Q:  What is the STIMFIT® AbBelt electronic muscle stimulator (EMS)?

A:  The STIMFIT AbBelt electronic muscle stimulator is a handheld, Class II medical device cleared for sale by the FDA for the specific purpose of strengthening, tightening, firming and recovering healthy muscles.  It features a technology known as electric muscle stimulation which has been used for decades in the medical field and professional sports.  STIMFIT uses Swiss Stimulation from Valmed, a  Swiss medical device company.

Q:  How does it work for exercise?

A:  The STIMFIT sends Swiss Stimulation soothing electrical impulses to the muscles via specially designed, medical grade electrodes that adhere on the surface of the skin just above where the nerves attach to the muscles.  These electronic impulses stimulate the nerves to excite the muscle fibers thus enabling muscle fibers to contract and relax just like when you voluntarily flex and relax your muscles.

Q:  What does the STIMFIT do?

A:  The STIMFIT has proprietary programs that can target specific muscles, muscle groups or individual muscle fibers and cause them to change.  The STIMFIT will send electronic impulses in frequencies between 1 and 100 Hz (pulses per second).  Each frequency will affect muscles differently.  Lower frequencies (1-10 Hz) are for muscle recovery, relaxation and massage benefits.  Higher frequencies (20-100 Hz) are for building strength or firming and toning muscles.

Q:  What kind of changes can be expected?

A:  Published clinical studies have shown that EMS technology, like that used in STIMFIT, has the ability to increase muscle size, increase muscle strength, increase muscle endurance and even increase explosive power.  It all depends on what your specific goals are.  Some people want to improve muscle tone, while others want to increase size and strength.  Athletes that have specific needs like endurance and explosive power will use the STIMFIT differently than somebody who wants firming and toning

Q:  Can’t you get these same changes by exercising?

A:  With STIMFIT you are exercising.  But you’re doing it in a more efficient way.  The STIMFIT is doing what the human brain typically does.  Rather than the brain sending an electrical impulse to the muscles, the STIMFIT delivers the impulse.  There is no psychological, cardiovascular or physical fatigue.

Q:  What do you mean “in a more efficient way”?

A:  Whether you are exercising the traditional way like weight training or cycling, your brain is sending electrical signals to your muscles to perform work.  Those signals go through the spinal cord and are delivered to the nerves that attach to the muscles.  The muscles respond to those impulses.  All the STIMFIT does is bypass the brain and spinal cord and apply an electrical signal directly to the nerves, which them stimulate the muscles in a similar way.  When you exercise, you are forced to think about every contraction in the exercise.  Science has shown that it is impossible to deliver efficient electrical signals rep after rep.  With the STIMFIT, every rep is the same; every rep is perfect.  There is NO psychological fatigue, cardiovascular fatigue or muscular fatigue.  Your muscles respond perfectly with every soothing impulse.  Furthermore, your body must begin by using one type of muscle (slow twitch) before getting to another type (fast twitch).  With STIMFIT, you can target specific muscles for specific needs without fatiguing muscles that don’t need to be trained.

Q:  Are there other benefits?

A:  Yes.  The STIMFIT can also do something studies have shown can’t be done very easily by the brain.  It can actually recruit or synchronize more muscle fibers to activate.  That means better muscle contractions and a better workout.  STIMFIT actually teaches the body to use more of the muscle fibers under a workload, thus making workouts more enjoyable.  Would you rather lift a weight or perform an abdominal crunch with 30% of your muscle fibers or 100% of your muscle fibers?  It certainly gives working out a whole new meaning.  Just think of all those years of inactivity from those muscles that never get activated.  Can you remember the saying…..”use it or lose it?”  Well, STIMFIT is designed to help you use it….use it ALL!

Q:  So STIMFIT helps you work out and pushes the envelope.  The body must really get sore from this, right?

A:  Not really.  Of course like any exercise program, there is an acclimation phase where you have to get used to the newness of the activity.  If used at high intensities, you will feel it the next day.  PLUS, STIMFIT has other benefits for muscle soreness.  There is a program called Active Recovery.  It’s probably the most important program offered.  It’s purpose is to help muscles recover…but not just from the exercise, but from ANY type of muscular fatigue (standing at work all day and legs get tired; sitting and your low back gets tight).

Q:  You mean to say you can exercise AND recover with STIMFIT?

A:  You can exercise your muscles with the STIMFIT more efficiently than traditional exercise.  However, this doesn’t need to replace traditional exercise.  You can do both.  They complement each other.

The Active Recovery Program does three things.  First, it increases blood flow through muscles at 5-times the rate that your body can do.  This helps to remove lactic acid from your muscles.  Lactic acid is a lot of the discomfort you feel after exercise.  Second, it increases Beta-Endorphins…the happy chemical in our body that gives us a feeling of elation or joy.  Third, the STIMFIT reduces muscle spasms by communicating directly with the muscles via low-level electrical impulses.

The result is you will feel incredibly different than if you let your body recover on it’s own terms.  The STIMFIT simply helps the body do what it normally does…but more efficiently.

Q:  Is there anything else STIMFIT does?

A:  Yes.  One important facet to all types of activity or exercise is the “warm-up.”  We call this “potentiation.”

Q:  You can “warm up?”

A:  Yes.  Potentiation is designed to send very low-level impulses into your muscles just like when you warm up.  For example, when you see a sprinter practicing sprints, they are trying to “activate” muscle fibers to “get ready” for the main event.  STIMFIT does this.

Another advantage is it can keep the muscles warmed up and ready for activity.  An example is a pitcher in baseball.  When the pitcher is pitching, the muscle is activated.  When he goes to the dugout and sits down, the muscle loses it’s potential.  Then he has to go back out and reactivate the muscles.  Sometimes they can do this and sometimes they can’t.  We see it in the box scores.

Q:  Why can’t they just keep moving between innings?

A:  Because they would influence their psychological fatigue, muscular fatigue and cardiovascular fatigue.  They would lose their edge.

STIMFIT keeps the potential of the muscles without negatively affecting these other areas of the body.

Q:  Is there anything else STIMFIT does that you haven’t mentioned?

A:  The best thing of all is that STIMFIT supplements exercise and training.  It doesn’t have to replace exercise or training because you still need to practice a skill if you’re involved in sports or learn coordination within an activity.

What STIMFIT does is help you become more efficient and target specific muscles to achieve something that may be elusive because of physical limitations or lack of time.

Q:  Is it SAFE?

A:  Yes.  The STIMFIT has been reviewed and cleared for sale by the FDA.

Electronic Muscle Stimulation has been around for decades and originally used to treat medical problems.

STIMFIT is both unique and different because it uses a safer, more comfortable electronic impulse than other similar products.  More comfort to the user means more consistent use and better results.

Published, clinical studies have shown this technology, like that used in the STIMFIT, to be well tolerated for everyday use.

Q:  Will STIMFIT cause muscle soreness?

A:  As with all exercise, some muscle soreness can be expected.  The proper term is called DOMS or delayed onset of muscle soreness.  This usually occurs 24-48 hours after strenuous exercise.  Muscle soreness is caused by the breakdown of muscle fibers at high intensity.  During recovery, muscles will rebuild and develop more resistance to exercise and become conditioned to better tolerate exercise.  If too much muscle soreness occurs, use a low-intensity level until your body becomes acclimated to the device.  Then, gradually increase intensity.

Q:  Do I ever have to replace the electrodes?

A:  No.  STIMFIT uses a proprietary technology of dry electrodes using conductive fibers.  There are no wires to break, no sticky gel to fuss with and they never need replacing.  They are integrated into the ab belt.   If the signal is getting weaker, the batteries may need recharging and losing their optimal conductivity or effectiveness.  Make sure you prep the conductive fabric area and skin with distilled water mist prior to use. 

Q:  The stimulation is a little uncomfortable.  How can I improve this?

A:  There are two ways to maximize comfort with the STIMFIT.  One way is to adjust the intensity of the device down to a desired level of comfort.  While higher intensities are typically more effective, the body takes time to acclimate to a specific power level.  The second way to improve comfort is to make sure the skin is prepped with moisture.  We recommend distilled water solution.  Since your muscle nerves are located just beneath the skin, having the AbBelt more directly over the nerves of the abdominals (motor neurons) will allow for more muscle activity at lower intensities.  If the conductive area of the AbBelt is too far away from the nerve area (motor neuron), then intensity must be increased and discomfort can occur.

Q:  Why can I feel tingling in my legs during STIMFIT sessions?  What can I do?

A:  The STIMFIT emits an electrical frequency that will stimulate nerves (motor neurons) that are located beneath the stimulation area.  Since the AbBelt’s conductive area is large, it is possible to have some minor stimulation of other nerves located near the site of the conductive area.  Readjust the AbBelt upward, slightly away from the area being unintentionally stimulated and the condition should improve.

Q:  Why does my skin have some redness under the AbBelt after a session?

A:  Some degree of redness may be caused by an increase in blood flow to the area.  This is a result of the excitation of muscles by the device.  Muscle activity can cause in increase in blood flow to the exercised area.  In some cases, there may be a skin reaction if the form of a minor irritation caused by the conductive material in the apparel.  This is rare, but in the event this is the cause, simple clean the irritated area with soap and water. 

Q:  Can I use the STIMFIT to treat muscles weakened from lack of use or due to injury?

A:  The STIMFIT is not intended to treat or rehabilitate muscles.  There are other devices with specific electronic frequencies designed to specifically treat damaged muscles.  The STIMFIT is great for post-injury or stimulating weak, but healthy muscles.  If is more efficient to work post-injury muscles or weak muscles with the STIMFIT because the muscles can be specifically targeted, which is difficult with most traditional forms of exercise.

Q:  Can I use the STIMFIT for post-natal exercise?

A:  Remember to always check with your physician before beginning an exercise program after giving birth (i.e. post-natal).  It is typically recommended to wait at least 6 weeks and preferably 12 weeks before resuming or beginning and exercise program after pregnancy.

Q:  Are there different sizes of apparel?

A:  Yes, STIMFIT AbBelt has two (2) sizes that fit nearly all people.  The STIMFIT’s innovative design allows for a size that fits anyone.  The sizes are small/medium (S/M) for waist size 24-36 inches and large/extra large (L/XL) for waist size 34-44 inches.  If you have a waist larger than 44 inches, we also sell a 10” belt extender.

Q:  Can I use the AbBelt if worn reverse for my lower back?

A:  Yes.  This is one big advantage to STIMFIT.  To exercise the low back, you will need to place the conductive area on your lower back.  Refer to the owner’s manual or website (reference library) to see the directions and illustrations.

Q:  How soon before I can see results?

A:  Results are dependent on many factors.  Increasing strength or power can happen relatively fast and the speed of improvement is proportional to the intensity level.  The higher the intensity, the faster the results.  Increasing muscle tone or improving shape is more subjective.  Diet or proper eating habits play a vital role to any visual changes desired.  The STIMFIT system has a companion eating and exercise plan that will enable a person to safely lose body fat while maintaining muscle mass.  Since over 50% of the body fat is right beneath the skin, as bad fat is decreased, the muscles will be more visible and thus any change in shape or muscle tone will be more evident.  That being said, some results will occur immediately after the first session.  Other results will take more time.  It is reasonable to notice a variety of results in 2-3 weeks.  The longer the product is use and the higher the intensity will enable faster results.  Please keep in mind there is a point of diminished return and more is not always better.  Exercising smart means choosing the appropriate level of intensity that you can comfortably tolerate on a consistent basis

Q:  Is the STIMFIT™ difficult to use?

A:  STIMFIT is generally easy to use. Simply prep the skin with a water mist, put on the AbBelt and attach the device to the belt in the designated mounting area.  Turn on the device and turn up the intensity to the highest level you can tolerate.  The greater the intensity, the greater the benefits.

Q:  Who can use the STIMFIT?

A: STIMFIT can be used on healthy muscles from ages 18-80.  

Q:  How does your 100% satisfaction guarantee work?

A:  If you are not satisfied for any reason within 30-days of receiving the product, send it back for a full refund of the purchase price.  STIMFIT will even send you a return shipping label for your convenience if you contact them.

Q:  Does the STIMFIT™ come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty?

A:  No.  STIMFIT comes with a standard 1-year warranty but a Lifetime Extended Warranty can be purchased.  Contact STIMFIT for more information.

Q:  How long until I receive my order?

A:  You will receive your STIMFIT system in 10-15 business days with normal delivery.  You can also ask for expedited deliver for a small up-charge to your order and receive it in as little as 2-3 business days.

Q:  How often should I work my abs?

A:  You can work your abdominal muscles daily.  If you use extremely high intensity, you may need 24-48 hours of recovery time before using again, but STIMFIT also has a rapid recovery program called Active Recovery and this can accelerate muscle recovery to minutes rather than days.

Q:  Can the STIMFIT™ help me reduce my lower belly pouch or spare tire?

A:  Yes.  The key to any body transformation program is a combination of eating and exercise.   STIMFIT is a new, non-traditional form of exercise and has been shown to accelerate weight loss when used as directed.  If you eat sensibly and exercise, you should reach and maintain optimal weight.  Using STIMFIT can help that process because it can exercise your muscles better than you can do with traditional exercise.