The benefits of using a vibration trainer seem almost too good to be true, the manufacturers claim that they can:-
- Tone your body without vigorous exercise
- Help to maintain bone density
- Promote recovery following an injury
Sounds pretty good doesn't it! But is it possible for these odd-looking machines to do all that?
How does a Vibration Trainer work?
Since you are actually exercising on a vibrating and therefore unstable surface your muscles are forced to respond in order to re-instate stability. Your body does that by performing reflexive muscle contractions multiple times per second.
Additionally these contraction must work in multiple dimension since the plates not only move up and down but actually oscillate in all three planes, meaning they move up and down, from side to side and transverse, just like our body is designed to do. And as you increase the vibration frequency (Hz) or the intensity from high to low your muscles will always be facing a renewed challenged.
Our body is extremely smart and will always respond to any change or challenge. In fact as a Health and Fitness Professional it is one of the principles I apply, and I am letting you into a little bit of a trade secret, that the solution to any form of successful physical training is to keep your body guessing by regularly changing the training variables i.e. speed, resistance, tempo or repetitions.
Whether you're aiming to loose weight and look good in your jeans or you are training to compete in an Iron Man event you will experience significant improvements in strength, tone, shape and power through this form of instability training or vibration training as it is called. And to make it even more exciting you can achieve in 10 minutes what would usually take one hour.
How Vibration Training Was Developed
Vibration Training was originally a concept developed for space travel. Since there is no gravity in space scientists had to developed a way in which astronauts muscular and skeletal systems could be challenged or workout in order to ensure no loss of muscular strength, power, flexibility and with that circulation and stability.
The concept of Vibration Training
Most forms of exercises that are commonly known to us are usually weight bearing exercises, meaning, they condition our body by us either using our own body weight or adding additional weight i.e. dumbbells to load onto our muscles and joints. In other words we always work against the force of gravity.
However in space there is no gravity. So the question was how can you create a stimulus for muscle fibres to contract. And that is how VT came into play.
So can it work for you?
How do you choose a vibration trainer that's right for your needs and budget?
Please see my Buyers' Guide here
Important: Please consult your doctor before beginning a new training regime. You should not use a vibration trainer if you are pregnant, have a neurological condition, have a heart condition or use pacemaker or other medical implant device, suffer from deep vein thrombosis or suffer from diabetic neuropathy.
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