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| Friday, May 08, 2009 |
| Good Vibrations! |
Another newcomer to the fitness game that’s getting very popular is Vibration Training. Fitness centers, Pilates studios and personal training facilities are using Vibration Training. Vibration Training involves standing on a vibrating platform, while the muscles are forced into activation at the same speed as the platform they are in contact with. The platform vibrates between 30 – 50 times per second, forcing the same amount of involuntary activation in the involved muscle. Vibration Training has been around for a long time, but is it too good to be true? Can just standing on a vibrating platform really do anything for our bodies?
The makers of the Vibration Training machines believe so. They say that all you have to do is climb aboard a specially designed platform that generates vibrations in the range of 35 to 50 Hertz. In response to the vibration, your muscles contract and relax dozens of times per second without your conscious effort. They claim that by simply standing, sitting or lying on the vibrating platform for 10 minutes a day, users can work up a sweat while they increase their muscular strength, flexibility and bone mass. They even say the machines can shake off excess body fat and shimmy away unsightly cellulite.
Not all strength and conditioning specialists are convinced. Juan Carlos Santana, a leading authority on functional training, argues that vibration training is in essence simply training on an unstable surface, and not really very different from working with a stability ball, wobble board or Bodyblade. He may have a point, but more research is needed before we can provide a definitive answer. It’s difficult to make blanket recommendations for vibration training at this time because of the limited information available on results.
A Vibration Training Machine can cost between $3500 and $5500. Few gyms and fitness centers have them at this point. There is a home version which sells for around $495, but will it be worth your investment? Maybe. In an article published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, researcher Gershon Tenenbaum, Ph.D. and colleagues reported that when male athletes exercised three times weekly in the presence of vibratory stimulation, they experienced greater gains in strength and flexibility than those who performed similar exercises in the absence of vibration. Even with evidence of strength gains, it may not be the right machine for you. If you’re looking to lose weight, be aware that there is little evidence that even after extended use, Vibration Training results in weight loss.
Personally, I take it for what it is…a new fad in exercise that may or may not be my new favorite workout. If you are looking to “SHAKE” up your routine a little, Vibration Training may be right for you. In South Florida, check it out at Cutting Edge Fitness in Boca Raton. In New Jersey, try Pilates Studio of Englewood. You can also watch a video of the exercises at www.powerplate.com.
- Jennifer
Labels: Exercise, Fitness, Jennifer, Physical Activity
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posted by My Sensei @ Friday, May 08, 2009   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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I never heard of such a thing..but I am very skeptical. interesting post though.
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A (bad) chiropractor that I visited had one and it certainly was a workout! It totally exhausted some muscles that I can't otherwise easily exercise.
Kids thought it was fun too.
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I never heard of such a thing..but I am very skeptical. interesting post though.