Since 2024, BODY20 in Des Peres has been making waves with fitness enthusiasts interested in taking part in high-tech training sessions that use electro muscle stimulation (EMS) to stimulate muscle activation. According to manager Joshua Carter, PhD, FMS, it’s an innovative full-body workout unlike any other. SLM recently chatted with Carter to learn more about BODY20, what makes it unique, and its benefits.
How would you describe BODY20 to someone who’s never heard of it before? It’s personal training using electro muscle stimulation. The EMS technology stimulates muscle activation, aiming to facilitate deeper muscle engagement for a more concise workout. When you come into the studio, we put you in a special suit—we call it the super suit. It looks like you’re ready to jump out of an airplane. We connect you to a wireless system, put you through a workout, and while you’re working out, the suit sends micro-electrical impulses.
How does it work? It feels like you worked out in a gym for three hours. It gives you more muscle contractions per workout than you’d get in the same amount of time at a traditional gym. It’s all traditional strength and movement patterns like squats, bicep curls, deadlifts, etc. We just don’t use heavy weights; we only use the EMS, which is your resistance. Workouts are never the same; we change them week to week, and it’s a full-body workout.
Who would you recommend try BODY20? Everybody. Athletes, busy professionals, people trying to recover from injury, people who are just trying to improve their mobility patterns–anybody. As long as you’re 18 or older and don’t have a complicating condition, you’re good to go.
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How do you pack a great workout into 20 minutes? It’s 20 minutes per session, and we recommend two to three times a week. But, it depends on which workout you end up doing. Our strength workout is the most intense session, and we recommend at least 72 hours between sessions. It’s the same soreness you’d get if you hadn’t been going to the gym and then suddenly started.
What’s the learning curve like? If you’re not familiar with traditional strength and resistance mobility patterns, there is a learning curve. Some people know what to do, and others need additional instruction. There is a learning curve when it comes to the stimulation of the suit.
Do participants need to bring or wear any specific gear? Just comfortable shoes. We give you the suit, you bring some comfortable shoes, and make sure you’re hydrated. Preparation is key.
What are some of the proven benefits? We have several members who’ve seen increases in lean muscle tissue and decreases in fat tissue—not necessarily losing weight, but replacing fat tissue with lean muscle. We’ve seen many people who’ve had changes in how they move, get out of bed, walk, or run. People who are working in traditional gyms have been able to break through plateaus as well.
How much does it cost to participate? It depends on what membership package you start with. We have several different packages that start at $30 per session and some that start at $80.
How do you get started with BODY20? Call us, email us, text us. We set up a free demo session—it’s about one hour long, and we fill out paperwork and a health questionnaire. We size you up for a suit, do an in-body, get you into the suit, and have you do the workout.
