03 Feb What are best exercises on a vibration trainer?

(Note: It’s Vibration Training Week here at At Home Fitness. This is the fourth in a five-part series in which we’ll feature information on this increasingly popular area of fitness).
There are many more exercises that can be done on a vibration training machine, such as Power Plate and 3G Cardio vibration machines, than people may be aware of.
First, here’s what you don’t do on a vibration machine. You don’t simply stand there and shake off weight and tone muscles.
And, you don’t stay on the vibration machine for long periods of time, such as with an elliptical machine or treadmill.
A vibration plate user must perform standard static and dynamic exercises on the vibration machine that are similar to ones they’d do with traditional weights. Choose a hertz level that you’re comfortable with (between 30-50 Hz usually) and perform exercises for counts of 30 or 60 seconds in most cases. Hold the mid-point of the exercise, or perform them slowly through the complete motion.
Some of the best exercises on the vibration machine for upper body are pushups, shoulder press, biceps curl, triceps dip, bent over row, front raise and dips. Some of these exercises require using straps that are included.
For legs, perform squat holds or full squats, calf stretches or raises, step-ups on and off the platform and leg massages.
The muscles contract in response to the plate vibration and movement, resulting in rapid contractions and accelerated results, according to 3G Cardio. The vibrations create instability, which the body senses and reflexively contracts muscles involuntarily to stabilize and react.
At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com