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Fusing old school bodybuilding principles with new school technology, the Pulse Device has a terrible name, but does an amazing job of supporting your strength training and recovery.
Pros
- Precision muscle targeting
- Multiple uses (active workouts, recovery/pain relief)
- TENS & EMS alternative
Cons
- On-going cost (replacing pads)
The Pulse Device can be used for muscle development or recovery. It takes a two-pronged approach to support your workouts with modern tech and classic bodybuilder techniques to help you make gains.
After the small plastic dots are affixed to the muscles you want to target (with the included adhesive pads), low level vibrations stimulate the area to improve circulation and activate muscle.
You can dial the intensity through the companion app up to 120 vibrations per second. If you don’t know where to set it, the app provides guided programs for you to follow.
Blend bodybuilder techniques with modern tech.
Aside from the high tech the Pulse Device also simulates an old school bodybuilder technique of muscle tapping. Similar to how a spotter might tap on the muscle your targeting to help your brain focus on that specific area, the Pulse Device provides this support, stimulating key proprioceptors to improve neuromuscular function to make gains!
After your workouts, you can fire up the app, find a recovery program to gently massage those fatigued muscles.
Product Specifications
- In the box: You’ll receive two Pulse Devices, a carrying case, one two pronged charging cord and brick, 20 adhesive pads, ten alcohol wipes, and a product manual.
- Size: Each Pulse Device is about two inches long and weighs about an ounce.
- Battery Life: 10 hours between charges
What We Like About the Pulse Device:
- Targeted muscle activation: This can help with isolating certain muscles if you’re getting granular with your strength training. The Pulse Device allows users to maximize their workouts by targeting more muscle fibers compared to non vibration-assisted workouts.
- Portable and Versatile: Beyond its performance-enhancing capabilities, the Pulse Device can be worn easily at home, in the gym, or on the go. This is particularly helpful during recovery sessions.
- Companion App: The Pulse Device app does a really good job of showing you where to place the Pulse Device and to guide you through different programs based on what you’re trying to do (build muscle, recover, reduce pain, etc).
What Might Deter You From the Pulse Device:
- Price: While not overly expensive there is an on-going cost because of the adhesive stickers that attach the device to your body. The wearable comes with 20 double-sided adhesives that work for 12 reapplications on each side.
- Reapplication: If you’re not precise in the placement of the Pulse Devices and need to reapply, the adhesive wears out faster.
- Vibration Only: For some, the lack of electrical impulse is a pro, but for others, they may find the intensity of the vibration isn’t what they would expect if they’ve used a TENS or EMS device before.
The Thought Behind The Product
The Pulse Device is taking some of the principles of whole-body vibration, and shrinking it down into a small, wearable patch.
Whole-body vibration (sometimes called localized vibration therapy), stimulates muscles to contract and relax. Maybe you’ve heard of this in terms of recovery (or even instead of a workout) where people will just use a vibration device to exercise the muscles for them.
The Pulse Device is based on the foundations of localized vibration.
The Pulse Device implements localized vibration therapy in a way that enhances the workouts you’re actively doing. When placed on a targeted muscle area, mechanoreceptors (the little sensors in our muscles and skin) that we use for awareness of the position our body or limbs are in get an extra stimulant of neural activity from vibration therapy as they move, which causes more muscles to be activated and contract in each movement we make.
It can also cause opposing muscles to “turn off” for a longer period of time further targeting the active muscle you’re trying to bulk up.
So each little buzz of vibration wakes up the right muscles you’re trying to exercise and calms down the ones you aren’t.
The device can be used during active exercise or while recovering.
Aside from its uses during your exercise, vibration therapy could help your muscles heal faster by stimulating blood flow, to speed up your recovery time.
Or, if you’re just chilling and watching Netflix, you could slap those pads on to your arms, legs, abs, back…wherever, and give yourself a gentle massage.
The Bottom Line:
The Pulse Device is a really interesting wearable, particularly for how it can retrain you to become more attune to nuances in your muscles when working out. If you’re more aware of how these muscles are activated during workouts, you can be more mindful with what you’re targeting so you're not wasting time in the gym.
Plus, there’s the benefits you’ll find for recovery since the vibration therapy can stimulate blood flow helping you get to your next workout in better shape. If you’re looking to enhance targeted muscle workouts, overcome plateaus, or just need a little extra education and support for recovery and exercise, the Pulse Device is an intriguing option.
