I cheated my way to toned arms, doing 20,000 bicep curls in 20 minutes with zero effort
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 08, 2020 8:40 AMByMelissa Goh
It's been almost a week since we've stepped into 2020. How many of you are still going strong with your new year resolutions — or have they started to go south?
Getting in shape and having a toned body is one of my goals this year, and instead of just hitting the gym or doing HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts at home with the little time I have, I'm turning to smarter ways to help me achieve my desired results in a shorter period of time.
We were invited to try out the BTL Emsculpt, a non-invasive treatment that helps to build muscle without the use of needles or the need to suffer any downtime, I was intrigued.
How effective could it be? Was it another gimmick? I had to try it out, especially since it was the festive season and I've not had the time to work out for weeks.
The Emsculpt is a machine that produces High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) to targeted areas of the body including the abdominals, buttocks, and more recently, the bicep and tricep. It sculpts, tones and builds muscles through supramaximal contractions.
I've always been a little self-conscious about my arms, and it's one of the hardest areas to tone up. I decided to work on my biceps, and was told it'll take about four sessions to have visible results.
All four treatments will have to be on the same targeted area (either the triceps, biceps, abdominals or buttocks) for it to be effective, and each session is to be scheduled two to three days apart.
The Emsculpt induces about 20,000 muscle contractions per 20- to 30-minute session, which is said to be equivalent to 20,000 bicep curls. Would my arms be able to take it? I was already starting to wonder if I'd even survive five minutes of the treatment without feeling immensely sore.
The sessions were fuss-free, all I had to do was to rest my arms on the bed, and be hooked to the contour applicator, as it's called.
When the contractions were activated, it felt like my arms were vibrating intensely while being tightly squeezed. This was followed by tapping sensations to eliminate lactic acid, which causes muscle aches, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
Each set of contractions became more intense as the session progressed, but it wasn't painful or sore at all. I did however, look very awkward with my fingers involuntarily curling up as I had little control over them.
According to material on the treatment, with the muscles adapting to these extreme contractions, they're forced to multiply its fibres and grow, causing muscles to be built more rapidly.
After the first session, my biceps looked slightly pumped and the muscles felt warm to the touch, just as it would be after a workout session. Impressively, my "bat wings" (tricep area) seemed more toned as well from just the first session.
By the second session, the contractions from the Emsculpt machine was set to the maximum and my arms were already feeling stronger. I was happy to see a little bump when flexing my bicep and couldn't stop doing it. I was fast turning into an obnoxious gym rat, obsessed with my new gains.
On the third and fourth session, instead of just the muscles twitching and fingers curling from the contractions created by the HIFEM, the intensity made my arms raise themselves involuntarily as if I was doing an actual bicep curl.
The sessions felt as fulfilling as sneaking a session at the gym during lunchtime, sans the perspiration and washing up after. What's even better was seeing the results this fast — in just four sessions I felt that my arms were more defined even without lifting weights.
That said, this isn't an easy way out to have a fitter body or to help lose weight, in fact, it works better on people who already have an active lifestyle, according to my therapist. Coupled with regular workouts, the Emsculpt will help with strengthening the muscles and firming them up to make them more prominent.
And it must be said that the treatments aren't exactly wallet-friendly, with one session at Prive Clinic going for $900.
Prices: 1 session - $900 Nett*
*Price is accurate at the time of publishing.
Where: Prive Clinic, 390 Orchard Rd, #03 - 03, Singapore 238871
OTHER NON-INVASIVE FITNESS TREATMENTS
Emsculpt is not the only treatment that promises maximum results with minimal effort. Here are some other non-invasive body- or beauty-enhancing procedures that are available in Singapore.
FAT-FREEZING
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While Emsculpt builds muscles, fat-freezing, as its name suggests, freezes away the fats using a cooling gel pad and suction methods.
The only discomfort would be a tugging sensation from the suction, which might cause a little bit of redness and numbness in the treated areas.
Fat-freezing covers more areas then Emsculpt, including the under chin and jawline, thighs, back and sides.
LIPOCAVITATION
Unlike liposuction, which is invasive and carries some risk, lipocavitation available at EstheClinic uses ultrasound waves to turn fat cells into fatty acids.
These fatty acids are then removed naturally from the body, and drinking lots of water can help to flush it out.
The results aren't so much about how much weight is taken off the scales, but the inches you lose after the treatments.
Where:
- 72 Tras Street, Singapore 079011
- 424 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427643
- 3 Lorong Liput, Holland Piazza #02-02, Singapore 277725
HYPOXI
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Hypoxi combines low-impact exercise with machines, using technology to help you exercise smarter, burn fat and reduce cellulite more effectively.
A three-dimension body scanner is used to measure your body fat percentage and identifies your body type for the best treatment.
A "skin training" session is first done on the Hypoxi Dermology machine, which acts like a vacuum compressor to stimulate blood circulation, reduce cellulite and improve lymphatic drainage.
Depending on the areas you're targeting, you'll have to put on a wetsuit-like gear, which will help to maximise fat-burning, before moving on to a cycling chamber or treadmill.
Where: 30 Tai Seng Street, Breadtalk IHQ, #02-14, Singapore 534013
GOLKI THERAPY
If you're coveting a V-shaped face this year, the Golki therapy at Yakson Singapore purportedly helps to restructure your face shape with a bone-
The therapy starts with a body massage before the therapist moves on to the face, with more intense kneading and prodding massage strokes to shift the facial bones.
Those who have experienced the Golki therapy report feeling soreness and slight bruising after the treatment, which is normal for first-time customers.
Where: 501 Orchard Road Wheelock Place # 05, 12A, Singapore 238880
melissagoh@asiaone.com