An interventional study of Traditional warm-up and Isolated WB-EMS without voluntary exercises in Athletic Performance, sponsored by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Germany. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
Whole-body electromyostimulation is a versatile training technology characterised in particular by its ability to stimulate large muscle groups simultaneously, whilst maintaining an appropriate stimulation intensity for each. Joint-friendly application, time-efficiency, individualised use and, when used correctly , a low risk of injury and damage are among the distinctive features of WB-EMS. Whilst the research focus of WB-EMS lies primarily on preventive and rehabilitative issues , whilst its use in elite sport is not new, the investigation of potential performance enhancement following prior neuromuscular activation ('Post-Activation Performance Enhancement', PAPE) via EMS represents a new research approach. Traditionally, PAPE is predominantly induced by high-intensity strength training, plyometric or ballistic exercises . Electromyostimulation, through its comprehensive neuromuscular activation with comparatively low mechanical load, could be an alternative or complement to these traditional approaches. However, the scientific evidence on EMS-induced PAPE remains The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of different neuromuscular activation protocols, with and without whole-body EMS, on performance in speed climbing.
The research question is therefore: Can competition performance in speed climbing be enhanced through pre-activation using whole-body EMS? By comparing four different methodological approaches, with and without whole-body EMS, for pre-activation prior to a competition-specific task, the most effective variant of 'Post-Activation Performance Enhancement' (PAPE) will be identified.
University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School is the lead sponsor of 276 studies on the registry; 52 are open to participants now.
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Standardised, conventional warm-up (7 mins) to prepare for competition
Other: Isolated WB-EMS without voluntary exercises · Other: WB-EMS I · Other: WB-EMS II
Static WB-EMS application at different joint angles/postures. 7 minutes at high stimulation intensity
Other: Traditional warm-up · Other: WB-EMS I · Other: WB-EMS II
WB-EMS combined with individual warm-up (WA+WB-EMS), focusing on high voluntary exertion, 7 minutes at low stimulation intensity
Other: Traditional warm-up · Other: Isolated WB-EMS without voluntary exercises · Other: WB-EMS II
WB-EMS is combined with an individual warm-up (WA+WB-EMS), focusing on high stimulation intensity (7 mins) whilst performing a low level of voluntary exertion.
Other: Traditional warm-up · Other: Isolated WB-EMS without voluntary exercises · Other: WB-EMS I
Standardised, conventional warm-up (7 mins) to prepare for competition
7 min of static WB-EMS application at different joint angles/postures at high stimulation intensity
7 min WB-EMS combined with individual warm-up (WA+WB-EMS), focusing on high voluntary exertion and low stimulation intensity.
7 min WB-EMS combined with individual warm-up (WA+WB-EMS), focusing on low to moderate voluntary exertion and high stimulation intensity.
Speed-climbing performance (seconds)
Time taken to climb a standardised, 15-metre-high climbing wall as quickly as possible (in seconds, as recorded by the competition timing system) assessed following each of the four PAPE protocols.
Time frame: Immediately after each of the four experimental PAPE interventions, once per experimental session.
Perceived Physical State Scale (PEPS)
Perceived Physical State Scale as assessed via the WKV-questionnaire provided by Kleinert, 2016. The WKV comprises four dimensions: physical activation, perceived fitness, flexibility, and health. Each dimension consists of five items rated on a 6-point scale (0-5): Higher scores indicating a more favorable perceived physical condition.
Time frame: Immediately after each of the four experimental PAPE interventions, once per experimental session.
Flow experience and associated psychological responses
Flow experience as assessed using the Flow Short Scale (FSS; Rheinberg et al., 2003), comprising 10 items assessing flow experience , three items assessing performance-related worry, and three additional items assessing perceived challenge-skill balance. The overall score is calculated as the mean of the 10 items, ranging from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater flow experience.
Time frame: Immediately after each of the four experimental PAPE interventions, once per experimental session.
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data (IPD) sharing is currently not planned. Any future sharing of anonymized individual-level data would be subject to applicable ethical and data protection requirements.
Start is estimated for Nov 2026; primary completion for Jun 2027, 7 months later.
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