Vibration Plates: An Effective Tool for Burning Fat
If you’re looking to burn fat, you may have heard of vibration plates. These machines have come a long way since the 1930s and can now provide a highly effective workout. Here’s what you need to know about vibration plates and how they can help you reach your fitness goals.
How Vibration Plates Work
Vibration plates work by forcing your muscles to contract multiple times per second. This happens due to the vibration running through your body, which is caused by the plate underneath your feet. The combination of gravity and vibration helps you burn calories, boost metabolism, strengthen muscles, and elevate your pulse and oxygenation levels. Some studies have even suggested that a 10-minute session on a vibration plate is as effective as an hour-long workout at the gym. Hypervibe also has a good article located here.
The Benefits of Vibration Plates
Independent studies have shown that working out on a Power Plate activates up to 138% more muscle fibers when compared to a standard workout (The American Chiropractor). This makes vibration plates a highly effective tool for burning fat and building muscle. Additionally, the increased blood flow and lymphatic drainage caused by vibration plates can help reduce cellulite and improve overall skin appearance.
The Mayo Clinic has a good article on the use of vibration plates to burn fat (Whole-body vibration: An effective workout? – Mayo Clinic). They recommend its use, not as a substitute to exercise, but as a supplement to it. Powerplate.com notes that Power Plate’s vibrating surface actually forces your body to not only fight against regular gravity but also fight against vibrations.
Contraindications for Vibration Plate Use
While vibration plates can be highly effective for many people, they may not be appropriate for everyone. Pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions should not use vibration plates. If you’re unsure whether vibration plates are safe for you, talk to your doctor before trying them.
Today’s units are much more sophisticated and produce much better results. Today’s units are meant to be stood on, and the plate underneath your feet does the vibrating. The speed of the vibration is much higher. The noise level is significantly lower (you can barely hear it).
“The Jiggler”
Using Vibration Plates at Contours
At Contours, we offer a high-end vibration plate that our clients can use as part of their services. After a belly buster session, we have patients stand on the vibration plate (nicknamed “The Jiggler”) for ten minutes at a fairly high RPM. This is just one of the many tools we use to help our clients burn fat and achieve their fitness goals.
We have probably seen pictures or videos from the 1930s to the 1970s of large people standing with a large belt around their waste tied to an electrical motor. These were widely distributed to health clubs and used at home. Jack Lalanne was a big proponent, and I remember watching him use it in when I was a child. It was all the rage.
Supplementing Exercise with Vibration Plates
It’s important to note that vibration plates should not be used as a substitute for exercise. Instead, they should be used as a supplement to regular exercise. If you’re already working out and looking for a way to boost your results, vibration plates may be a great addition to your routine.
For our clients, the vibration plate is an integral part of our regimen, along with supplements, exercise, hydration, and support garments. If you are a client, feel free to stop in and use ours anytime. We have a second unit that is always available and free to jiggle away!
