

The final stimulator on the list is a more advanced machine. While the other products focused on alleviating the muscle pain from intense workouts, Compex concentrates on truly providing you with muscle stimulation for both pre and post workout improvements. It operates the same way as other units do, but it has many more features to elevate your game. On the down side you’ll pay a big price for these features, but an additional edge on the competition it might be a worthy investment.

Instead of just giving you massage or beat settings, the Compex has more advanced setting that emphasize on endurance, resistance, strength, active and pre warm-up programs. It includes 5 programs to choose from to achieve top performance. It includes 4 easy snap wires and gel electrodes that are replaceable unlike other machines. The electrodes are easy to stick into place on your body and the machine is compact for travel.

It may be quite expensive but it’s worth the investment. At Amazon, you can get it at $579.99. Learn more about the COMPEX Performance Muscle Stimulator

Complete benefits of muscle stimulation

Strength training
It’s the main purpose of this equipment. It increases strength while enhances size and density of muscles as if the person using it had been lifting weights. When it’s paired with regular training routine, you’ll see great results.

Assists in rehabilitation
Many patients who’ve endured musculoskeletal injury also use muscle stimulators. It increases their strength when it’s accompanied by a prescribed therapy.

Improves blood flow
As previously mentioned, this equipment can help users recover quicker than usual. It does that by improving blood flow and removing lactic acid from the muscles to help users heal faster.

Prevents atrophy
In other words, it stops muscles from weakening after an injury or while recuperating from neurological diseases.

Conclusion

All of the units mentioned above provide you with preset programs, making them easy to use. You won’t have to guess what setting to choose for a certain situation. Their electrode pads can be re-used for many times before they need to be replaced with a newer set.

The nice thing about these machines is that they can be easily carried around as they’re handheld devices. They are about the same size as your TV remote control or a little larger. Because of their size, you can take it when you hit the gym so you can apply it right after working out.

You can see they provide a lot of benefits and worth the investment if you workout on a consistent basis and want to elevate your performance. You might want to start with one of the low-end starter machines before dropping some big bucks on a Compex.