Electro-muscle stimulation training is well-known in Europe. Thanks to one surging fitness franchise, it’s starting to gain recognition in the U.S.

Body20 is on a mission to bring electro-muscle stimulation (EMS) training to the forefront of fitness culture in the United States. In doing so, it aims to become the brand Americans think of when they hear the term “EMS.”

“Our goal is for people to view Body20 and EMS as the same thing,” the brand’s CEO Jay Galluzzo tells Athletech News, although he’s quick to note that the way Body20 does EMS is a bit different from others. 

The fitness franchise is already off to a good start, with 62 locations up and running across the country and plans to have over 80 opened by the end of 2024. 

Body20 also has 300-plus franchise agreements signed, so the pipeline of future locations looks strong. The company ranked 205 on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2024, no small feat for a fitness brand. 

In December 2023, Body20 hired Galluzzo, a boutique fitness vet, as its CEO. Under Galluzzo, Body20 has continued to expand, but it’s also turned its attention to something that’s perhaps even more important: building awareness. 

To do so, Body20 has revamped its marketing approach in recent months, improved its relationships with equipment suppliers, and added new technology and fitness programming. It’s also planning to fully relaunch its website and create new, improved brand assets.

For Galluzzo, this is all part and parcel of growing not only the Body20 brand, but public awareness for EMS training in general.

EMS, which has been popular in Europe for years now, is still very much a niche fitness modality in the States. 

“The U.S. is late to the game here,” Galluzzo says. “EMS in Europe, particularly in countries like Germany, is really popular – it’s part of the accepted fabric of fitness. There’s big-box gyms, boutique fitness, personal training, and there’s EMS.”

Galluzzo says public awareness of EMS is building in America, although there’s still much work to be done,

EMS is “ just now becoming a standalone modality in the U.S.,” Galluzzo believes. “I think a couple of years ago, it was put into that bubble of ‘biohacking’ because it uses sophisticated science and technology, and it wasn’t well-known.” 

The Time-Saving Magic of EMS

At EMS studios, participants perform standard exercises from squats to med ball slams while wearing an electro-muscle stimulation suit that creates frequent but pain-free muscle contractions.

Body20’s EMS suits are cleared by the FDA, and its workouts take place under the guidance of personal trainers. A Body20 session lasts 20 minutes (hence the name), and workouts are primarily strength-training focused, although the brand also offers cardio, hybrid and recovery options.

There’s some science to support claims that EMS training allows users to build more muscle in less time than they would with traditional strength training workouts. Some EMS evangelists also claim it helps with post-workout recovery and can be safer than traditional weightlifting for those with chronic injuries. 

According to Galluzzo, the main allure of a Body20 workout – and EMS in general – is its ability to provide all the benefits of a normal strength-training workout, namely increased muscle mass and bone density, in a fraction of the time.

“We’re talking about 30 minutes from the minute you walk in to the minute you walk out, and you truly are getting a workout that’s the equivalent of an hour plus in a traditional workout format,” he says.

The Business Case for Body20

Body20’s clientele is around 65% female, although more males are showing interest as EMS becomes more mainstream. The brand’s core customer is in the 35 to 55 age range, although everyone from college students to people in their 60s can be seen in studios. 

The average household income for a Body20 member currently sits at $150,000 or above, so, at least for right now, the brand is mainly targeting a certain segment of the population. 

In terms of competition, there’s a smattering of other EMS studio brands in the U.S., although they have much smaller footprints than Body20. 

Besides being bigger than other EMS brands, Galluzzo believes Body20 stands out because it offers a more high-end experience. 

“Those are our competitors, they’re offering the same product,” he says, referring to other EMS studios. “But are they offering it the same way that we offer it? Are they using the same technology? No, we have an exclusive on our technology, and we really are a boutique, premium experience.”

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Body20 doesn’t see itself as being in direct competition with other boutique fitness modalities or big-box gyms. For safety reasons, EMS enthusiasts can only perform between two and three workouts per week. And since sessions are only 20 minutes long, it leaves plenty of time for other fitness endeavors. 

“I do EMS, yoga, HIIT training and (other) boutique fitness classes, and I’m outdoors a lot,” Galluzzo says. “We encourage people to make this part of their workout program versus exclusive.”

To drive more awareness around the benefits of EMS, Body20 plans to launch an advisory board that includes members with scientific expertise. 

“The science of EMS is something we want to bring forward,” Galluzzo notes. “There’s (also) incredible medical benefits here that we’re hoping to capitalize on as part of the broader effort to bring EMS to the people.”

A ‘Measured’ Approach to Growth

Body20 currently has a presence in states across the U.S., including on both coasts, with strongholds in Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Texas. 

While it continues to pursue expansion, the brand’s top priority at the moment is supporting its existing franchisees. Galluzzo says the company is in “performance growth” mode, which includes striving to increase average unit volume across its existing studios. 

Body20 will also look to help its already successful franchise owners establish a second or third location.

“We’ve continued to sell franchises, but at a much slower pace and very targeted on certain geographies,” Galluzzo says, singling out the Northeast in particular as a focus area. “We’re far more interested in our existing franchisees opening more studios.”

Looking into the future, Galluzzo believes Body20 can one day reach hundreds of studios across the country, and potentially expand beyond the U.S. 

For now, though, “measured” is the word he uses to describe the brand’s expansion approach.

“We’re a very small organization, our overhead is relatively low, so it allows us to be measured in our growth expectations,” he says.