Power-Plate is a machine that gives the body’s muscles a high-speed workout by using vibrations to stimulate them to contract and relax. They generally contract once or twice a second, but by standing on the Power-Plate, its vibrations cause an automatic reflex muscle contraction of 30-50 a second.
Power-Plate is a great time-saver due to the effectiveness of training and the fact that many muscle groups are activated at the same time. It’s claimed that 10 minutes on the Power-Plate will have the same results as 60 minutes of conventional strenuous training.
Start gradually
The best way to train is by increasing the frequency gradually. Beginners are advised to start with nine minutes of the resistance programme, followed by nine minutes of the stretch, massage and relaxation programme, both on the lower frequency and amplitude settings.
Stand correctly
In order to develop strength, power, muscle tone and definition, it is essential to adopt a position that puts tension on the muscles. For example, if you’re doing the squat position, have your knees bent and lean from the hips, as if you are about to sit on a chair.
Keep your workout short
Although everyone is different, it’s usually enough to start with no more than 30-60 seconds on each exercise. This will reduce the duration of the workout, which is a real bonus for people who are time-short but crave results.
Combine your exercises
Try to choose a combination of compound exercises (such as squats and push-ups, which use more than one muscle group) and isolation exercises (biceps curls and front raises). You’ll get a better training response, as well as increasing potential calorie burn.
Keep your knees bent
Vibration training stimulates the contraction of the muscle spindles, so it’s important to keep your knees slightly bent to avoid jarring through the joints.
Drink enough water
Your muscles will be contracting 30-50 times more quickly, thereby generating a lot of internal heat, so even if you don’t feel thirsty, always drink water while you’re working out.
Train for other sports
Using Power-Plate can help you get far better sport-specific benefits. With skiing, for example, stand in a crouched ski squat position for 30 seconds, and your quads will receive a more appropriate training stimulus than any standing squat against a wall. You can get similar benefits for your golf swing, rugby scrum and so on – just stand in the sport-specific position.
Please note: You may get great results in your body’s tone and flexibility using the power plate, but you won’t see any significant improvements to the stamina of your heart and lungs, it is important to incorporate it into a well balanced exercise program