Vibration plates are making a comeback. Similar to the mid-20th-century vibrating belt machines, vibration plates have been said to provide the body with various benefits and can even be a tool for weight loss. But is the hype actually backed by science and expert opinions, or is it all social media hearsay?
To find out if you should add a vibration plate to your workout routine, we asked personal trainers and other fitness experts about the actual benefits, risks, how to use a vibration plate and more.
What is a vibration plate?
Whole body vibration plates is are a form of exercise machine that shakes rapidly when you stand on it. When you stand on a vibration plate, you're engaging in a full body vibration exercise, where your muscles are forced to contract and relax quickly.
"The purpose of vibration plates is to generate quick vibrations that cause your body's muscles to contract and relax several times per second," says Dr. Leah Verebes, a physical therapist and assistant professor at Touro University's School of Health Sciences. "At a far greater frequency, this resembles the spontaneous contractions that take place during exercise."
"This stimulates a subconscious muscle activation each time the machine moves, meaning your muscles are activating far more than they would on a stable surface," says Laura Wilson, a personal trainer at Life Time Fishers and director of training and curriculum at Power Plate, a company that produces vibrating exercise machines.
There are several ways to use a vibration plate, the most common being standing on its rectangular platform. However, you can also perform squats or push-ups on it.
Wilson says vibration plates can move in multiple directions: up and down, side to side and front to back. The harmonic vibrations move between 25 to 50 times per second, activating the corresponding muscles.
Vibration plate benefits
Yes, there are health benefits to using vibration plates. According to Verebes, some of the advantages may include "improved muscle tone and strength, better circulation, higher bone density, improved flexibility and balance, lymphatic drainage and the possibility of weight loss when paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise."
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