The world-wide explosion of Vibration exercise fitness has hit the USA with a bang! Vibration exercise machines are now being used from Hollywood to New York to Middle America and VibraSlim is leading the way with help from doctors, trainers and even celebrities.

With interest in fitness and healthy lifestyles at all time highs, millions of Americans are looking for the fitness program that fits their lifestyle and that they enjoy. VibraSlim has filled this need and has been rapidly expanding across the nation over the past 5 years.  VibraSlim’s technology first caught on with fitness trainers and doctors who realized the many benefits that their clients could gain from VibraSlim’s Vibration Training machine. From there vibration exercise grew mostly from word of mouth from those who had fantastic results from the Vibration Machine. Today VibraSlim’s fitness machines are used by moms, dads, retirees, chiropractors and pro athletes.

VibraSlim has been featured in top magazines such as “Health” and “Fitness Experts”, on the Discovery Channel’s “Time Warp” series, and “The Real Housewives of Orange County” to name a few.

VibraSlim’s Europlate vibrating platform offers the same benefits of an hour-long sweaty gym workout in just 15 minutes with the machine burning the calories for you. The Vibration Plate is said to be responsible for the incredible shapes of not only Madonna, but also stars such as Jessica Alba, Claudia Schiffer, Sophia Bush and Natalie Imbruglia.

The VibraSlim vibration machine has been designed to produce therapeutic vibrations from the feet up through your entire body. The vibration plate causes very rapid muscle contractions thirty to fifty times per second that work your muscles continuously. These contractions not only build muscle and bone density, but improve flexibility, burn fat, increase metabolism, improve circulation, improve cellular oxygen and nutrient delivery which slows the degenerative/ageing process!

1. Vibration exercise burns fat and cellulite
2. Vibration Fitness tones and tightens skin
3. Increase your Strength dramatically in weeks.
4. Increase your serotonin levels, which improve your mood and energy levels.
5. Decrease joint pain and blood pressure.
6. Increase your flexibility and balance with Vibration Plate workouts.

The superior muscle-activation that the vibration machine stimulates compared to conventional training, means that less time is required to work muscle groups completely. A one minute workout on this vibration platform burns more energy and creates strength improvements. This is achieved with minimal stress on the joints and ligaments. You can perform static or dynamic movements including standing, sitting, kneeling, lying, and placing your hands on it. Almost any exercise from a typical gym workout to passively sitting on a chair and resting your feet can be done on a vibration platform.

Vibration training is backed by dozens of medical research reports (see link at bottom).

To watch videos -

http://www.myvibraslim.com/vibration-exercise_video.htm

To view research reports - 

http://www.myeuroplate.com/vibration-exercise-research.htm

For more information about vibration exercise training visit -  

http://www.vibration-exercise-store.com

Vibration Exercise Therapy Fitness Guide

Overview of rationale efficacy and safety considerations by www.canadianchiropractor.ca

Dr. Sidhu and patient performing flexibility training, with the goal of decreasing spasticity.

With its many benefits for the patient population, it’s no surprise that vibration exercise therapy is one of the fastest growing modalities in the chiropractic and physiotherapy profession. And, with the increasing popularity of new types of technologies comes the choice of different units from various manufacturers. However, not all equipment should be compared on equal grounds. This article will discuss the benefits that vibration exercise therapy can provide for your patient population, as well as for your practice, and provide you with a checklist of what to look for in a vibration platform when you decide to purchase one.

Vibration exercise technology was originally used within the Russian space program and continues to be used for Olympic athletes. The initial area of focus and research and focus, for the technology, was sports enhancement. 1,2,3,4 However, its therapeutic benefits have quickly been discovered, and are now being implemented in hospitals, physiotherapy clinics, and chiropractic clinics across North America. The physiological basis behind the therapy is simple: the vibration platform vibrates up and down over a distance of a few millimetres, up to 50 times per second, thereby naturally stimulating the stretch reflex to, in turn, create an involuntary muscle contraction.5 Within one minute, a patient can undergo up to 3,000 muscle contractions. This involuntary stretch reflex leads to the many benefits – described in the paragraphs that follow – that vibration exercise therapy can provide for the patient population.

Faster strength gains through neurological adaptation

We know that the initial strength gain seen from any exercise program is through recruiting more muscle fibres rather than through hypertrophy. Since vibration exercise therapy works through an involuntary muscle contraction, more muscles are initially recruited through vibration than conventional strength training.6 This allows a de-conditioned patient with, for instance,  chronic knee pain to undergo a safe and effective strength training program in less time, thereby giving the chiropractor more time to spend on increasing ADLs and function.

Shorter training times per session

With the ability to produce up to 3,000 muscle contractions in one minute, exercise time during a single session can be reduced. Research has already shown similar strength gains from 20 minutes of vibration exercise as compared to an hour of conventional training. This allows any chiropractor to effectively incorporate a time-efficient rehabilitation program within their practice.

Address the concerns of a wider variety of patient populations

Vibration exercise therapy is well suited as an effective exercise solution for those having difficulty engaging in a conventional exercise program due to physical limitations. Strength and flexibility training can initially be done in static, pain free range of motions. Patient populations that have benefited from this include those with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury, osteoporosis, and Parkinson’s Disease, to name a few. 8, 9,10,11,12

Expanding practice opportunities

Vibration exercise therapy is not only available to be utilized as a modality in chiropractic offices. Since a strength training program can take as little as 15 minutes a day, some patients opt to continue with vibration exercise after being discharged from their chiropractic care. These people not only want to maintain the gains they have made with their chronic conditions, but also want to look good. It’s no surprise that small vibration studios are starting to pop up and will continue to increase in popularity. A chiropractor is in a prime position to be able to utilize this as an enhancement to his/her practice.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TYPE OF VIBRATION PLATFORM

Prior to purchasing a vibration platform, it’s always advisable to do your research. With all the choices in the marketplace, it’s sometimes confusing to understand what the key features are that separate the quality products from imitations. In addition, it’s important to understand the features that are essential to address the needs of a particular patient population, as opposed to the fitness or sports performance population. The following paragraphs outline some key features that should be present in a vibration platform.

1) Consistent dosimetry

When it comes to such devices as lasers or ultrasound, every clinician knows the importance of having devices that provide a consistent dose. A laser that changes the wavelength from one patient to the next is unacceptable, in health-care standards. Vibration exercise therapy is no different. The frequencies and amplitudes that are being generated are very specific. Regardless of the weight of the patient, the dose should be identical.

With vibration exercise, this can sometimes be an issue. The vibration platform needs to be consistent with the various weight loads. This is especially important considering certain frequencies are optimal for muscle contraction. If the platform is not able to provide this consistent frequency, the patient may be subjected to a dose of exercise that may be ineffective.

2) Ability to handle heavy loads

Some clinicians argue that they are not dealing with very heavy people. However, one should note that the heavier the load a vibration platform can take, the less chance there is of it being worn down and breaking. The reason for heavy loads is simple; I’ve seen two therapists standing on the platform with a spinal cord injury patient; I’ve also seen a 300-pound linebacker doing full squats with an additional 200-pound barbell. In order to ensure safety for the user, ability to handle heavier loads is mandatory.

3) Large platform size

A larger platform size allows for a greater variety of uses. Not only can you use vibration exercise therapy for strengthening, you can also use it for flexibility, mobilization, and massage. Large platform sizes allow a clinician to integrate various forms of functional training for the athlete, in addition to balance and gait training for an elderly patient.

4) Vertical vibrations

Regardless of the type of platform, maximizing the amount of vertical displacement and minimizing lateral movements is crucial. One of the main reasons for this is safety.  Some state that three-dimensional vibrations allow for increased proprioceptive and balance training. However, one needs to look at this in a different light. Wobble boards and gym balls are referenced as effective unstable surfaces that increase proprioception and stability. However, vibration platforms can provide up to six Gs of force. Any translation of this force will lead to shearing forces on the joints. Platform manufacturers that work towards minimizing lateral movements understand the importance of applying this technology to the patient population.

5) Support and training

Most platform manufacturers can provide exercise pictures, and even a training manual. However, this is generic for anyone that purchases a vibration platform. Seek out companies that have quality videos.

Whole Body Vibration Does Your Bones and Muscles Good

Standing on a vibrating platform can be beneficial for muscles and bones, particularly in older or sedentary adults.

Whole body vibration, or WBV, involves standing on a platform that sends mild vibratory impulses through the feet and into the rest of the body. It is claimed that the vibrations activate muscle fibers more efficiently than the conscious contraction of muscles during regular exercise.

Some studies have found that WBV increases bone density in the hip, and inhibit bone loss in the spine and hip areas.

Exercise is clearly an underappreciated tool to treat disease. Many, including most physicians, fail to use it to achieve high-level wellness. Fortunately I am not one of them as I have been passionate about exercise for four decades. I have been exercising since 1968 and have been very healthy most of my life. I attribute much of my success in life to being in excellent physical shape.

In fact, I had a business need that required me to obtain some additional life insurance and was able to get the highest rating possible, one that is typically reserved for twenty year old athletes and rarely given to anyone over 50.  I also had to perform a stress test for this exam.  Before I got on the machine I asked what the record was at this facility, and they said that in over ten years the best anyone could do was 14 minutes. 

I took that as a personal challenge and promptly proceeded to break their record and went 15 minutes. That is all the software program could do, it simply could not go any further. I am confident I could have gone another five minutes and was actually disappointed as I had planned on using that activity as a workout. Instead I had to go home and do a more intense workout.

It was also interesting that the treadmill facility questioned me about five times to make sure I was not taking any prescription medication. Seems that, in their experience, it is highly unusual for anyone over 50 to not be on multiple drugs.

Is a Vibration Platform Right for You?

The vibration platforms originate from research conducted during the 1960s space race. They work on the principle that if muscles are exercised while being shaken, they activate neighboring muscle fibers, hence building mass faster.

I first encountered this whole body vibration (WBV) technology in 2006, at which time I contacted one of the top personal trainers in the Chicago area, Tony Bruno -- an expert on muscle activation techniques – for his input on this approach.

Tony felt the technology was great and had been proven to improve proprioception, strength and balance, and decrease sway in the elderly, and found it especially beneficial in rehab to increase circulation.

A vibration platform has also been proven useful for athletes, improving speed and vertical jump height, and cutting your warm-up time by half. However, he indicated that because the platform does cause a temporary decrease in joint stability, you shouldn’t use it before an event, as you’ll need to be in top form. But it would be an excellent addition to the training phase of your program.

WBV training has also been shown to improve and maintain bone mineral density in postmenopausal women and the tactic is being studied for its therapeutic potential, such as increasing older women's bone mass – a far better alternative than the dangerous osteoporosis drugs currently on the market, for sure.

However, the authors of the study above warn that if you have certain health conditions, such as heart disease or high blood pressure, you may want to avoid WBV until safety concerns have been addressed more fully.

Remarkable Benefits for the Elderly

WBV training has demonstrated significant gains in most measures of muscle performance in sedentary and elderly individuals. 

But one study, performed by the University of Liege in Belgium, investigated the effects of controlled whole body vibrations exercises on overall health in elderly patients and found that after 6 weeks (performing 4 one-minute sessions, 3 times a week), the participants experienced:  

• 143 percent improvement in physical function
• 77 percent improvement in equilibrium
• 60 percent improvement in vitality
• 57 percent improvement in the quality of walking
• 41 percent reduction in pain
• 23 percent improvement in general health 

Not bad for 12 minutes a week! 

How Does Whole Body Vibration Training Benefit Your Body? 

As Dr. Keith DeOrio, M.D. explains in another article, your entire body musculature, as well as your internal organs and glands, are affected by WBV stimulation. 

Your muscle spindles fire secondary to the mechanical stimulation produced by the vibrating plate, and this rapid firing of the muscle spindle causes a neuromuscular response that leads to physiological changes in your brain as well as your entire body.  

Traumas and injuries can leave cellular memories in your brain or body tissue that impede normal body movement or function, even after they’re healed. Using WBV stimulation allows your body and brain to rapidly de-imprint these old cell traumas, re-imprinting with positive, healthy information.  This allows for better and more efficient rehabilitation of injuries from sports or surgery than traditional methods of therapy. 

According to Dr. DeOrio, studies have shown that a mere 12 minutes of training on a WBV plate is equal to a 1.5-hour workout with weights. And since it’s accomplished with little amount of stress to your joints, tendons and ligaments, it can be a very good therapy regimen if you’ve suffered injuries, if you’re elderly, or have disease conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or multiple sclerosis, which would normally limit your fitness program. 

The benefits of whole body vibration training include: 

There are quite a few medical research studies on the health benefits of WBV. If you want to find out more, www.generationplate.com is a good place to start. It has an entire page with links to different studies and medical research on vibration therapy.  

What Should You Look For in a Vibration Exercise Machine?

Overall, WBV seems like a good adjunct to a comprehensive exercise strategy for some people. The downside is that some of the pieces of equipment can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. Soloflex does make one for under $500 (on sale right now for less than $400).

I am not convinced that there are sufficient benefits to incorporate into my own exercise regimen. I really see this device as a niche for seriously competitive athletes or as physical therapy aid to those recovering from certain health conditions.

If you want to purchase one of these devices I’d recommend you do your homework before investing in a machine of your own. The Vibration Exercise Machine Buyers Guide and Reviews (click here) offers great tips on what to look for in a quality product, and warnings on what NOT to buy.

For example, here are just a few of the important features you should look for when choosing your equipment:

1. Solid Steel and Construction
2. Reputable Company: If you’ve never heard of the company, check them out first. How long have they been in business?
3. Warranty
4. Maximum user weight: Make sure the machine can handle your body weight. Cheap machines can wear down and operate at a lower frequency than indicated, and in the case of lineal vibrating machines, low frequencies can be harmful.
5. Features and Noise: Does the Vibration Machine have at least 15 speeds? Does it have automated programs? How noisy is it? (Be aware that many machines are quite loud, even expensive ones.)
6. Manuals and Videos: Does the company provide you with a positions guide and user manual? Do they have videos you can watch of the machine in action and demonstrations of the different exercise positions?

 

Written by Dr. Mercola
www.mercola.com 

http://www.vibratingfitness.com
The Source for Vibration Exercise News

 

Good Vibrations May Stop Fat From Forming

Mice that spent 15 minutes a day on a vibrating platform had 30 percent less fat around their middles than mice on stationary surfaces. Karen Hopkin reports.

If you’re like me, somewhere in your closet, or maybe in a drawer, you probably have a pair of pants you hope to someday fit into. Again. But staying on a diet and finding time to exercise—it’s no walk in the park.

But wait! Before you swear off the spaghetti, scientists at the State University of New York in Stony Brook have stumbled onto a new way to slenderize. They found that mice that spend 15 minutes a day standing on a vibrating platform are leaner than mice who just stand still. Their results appear in the current online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.All the animals in the experiment were allowed to eat their fill. Interestingly, after 15 weeks, the shaken mice didn’t actually weigh any less. But compared to the mice who hung out on a stationary platform, they had about 30 percent less fat around their middles.

The SUNY scientists think that the jiggling kept fat cells from forming. Whether it would do the same for people, you never know. And here you thought New Yorkers were lean and mean because they’re always in a hurry rushing here and there. Maybe it’s because they spend so much time standing on vibrating subway platforms, waiting for the uptown express.

Karen Hopkin
Scientific American Inc.
www.sciam.com

http://www.vibratingfitness.com

The Source for Vibration Exercise News