BionicGym

It started as an Indiegogo campaign more than three years ago. It was a novel idea... this doctor in Ireland wondered whether or not we could use electrical impulses to mimic shivering. Shivering, or muscle quivering, turns out to burn a decent amount of calories. Without going into too much detail here, after a ton of research and development, BionicGym was born. Now it is similar to those Ab machines that shock your muscles into convulsing. However, BG uses wraps around your thighs and stimulates the hamstrings, quads, and to an extent, the glutes, which are the largest muscles in your body. BG does not claim to build muscle. But when I started reading about the campaign back in May of 2017, the science seemed completely sound. Your muscles constantly twitching involuntarily due to electrical impulses (which is similar to TENS if you place it in an area that contracts your muscle) will burn calories, plain and simple.

I invested.

They touted that you could "run a marathon on your couch". Now, it was not purported to be easy. In fact, when you watch videos of BionicGym in action from Dr. Crowe himself, he was twitching, sweating and out of breath, just as you would be doing real cardio. His heart rate was elevated, and he was able to maintain it for long periods of time. He did DEXA scans, which are a lot more accurate at showing fat loss than any other method, and how the BionicGym was in fact, burning the most dangerous kind of fat - the visceral kind found around your organs.

I can't embed Vimeo videos into my blog, but here is a link to a user's experience with BionicGym

I was really excited for this technology. It was perfect for someone like me; someone that just can't be convinced to do any kind of exercise outside of walking and the occasional hike. It is also great for those that have injuries or conditions that prevent them from doing regular exercise. Also great for busy people always on the go or are at the office all the time. Super perfect for people like me who are stuck at a desk they can't leave because they're checking patients in and out all day. It might even be something that is viable for people in space to help maintain their muscle mass.

It took 3+ years for the product to start shipping. There were a lot of bumps and hurdles, including people getting theirs outside of the USA first because US backers had to wait for FDA approval. But this also meant that US backers were able to watch Beta testers of the product and see if it actually worked. They had to build a facility in California for US backers so they could ship from there. And finally, last month, I received my BionicGym.

Now, it's certainly not a miracle cure. There is a weight limit on the device (which I can't remember off hand, but I think it might be 20 stone - or 280 lbs) if you carry a lot of your weight in your thighs, because the electrical impulses need to travel through that fat layer to your muscles, and it's just not as effective otherwise. (They are, however, working on a version that can accomplish this.) But I can tell you, it definitely works. I'm wearing it right now in fact, at work. You can kinda tell it's on me, as my pants are not super baggy, but it's not ostentatious. I'm running it at a lower setting because otherwise I'd be visibly shaking. So, in the case of wearing it around the office, it's a low-intensity, long duration type of situation just to help you burn a bit while sitting at your desk. 

The benefits are pretty obvious, but there are also some drawbacks. The wraps have to go as high up the leg as you can possibly get them, so depending on how many fat rolls you have, this can be a tad uncomfortable. It also makes it hard for us females to use the restroom (obviously while not on!! You can pause the program), which can be an issue if you run the BG for more than 2 hours. The battery will last for probably 6-7 hours total, and it's totally do-able as long as you're reasonably comfortable. Walking is awkward. Although the wraps aren't super bulky, the controller unit is nestled on the inside leg, which I think is an odd choice for placement. The wraps also stop you from bending your legs properly, so this isn't something you should really be walking around town with (you also shouldn't be driving with them on, for obvious reasons). Also, peeling off the electrodes when you're done can be kind of painful, especially on the underside of your legs.

It's something you have to build up tolerance for. You can't just shoot it up to the highest setting on your first go, even if you're already fit. The electrical impulses can be uncomfortable, and when the setting gets high enough you'll have to stand, and can't do much else. It might even take time for your heart rate to increase. Last Sunday, I ran the program at level 49 for probably 20 minutes (out of a high of 100), I was shaking pretty good, standing the whole time, and my heart rate never got above 90. Yet, I got DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness), which to me is a great indication that it's doing something.

I'm hoping that when I include this along with my generally healthy eating habits, I can finally get some weight loss. Also hoping for a V02 max increase eventually to help with hiking. A lot of the time, I stop to rest not because my muscles need a break, but because I need to catch my breath! I've only been using it for a month so we'll certainly see!