The Effects Of Weekly Frequency Of Whole-body Electrostimulation On Morphofunctional Adaptations Active Healthy Men

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of weekly frequency of whole-body electrostimulation (WB-EMS) on morphofunctional adaptations in active men. METHODS: Thirty-four individuals (25.9 ± 1.36 years) were divided into 4 groups: a control group (GC, n = 10), a group that trained 1x a week (1x, n = 8), a group that trained 2x a week (2x, n = 8), and a group that trained 3x a week (3x, n = 8). All experimental groups trained for 8 weeks. The training sessions consisted of 8 exercises, using body weight, with two sets of 8 repetitions each. To carry out the WB-EMS protocol, the equipment was adjusted to release a bipolar electric current with a frequency of 85 Hz, impulse amplitude of 350 μs, with 4 seconds of stimulation and 2 seconds of replacement. Muscular endurance (1-minute sit-ups and push-ups tests), cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2Max), and vastus lateralis muscle thickness (VL) were analyzed. RESULTS: Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in the 1-minute sit-up test for 1x (pre: 28.8 ± 2.2 reps vs post: 31.9 ± 2.6 reps, ES: 1.29), 2x (pre: 29.0 ± 8.9 reps vs post: 34.4 ± 9.1 reps, ES: 0.60), and 3x (pre: 28.7 ± 8.6 reps vs post: 34.2 ± 10.8 reps, ES: 0.56). Regarding the push-up test, significant increases (p < 0.05) were seen only in the 2x (pre: 30.8 ± 12.2 reps vs post: 38.8 ± 10.0 reps, ES: 0.72) and 3x (pre: 28.8 ± 7.3 reps vs. post: 36.1 ± 4.7 reps, ES: 1.19). VO2Max also increased significantly in 1x (pre: 36.8 ± 5.6 ml.kg.min-1vs 39.2 ± 3.7 ml.kg.min-1, ES: 0.52), 2x (pre: 36.9 ± 5.8 ml.kg.min-1vs post: 39.0 ± 5.4 ml.kg.min-1, ES: 0.37), and 3x (pre: 35.8 ± 7.9 ml.kg.min-1vs post: 40.6 ± 8.3 ml.kg.min-1, ES :0.58). The 1x (pre: 23.9 ± 1.1 mm vs post: 26.0 ± 1.4 mm, ES: 1.66), 2x (pre: 23.2 ± 2.8 mm vs post: 26.5 ± 5.0 mm, ES: 0.81), and 3x groups (pre: 23.3 ± 5.2 mm vs post: 27.8 ± 6.3 mm, ES: 0.78), also showed significant increases in VL thickness (p < 0.05) when compared to the CG. In addition to these results, in general, it was observed that, the higher the weekly frequency, the better/more important the increases in the analyzed variables. CONCLUSION: The data shows that, the higher the weekly frequency of WB-EMS, the more important the morphofunctional adaptations in physically active individuals submitted to WB-EMS.