EMS Combined With Resistance Training in Weight Lifters

March 16, 2026 updated by: Riphah International University

Effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation Combined With Resistance Training on Muscle Mass, Strength, Body Composition, and Power in Weight Lifters

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the effects of Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) combined with resistance training on muscle mass, muscular strength, body composition, and power in trained weightlifters. Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: one receiving resistance training alone and the other receiving EMS combined with resistance training. The intervention will be conducted for eight weeks, and outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, mid-intervention (4 weeks), and post-intervention (8 weeks). The findings of this study may provide evidence regarding the additional benefits of EMS when combined with conventional resistance training programs in enhancing muscular performance among trained athletes.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Resistance training is widely used to improve muscle mass, strength, and physical performance in athletes. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has recently gained attention as an adjunctive modality that may enhance neuromuscular activation and training adaptations when applied during exercise. EMS delivers electrical impulses to skeletal muscles through surface electrodes, which may recruit additional motor units and improve muscular performance outcomes.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of EMS when combined with resistance training in comparison to resistance training alone in trained male weightlifters. Participants will undergo an eight-week intervention consisting of supervised training sessions three times per week. Outcome measures related to muscle mass, strength, body composition, and power will be recorded at baseline, at four weeks, and at eight weeks.

The study findings may provide insight into the practical application of EMS in sports training and rehabilitation settings and its role in improving muscular performance outcomes in trained individuals.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
34

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 547000
        • Recruiting
        • Punjab Sports Board
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Aifa Zeenat, MS*

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male participants aged 18-40 years
  • Resistance training ≥3 times/week for at least 1 year
  • Active participation in weightlifting, bodybuilding, or strength athletics
  • Medically cleared for physical activity

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Neuromuscular disorders
  • Cardiac pacemaker or implantable electronic device
  • Recent musculoskeletal injury (within the last 6 months)
  • Skin sensitivity or allergy to EMS electrodes

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: EMS + Resistance Training

Participants will receive supervised resistance training combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS).

EMS Parameters:

Frequency: 85 Hz Pulse Duration: 400 µs Duty Cycle: 10 seconds ON / 50 seconds OFF Duration: 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks

EMS will be applied over major muscle groups during compound resistance exercises.
Other: EMS + Resistance Training

This group will combine the benefits of both EMS and Resistance Training to maximize muscle mass, strength, and body composition improvements using both EMS and RT (18). EMS will be applied to muscles using a frequency-specific protocol. EMS treatment according to the parameters defined as frequency (85 Hz), pulse duration (400 1s), and the duty cycle (10s on: 50s off).

Exercises: A complementary schedule of EMS and resistance exercises. Frequency: 3 times per week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) for 8 weeks.
Active Comparator: Resistance Training Only

Participants will receive supervised resistance training without EMS application.

Training Frequency: 3 sessions per week Duration: 8 weeks
Other: Resistance Training Only

This protocol will emphasize muscle strengthening through resistance training to improve strength and muscle mass through traditional resistance training methods (7).

Exercises: A selection of exercises focusing on muscle mass and strength. Compound exercises (such as squats, deadlifts, bench press) and isolation exercises (such as bicep curls, triceps extensions) Frequency: 3 times per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) for 8 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mid Upper Arm Circumference
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
This measurement helps assess muscle size and mass in the upper arm. It is a simple, non-invasive way to estimate changes in muscle growth
Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Thigh Circumference
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
This measures the circumference of the thigh, another area where muscle growth can be tracked. It gives insights into lower-body muscle mass
Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Skinfold Thickness
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
This refers to the measurement of skinfolds at specific body sites (such as triceps, abdomen, and thigh) using calipers. It provides an estimate of subcutaneous fat and indirectly reflects muscle mass as well
Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
30s Sit-to-Stand Test
Time Frame: Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
This test measures functional lower-body strength by counting how many times a person can rise from a chair in 30 seconds. It assesses leg strength and endurance
Baseline, Week 4, Week 8
Arm Curl Test
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
This evaluates upper-body strength by counting how many bicep curls a person can perform in 30 seconds using a set weight. It focuses on arm muscle endurance and strength
Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
1RM Estimation (One Repetition Maximum)
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
This measures the maximum amount of weight a person can lift in 1 repetition for a given exercise (like squats). Estimating the 1RM helps evaluate maximal strength
Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
Vertical Jump Test (Sayers Equation)
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
This test measures lower-body power by assessing how high an individual can jump from a standing position. The Sayers equation is used to calculate power output from the vertical jump height
Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
Standing Long Jump
Time Frame: Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week
This test assesses lower-body power and strength by measuring how far an individual can jump forward from a standing start
Baseline, 4 Week, 8 Week

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Riphah International University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Aifa Zeenat, MS*, Riphah International University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 16, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Aifa Zeenat REC/25/0414

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Body Composition

Clinical Trials on EMS + Resistance Training

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings