How footballer Daniel Laporte trains on the socket

In addition to his American football career, the linebacker runs a gym for electrical muscle stimulation.

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Hamburg. Just connect the cable to the socket and then it is Daniel Laporte ready. The screen of the desk in front of him flashes like a slot machine, with green glowing controls the Linebacker the Hamburg Sea Devils the current intensity. Laporte’s upper body is in a tight black vest and he has made the buckles on his upper arm extra wet with a spray bottle. “So that the electricity flows better,” the 30-year-old grins.

What sounds like a modern method of torture is actually used for health and muscle building. EMS – electronic muscle stimulation – is the name of the training that Laporte has been offering in its own fitness studio in Altona since 2017. “The training is supported by electricity. The muscles receive electronic impulses so that you can achieve a very effective workout within 20 minutes per unit, ”he explains.

Laporte’s parents moved to Hamburg from New Jersey

When the native of New Jersey (USA) has played with the Sea Devils in the American Football European League ELF, he mainly uses the weak current pulses for regeneration. “Some people find it off-putting because they think it hurts or is heartfelt. The whole thing is completely harmless, ”says Laporte, who employs two people.

When his Haitian parents moved from New Jersey to Hamburg in late summer 24 years ago, Laporte was a month and a half late for school. His mother had previously inquired about German culture – and gave him a late school cone. The reactions – first amazement, then laughter – were programmed.

In the second grade, Laporte was already fluent in German

By the time Laporte started second grade, however, he was already fluent in German, initially playing soccer and basketball, before watching a St. Pauli Buccaneers football game at the age of 16. “I was just a short, fat basketball player and happened to be at the game. A coach saw me and said I had to come to football training, ”remembers Laporte. He got to know EMS training through a Buccaneers trainer, initially trained as a fitness trainer and opened his own EMS studio in 2017.

In addition, the 1.86 meter tall and 95 kilogram defender started a football career, playing for various northern clubs in the GFL and GFL 2. When he won the sixth victory with the Sea Devils on Saturday (6pm, Hoheluft Stadium) against the Barcelona Dragons wants to get in the sixth game of the season, his five-year-old son will also be there. Football, training, work, family – Laporte doesn’t have much time. “You completely sacrifice your free time. But I chose it that way and I like it, ”he says.