Manduu is an electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) workout that will revolutionize the way you think about building and sustaining muscle. Until the introduction of EMS technology, the only way to build muscle was to lift, hold, push or pull something heavy, which carries risk to joints, tendons and ligaments.

EMS workouts from Manduu change that by using electricity instead of weight to create the resistance during a workout. This makes possible a workout that is both ultra-low impact and incredibly effective; we can individualize and modify the intensity and depth of the impulse according to your goals and abilities.  No heavy weights are involved, so the risk of injury is significantly reduced.

Manduu sessions are only 15 minutes. Because the electrical pulse penetrates deep into muscle fiber during the workout, an EMS session is extremely efficient. Nearly 100 percent of muscle fiber in nine major muscle groups is activated during an EMS workout, yielding similar results to what you would see and feel after a much longer traditional workout at a gym.

Due to its low impact, EMS is one of the safest fitness options for seniors. There is no added weight, mitigating the risk of injury. Each Manduu workout is led by one of our personal trainers who is specially trained in EMS fitness.  We tailor the program to your individual fitness goals, and our trainers work with no more than two clients at a time. Nearly every adult can participate, from professional athlete to senior citizen. 

A Manduu session does not hurt but you will feel your muscles trying to resist the intensity put out by the device. Light to moderate muscle soreness is expected in the days following your workout, especially during the acclimation period.

Manduu EMS machines run off of a low voltage battery. There is not enough electricity in the machine to hurt you, and nothing is plugged in to a wall.

Electro stimulation has been used in medical settings in the U.S. for years, and you may have experienced a form of it if you have received e-stim as part of a physical therapy treatment. The same technology is now being used to help paraplegics walk again. [1]

In fact, our ownership group includes orthopedic surgeons who have experienced Manduu for themselves and found it to be safe and effective.

1. https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/10/spinal-cord-stimulation-allows-three-paralyzed-men-to-walk-with-assistance/; Nature, 2018. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0649-2(About DOIs).

An EMS workout activates more muscle fiber than you can activate on your own. When you rely on your brain to send an impulse to a muscle, at most, you are using between 60 and 65 percent of your muscle fiber. The external pulse from our EMS machine penetrates deep into muscle tissue, activating nearly 100 percent of the fiber. Quite simply, Manduu does more for you than you can do for yourself.

Our whole-body workout activates muscles in nine major muscle groups at once, so there are no more arms days, legs days or core days. One 15-minute workout covers it all.

Many of our clients tell us they can see and feel a difference in just a few sessions!

At Manduu, we believe in tracking your fitness progress. An important part of each Manduu session is a full-body scan using InBody™ technology to measure skeletal muscle mass, total body fat, visceral fat, metabolic rate and other key body composition metrics with clinical accuracy. By assessing your body composition, you can quantify and measure your fitness results—there’s no guessing with Manduu.

Your first session is a comprehensive introduction to Manduu. Allow 90 minutes, although it might not take quite that long. 

Most clients are in and out of the studio in 30 minutes for each session. For subsequent sessions we ask you to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled workout time so you can change into the EMS workout gear, run your InBody™ scan and be ready for the trainer five minutes before your scheduled workout time.

One of our EMS trainers will greet you and review your health history and consent forms with you. You will then be asked to change into our workout shorts and T-shirt, which fit under the EMS body suit and are specially designed to conduct electricity. Most of our clients work out barefoot, although you are welcome to wear athletic shoes if you prefer.

Before you workout you will complete an InBody™ scan, which measures a number of biometrics. Then your EMS trainer will fit you into the EMS workout suit. Once your correct size is determined, the electrodes on the EMS muscle stimulator will be wetted down, and you will be connected to the machine. Your personal trainer will introduce you to the feel of the electrical pulses and lead you through an abbreviated workout.

You’ll need to complete an adaptation period of 4 consecutive sessions (your first workout + 3 more), executed every 4 days. Once this phase is completed, you are able to work out every 48 hours. Ideally, you should do a Manduu workout 2-3 times per week.

Aside from those individuals with certain medical conditions, just about everyone can Manduu.

Electrical muscle stimulation devices have been used for years in orthopedic rehab settings, so it’s likely that Manduu is perfect for you! Not only can your certified personal trainer design a workout that accommodates any chronic joint conditions, but Manduu EMS workouts are super low-impact.

Plus, building muscles around joints has been proven to help relieve pain, restore function and range of motion, and help avoid further deterioration and surgeries.

In general, metallic implants are not a problem as long as an electrode will not be placed on top of them. Our EMS trainers are able to work around most implanted metal as long as we know about it in advance. Please call or email us to discuss your situation.

There are a few health conditions that prohibit participation in Manduu. Unfortunately, we cannot make an exception if you have any of the following:

• Pacemaker
• Any other implanted electronic device, such as a bladder stimulator, cardiac defibrillator, or insulin pump.
• Active blood clots
• Severe heart disease
• An active metastatic tumor
• A seizure disorder, such as epilepsy
• Kidney disease
• Pregnancy

There may be other medical conditions that prohibit you from participating in Manduu. If you’re unsure, reach out to us so we can determine if Manduu workouts are safe for you.

Everyone needs muscle. Having an appropriate fat-to-muscle ratio is a prerequisite for being fit and healthy. Retaining and building muscle has been shown to:

• Prevent falls by improving strength, balance and flexibility
• Manage chronic conditions, such as diabetes and arthritis
• Reduce back and joint pain
• Boost metabolic rate to help stave off obesity
• Develop strong bones to reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Reduce depression
• Boost self-confidence and self esteem

With EMS fitness, you won’t look like a body builder if you don’t want to. You will enhance muscle tissue, build strength, and look and feel great!

Russians and Europeans have been using electrical muscle stimulation to train elite athletes since the 1970s. EMS technology gained widespread acceptance among the general public in Europe in the early 2000s. Today there are more than 1,700 EMS studios in Germany and Austria alone. To date, more than 50 million EMS sessions have been logged in Europe. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently cleared EMS training for use in non-medical exercise settings, paving the way for Manduu.

Electricity aside, Manduu is one of the safest strength-building options available. Some gyms have injury rates that range from 20-75%. [2, 3] But, because we do not use heavy weights—and our sessions are led by certified personal trainers—Manduu is a safe fitness solution for all ages and fitness levels.

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4555591
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5826907