are electronic gym kits harmful??

Subject: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: iRiShBaBe
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 05:14 PM

heya guys, my best friend arrived home from a shopping spree yesterday with an electric gym. its a things with 10 pads that you put onto your muscles to tone them up.you get an electric 'shock' every couple of seconds with it. i had to be all praise for it to my pal because she just dished out nearly 200Euro for it but i couldnt help think that it must do SOME damage, i mean electricity runnin through your musles cant be good for you, right??

please let me know if ye know anything bout this thing-a-majig.

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 05:42 PM

One of our local TV stations did a "consumer info" test on one of these things.

Two people tried it out for them. One gave up after a few days, because he said "it hurts."

The other "subject" stayed with it for two weeks, but couldn't tell that it accomplished anything.

Speculation, based on their interviews, would be that the guy who quit had enough subdermal fat to prevent the "signals" from reaching his muscles. He was just "frying his fat."

The more slender female subject did get some "muscle contraction" from it, but apparently not enough to really do anything for her.

Not a very "scientific" test, but the result is what I would have expected. "It only really works if you don't really need it."

John

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 05:48 PM

Hi, IrishBabe: They just did a big study on those Abs will you eat pizza machines. I wouldn't worry about it doing anything harmful. Or helpful, either. They're based on electronic stimulus machines that have been used therapeutically for people who've had accidents and have lost muscle tone in their arms or legs. The problem with the store bought ones (and they're selling millions of them over here,) is that they don't deliver enough of an electrical stimulus to do any good. They did a case study with two groups... one receiving the electrical shock of the commercial brands, and one receiving a shock so low as to be completely meaningless. It takes a healthy shock to cause a muscle contraction strong enough to do any good. After several weeks of testing, there was no difference between the two groups in appearance, waist size, or any other measurement they could come up with. The only inches you're likely to lose are in your wallet. Even though the shock level isn't adequate to promote beneficial results, it can be too unpleasant for some people. Your friend (I'd think about saying anything to her) isn't going to burn fat. Most likely, she got "burned." And, you can't even hang your clothes on them once you stop using them like you can a treadmill or excercise bike.

That's what I read, just a couple of days ago.

Jerry (where ARE my abs, anyway?)

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 05:54 PM

Get a fitness ball instead. It's one of the highest rated fitness items, and you can pick one up for very little money. Even though I have done Every Kind of Crunch Known to Man, crunches on the ball are HARD because you don't have the floor to push from.

If you want to build muscles, the old adage is true: no pain, no gain. :-)

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 07:11 PM

I read the heading on thus thread and thought it said "Are electronic drum kits harmful?" - wishful thinking on my part maybe...

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 09:11 PM

Don't Feel badly, McGrath: I thought that the thread "An age-old dilemma" was "An old-age dilemma." Life must be creeping up on us. :-)

Jerry

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: alison
Date: 08 Mar 02 - 11:00 PM

I have used them therapeutically in the form of TENS (Transcutaneous Electrial Nerve Stimulation)machines ..... this is smaller versions of the machines which are used in sports / muscular injuries.... I have also used them on labouring women..... the stimluation makes the body produce more endorphins (natural pain killers) and can reduce the need for drugs (eg pethidine).... when I was a student midwife I did a project to see if it was effective.... and in my group most of the women got to 3cm further dilated (than the ones who didn't use TENS.... and yes I know everyone has different pain thresholds anyway)before they needed drugs....

the bigger ones for muscle toning I have tried and they do seem to work for me (it tones the muscles but doesn't shift the fat... so if you could actually see through the padding I have great toned abs underneath!!! lol)..... and yes if you turn them up to high they hurt!!... the idea is to turn them up until it becomes uncomfortable... then reduce it a bit.. and when you get used to it... increase again as before.....

there are beauty clinics who use the BIG machines... and they also wrap you in a heated blanket thingy.... apparently the heated thingy "melts" the fat while the machine tones you........ as we say at home "Do I look like I came up the Lagan in a bubble!!"

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Little Hawk
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 02:15 AM

Sounds like an interesting thing to try out, but I'd hesitate to spend a bunch of money on it.

- LH

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Alice
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:28 PM

Like alison, I've had results in toning ab muscles using an electrical stimulation method. The belt I used was about $60 US, has two batteries. It fits snugly against your skin using velcro to fasten it. It quickly tightened muscles I could not target just with crunches and other exercises that I do. It does tingle enough to hurt if you turn it on too high. You build up a resistance to the shock, so gradually you can increase the power. I wouldn't get one with all the pads and wires - the belt is easier to use.

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:31 PM

The ones with the pads and wires, Bruce Lee used to use on occasion...

Good enough for him eh?

Me, I'll stick to my wash-tub abs...

;-)

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: GUEST,SharonA at the library
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 01:35 PM

I've heard on TV news that, in the US, the FDA (national Food and Drug Administration)wants to take these machines off store shelves, claiming that they fall under the FDA's jurisdiction and should be regulated by them. Nothing has been removed from the market yet; stay tuned!

Sharon

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: katlaughing
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 07:28 PM

There's one company which is selling them in tv ads for $19.95 and for THAT your get TWO belts! They even explain why they are able to offer them at such a low, low price!

My acupuncturist is concerned about the amateur positioning of them over certain meridians and what that might muck up, as well as the incorrect amount of stimulation.

One can gain without pain if one gets into such things as tai chi and qi-gong, in my experience. Of course, one might look like Sammo Hung, BUT who cares if one can move the way he does!*BG*

kat

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: iRiShBaBe
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 03:42 PM

thanks a bunch guys, i learned a lot bout this contraption.me pal is using it every night wishing it will do miracles and help her look like a Janet Jackson double come the summer.dont know how to let her down so ill just shut my mouth and go with the flow!she'll be kicking herself come june when she looks more like Dawn French than Janet Jackson with 200euro less in her pocket!!i was watchin the shopping channel last night and they were advertising that fitness ball that Kim C was on about, it was something like 25Euro, my friends birthday is coming up soon, might get it for her... she'll probably throw it back at me tho... thanks for your help!

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 05:56 PM

I've always worked on the basis that I don't need a 6 pack as long as I've got the beer barrel:-)

I don't think the toners do any harm but toning muscles without excercise sounds like a purely cosmetic thing to me - and as we all know beauty is only skin deep. If you want the body surely you need to earn it? Dont you?

Perhaps it's just me...

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: Grab
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 08:13 AM

I was wondering what electronic gym kit was - shorts and T-shirt with a computer built in, maybe?

My personal opinion, there should be a ban on showing anyone with a piece of exercise equipment unless they have used _only_ that exercise equipment for the last 6 months. If they've used other equipment, the advert should have to state every piece of other equipment used and how long per day they used it for. That'd sort the buggers out! No more "you too can look like Mr. Hunk here by just using this crappy plastic stepper"...

Graham.

Subject: RE: are electronic gym kits harmful??
From: SharonA
Date: 11 Mar 02 - 01:18 PM

Excellent point, Grab! Ever notice, in those TV ads, that very often they show the "before" and "after" body (torso, butt or whatever) without showing the person's face?? ...or should I say the two people's faces (Ms. Before and Ms. After)???