EMS in Golf: An Interview with Dennis Pusch

The Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has been popular in the Fitness field for several years now. Mostly, such training is performed to build muscles on the whole body. But EMS Training is also suitable as supplementary strength training for very specific muscle parts. In the Professional sports sector, this is already common practice. In addition, supplementary EMS training can also be useful for recreational athletes. What are the advantages? What needs to be considered? Dennis Pusch answered these questions and more for us. He is a licensed Fitness Trainer and Sports Nutrition Consultant. He is particularly fascinated by Golf and is also in charge of the "Cup of Golf". Furthermore, Dennis Pusch is a Mental Coach for the German National Handicap Team. For him, mental attitude is one of the decisive factors for fitness and good athletic performance.

myostyle: Mr. Pusch, for over five years you have been a Fitness Trainer and Sports Nutrition Consultant. Your path there was marked by many injuries and setbacks. Despite those challenges, how did you find your way to your current profession?

Dennis Pusch: It started when I stood on the scales and weighed over 100 kilos. I'm 1.83 m tall - that was just too much. Seeing that so clearly gave me the motivation to change it. Because I also had no Muscle mass left. I first started playing Beach Volleyball, Tennis and Soccer. However, in the process, I dislocated my shoulder and tore my ligaments. That again led to me doing less sports. At some point, I realized that I needed to change more. I started by changing my diet and did sports in parallel: a lot of running and TRX sling training. Then, recently, I focused on Cycling, Golf and Fitness - all always with my EMS suit. As a result, I have lost a significant amount of weight.

myostyle: Your favorite sport used to be Soccer. The injury made it impossible for you to continue playing. Then you discovered Golf for yourself. What fascinates you so much about this Sport?

Dennis Pusch: Golf is considered the second most difficult sport. In Germany it is very underestimated - it is ridiculed and seen as a Sport for old people. Yes, there are many older people who play golf. I think it is one of the best therapies against Back problems. However, golf is a challenge for all ages. Because you need a certain mental strength. The fact is that even if you play the same course over and over again, every game is unique. In addition, you must concentrate and focus for more than 4-5 hours to be successful. That fascinates me a lot.

myostyle: Golf is not the sport with the most movement at first glance. As a Golfer, how can you still lose weight and achieve an effect comparable to a cardio workout?

Dennis Pusch: That's actually quite simple. Because what is usually overlooked is the light endurance training that is involved in every round of golf. You walk an average of 12 - 15 km around the golf course. Of course, that's not directly comparable to a cardio workout, but to cover those distances, you have to be fit. Then add to that about 72 strokes for an 18-hole round. Each Golf shot is a maximum muscular effort. This movement requires the work of about 130 muscles. All in all, this results in an extreme stimulus on the muscles and can certainly lead to muscle soreness.

myostyle: The Fitness sector has a lot of innovative ideas. With new ways to push the workout further all the time, it never gets boring. One of those ways is EMS training. What is your experience as a Personal Trainer with EMS?

Dennis Pusch: EMS Training has been common in physiotherapy for many years to rebuild muscles after a muscle (fiber) tear. Due to the double stimulation during EMS training, success can be achieved much faster. Training should be done a maximum of 3 times a week for 20 minutes. More training is too strenuous due to the high intensity and then has a counterproductive effect. Personally, I have also had good experiences with EMS Training for weight loss.

myostyle: What do you see as the advantages of training with Electrical Muscle Stimulation? Are there also disadvantages?

Dennis Pusch: A very beneficial side of EMS training is the small amount of time required. This is because only short training periods are necessary, which can be excellently integrated into everyday life. If you are familiar with it, you can also train at home or even in the office. All you really have to do is to overcome your inner stubbornness.

Personally, I have not experienced any disadvantages of EMS Training. If you do it without a Trainer, there is a risk that the intensity will be incorrectly assessed. It is important that you can judge for yourself when it is too much. Because overtraining can lead to pain.

myostyle: In addition to Fitness Training, you also offer Mental Coaching. To what extent do you believe that many people don't want to go to the gym because they lack motivation, but because of their mental attitude towards themselves and the world?

Dennis Pusch: I believe that the mental attitude is 95% decisive for our own fitness. Unfortunately, the mental power is not recognized in Germany, but often treated as something to be smiled at. In the USA and England, Mental Coaching has been around for over 20 years. In Germany it is evaluated as a psychological service and is neither really welcome by athletes nor by the general public. It is only in the last few years that National League Clubs have been offering Mental Coaches to players, and in some cases attendance is even mandatory.

But in my experience, almost everything in Sports is determined by the mind. That's especially true in Golf. In other sports you have an opponent, but in Golf you only have yourself. You are always playing against yourself and against the course. Even if you play good or bad shots, they don't prevent you from finishing the round with a good score. But for that you need peace of mind and mental strength. My attitude towards Mental Coaching in Golf: Find your way, find your field, find yourself.

Also, altogether, you can change your life through Mental power. I think that every person should deal with it. It would not only improve your professional life or Fitness, but also your relationships. Because often you get a different perspective on yourself and your life.