Traveling can physically take a toll on your body. Long periods of inactivity — not to mention jet lag — affect your body. Chances are you have already experienced getting cramps on the plane. You might even struggle with walking when the plane finally lands. Sitting or lounging in your seat for extended periods of time deprives your muscles of stimulation. With this amount of inactivity, blood circulation is significantly less. That’s where electronic muscle stimulation comes in.

Electronic Muscle Stimulation

Also known as EMS, electronic muscle stimulation is the use of electric current to induce involuntary muscle contractions. The goal is to increase blood flow in the idle muscles to aid in muscle recovery, training, warm-up and strength-building.

EMS machines are used to target specific muscle types and groups, and the settings allow individuals to adjust it according to the results they wish to achieve. The deep, intense and complete muscle contractions resulting from this are great for those who go on long-haul flights.

Now, what kind of EMS device should you use?

Why the PowerDot?

The PowerDot is the world’s first connected electronic muscle stimulator — which, in and of itself, is a huge game-changer for people on the go. Unlike those giant machines with a lot of wires, the PowerDot consists of two electrode pads that you stick to your skin and a larger rectangular pad that holds the body of the machine.

The device is controlled by an app on your smartphone, which is compatible with iOS and Android devices. The device is small and compact, and can fit in the palm of your hand. If you have to, you can have the electrode pads applied to the muscles you need to stimulate underneath your clothes.

How Do You Use It?

The app currently offers 11 different stimulation programs. PowerDot can be used on 14 significant muscle groups, and each session lasts from four to 47 minutes at most. The fact that it can target individual muscles make it superior to other varieties of EMS.

45 minutes for every two hours of travel is a good rule of thumb when you’re using the PowerDot. You can adjust the device to stick to an intensity you are comfortable with, too. Try to find a setting where you are able to notice the stimulation, but not to a level of discomfort. You don’t need much to stimulate your muscles for increased blood flow if you only need to use it for traveling. Of course, you can use it for training, warm-up, and recovery as you would with other electronic muscle stimulators.

The PowerDot UNO is available on the WOD Life at $449.95. It comes with the PowerDot device in either black or red and four electrode pads which should last you about four months of active training. Each pad should be replaced after 25 to 30 sessions, depending on the accumulation of hair and oils. PowerDot requires an iPhone 5 or later (with iOS 7.0+) or supported Android phones running Android 4.4+.