Passive Exercise — the ERP System

What passive exercise is

We place electrodes on the skin, over the area we want to work on. Gentle electrical stimuli pass through them and the muscle underneath responds as it would respond to a command from the nervous system: it contracts and relaxes, rhythmically, without you having to move.

That is the whole rationale of the method, and it also explains its name. The contraction happens normally. You simply do not start it yourself.

What it works on

• ✓Tone — the muscle works repeatedly and the area looks firmer.
• ✓Firmer appearance — in places with slackness, such as the inside of the upper arm or the abdomen after pregnancy or weight loss.
• ✓Targeted application — we work on one area at a time: abdomen, buttocks, thighs or upper arms.
• ✓No load on the joints — you are not lifting weight and you are not straining your knees or your lower back.

What it does not do — and that is the important part

If it is presented to you differently somewhere else, they are not telling you the truth. We would rather you heard it from us before you book an appointment than worked it out after six sessions.

When it cannot be done

There are conditions in which the method is not applied. They are not negotiable and they do not depend on how much you want it.

• ✓A pacemaker — or another implanted electronic device. The current can affect how they work.
• ✓Pregnancy — it is not applied at all, in any area.
• ✓Epilepsy — or another seizure disorder.
• ✓Metal implants in the area — plates, screws or prostheses under the electrodes.

Also tell us if you have a cardiac or neurological history, if you are on medication, or if you have had recent surgery in the area. Where necessary, we send you to your doctor first and wait for their answer.

Where it fits into your plan

It makes sense in two cases. When you already exercise and want extra work on a spot that is not responding as much as you would like. And when you are starting from a low base and need something gentle until you get into a rhythm.

We set the length of the session, the intensity and the frequency together at the introductory appointment, according to the area, your history and how well you tolerate it. We do not give numbers before we have seen you.

It can be combined with the other body treatments at the centre. Which combination and in which order makes sense depends on your goal.

Questions & Answers

What most people ask, answered briefly and clearly.

What does it feel like?

A tingling that builds gradually, until you feel the muscle tightening and relaxing rhythmically. It should not hurt. If it stings or burns, you say so straight away and we lower the intensity.

Will I lose weight?

Not from this alone. It does not cause weight loss on its own. It works as a complement, within a plan that includes diet and movement.

Can I stop going to the gym?

No. It does not replace exercise in any of the things exercise does: cardiorespiratory function, endurance, strength, balance. Passive exercise comes alongside exercise, not in its place.

Who cannot have it?

Anyone with a pacemaker or another implanted electronic device, anyone who is pregnant, anyone with epilepsy, and anyone with metal implants exactly in the area of application. With a cardiac or neurological history we discuss it with your doctor first.

How many sessions will I need?

We will not give you a number over the phone. It depends on the area, on your starting point and on what else you are doing alongside it. We put the plan together at the free introductory appointment.

Is any preparation needed?

Come with clean skin in the area, without creams or oils, because they get in the way of the contact of the electrodes. Tell us your history and the medication you are taking before the first application.