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Prime your muscles for a workout

SINGAPORE — Are you a fitness enthusiast looking to boost your exercise regime? How about sending electrical pulses to your muscles?

SINGAPORE — Are you a fitness enthusiast looking to boost your exercise regime? How about sending electrical pulses to your muscles?

A Singapore-based company, Smartmissimo Technologies, has developed a product called PowerDot (picture), which claims to be the world’s first mobile muscle stimulator connected to a smart device.

It works by sending electrical impulses to your muscles via a pair of sticky electrode pads attached to parts of your body, mimicking the nerve impulses that your brain sends to your muscles to prepare for or sustain a workout. According to the company, the result is a noticeable difference in stamina, endurance, strength, and recovery from exercise.

This technology is not new, and has been scientifically proven to enhance sports performance. For example, professional football athletes in Europe use electrical muscle stimulation to fast-track their recovery from massive injuries or fatigue, although in such cases, bulky or stationary machinery is used.

The PowerDot is a game-changer in that it does the same job via a smartphone application. The phone connects to the PowerDot electrode pads via Bluetooth, and the app shows users where the pads can be placed, such as the abs, lower back, arms, and more.

There are 11 types of stimulation sessions to choose from, as well as 14 muscle groups to target. The stimulation has various uses — to improve fatigue resistance or performance, for instance — and to cater to various fitness levels.

The user controls the intensity of the session via the app, which I found to be user-friendly. For example, before doing forearm lifts at the weights station, a user can rope in PowerDot to warm up the muscles.

You are advised to use the gadget before, after and in between workout sets. I tested it before my morning jog and used it on my thighs and calves under PowerDot’s Endurance programme. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it pumped up my energy levels, giving me an additional spring in my step.

My favourite was the 20-minute “general massage”, because you can use it virtually anywhere. You have five muscle groups to choose from, and I felt the muscles on my lower back and calves feel looser after the session.

PowerDot says the gadget can last a week from a single charge, with two to four sets of stimulation at 20 to 40 minutes per set.

The company assures users that the device will not fry your muscles. It complies with international medical device safety standards, as well as Food and Drug Administration safety guidelines for powered muscle stimulators.

My only grouse is that since no conventional workout utilises only one muscle group, a PowerDot unit that has the ability to work only on a single targeted area makes it time-consuming to prepare different sets of muscle groups before a workout. For example, I spent about 30 minutes in total preparing my thighs, followed by my calves before embarking on a jog. Users could buy more than one unit, but that is a costly option.

PowerDot is available from S$239 at Challenger, Courts, EpiCentre, Newstead Technologies and other select retailers.

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