3 full-body moves to do on a whole body vibration machine

A whole body vibration machine allows you to target specific groups of muscles or to perform full-body workouts with minimum time investment, this form of workout being excellent for people with limited physical function, as well as for those who prefer low-impact exercises. Whether you choose to focus more on the upper body or the legs and glutes, the body vibration machine sends vibration waves throughout the entire body, so it stimulates all major muscles for faster results.

Whole body vibration training can be used for both isolation and compound exercises, and can be successfully incorporated into a mixed cardio/strength routine, or can be turned into an intense HIIT session, depending on the frequency and training intensity used, and on the exercise sequence performed.

Yet, if you want to get the most of your workout time, I’d recommend sticking with full-body moves, as when you add a body vibration machine to an already challenging workout, results become visible in a shorter time.

Full-body whole body vibration exercises

1. Planks and side planks

One of the most effective whole body vibration exercises http://www.hypervibe.com/au/for the entire body is the often overlooked plank, which works not only the shoulders, upper back and abdominal muscles, but also the glutes, quads and arms. It’s excellent for improving balance and posture, and for strengthening the muscles. Plus, it burns a lot of calories, so it’s good for supporting the fat loss process.

You can do this exercise by placing your hands on the platform, or by switching to one side and supporting your body on the elbow. This way you’ll target the obliques in a more thorough manner. As you get stronger, you can perform the plank by placing the hands on the floor and the feet on the moving WBV plate.

2.Squats with resistance bands

Another excellent full-body exercise you can perform on a body vibration machine is the squat, with either dumbbells or resistance bands for working the upper body in a more significant manner. When you stand on the machine, the lower body is stimulated more than the upper body, but if you add weights or if you use the elastic bands that are often delivered with various WBV machines, you can also target the shoulders, biceps or triceps.

Plus, your core gets a good workout as well, and your back muscles are also engaged, as your entire trunk has to work hard to maintain the posture and balance while the WBV platform moves up and down or tilts in a pivotal movement.

3. Bent over rows

To do this exercise on a whole body vibration machine you need to have a good fitness level, as well as a strong core and good balance. But it’s a great workout for the upper and lower body, and really works the abdominal and back muscles. Grab a set of dumbbells or a barbell and stand on the vibrating plate with your feet together, knees slightly bent.

Lower the body, pushing the butt back and leaning forward from the hips. Your upper body should be almost parallel to the floor, but back should be perfectly neutral, to avoid injuries. Keep the core engaged and bend the arms, bringing the weights toward the chin. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then repeat 9 more times.

Alternate these body vibration machine exercises with sprinting in place, and with stretching movements, and you can work your entire body in less than 10 minutes a day, in the comfort of your own home.

Exercising on a vibrating machine has positive effects on cognitive function

A body vibration exercise machine is more than a fitness tool, as the health effects of this form of training are not limited to strengthening the muscles or improving one’s body composition. According to researchers, working out on a vibrating machine exerts positive effects on one’s cognitive function, boosting mood and promoting the release of endorphins in the brain.

Study shows link between vibration training and cognitive performance

Researchers at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands, have recently published a study on the effects of whole body vibration training on one’s cognitive performance, showing that exercising on a vibrating machine has similar effects to practicing conventional strength workouts. The research was conducted on 112 healthy adults, who performed passive training on a body vibration exercise machine for 2 minutes, at a frequency of 30Hz.

Results of this study showed that simply standing on a vibrating machine for such a short period of time can positively impact one’s attention and mood. According to the scientists who conducted this study, WBV training could be an alternative to conventional cognition-enhancing therapy in people who aren’t able to practice classical workouts.

Although both cardio and strength exercises can stimulate the release of endorphins, which are associated with feelings of well-being, it’s generally easier to experience the mood-boosting effects of exercise after a cardio workout, as the euphoric feelings appear faster. With strength exercises, it can take around 1 hour to experience the same effects, so if whole body vibration training can improve one’s mood in a significantly shorter time, it’s surely worth taking advantage of this form of workout.

Exercises on a vibrating machine, beneficial in ADHD sufferers

The effects of WBV training on one’s cognition and attention were investigated in several studies, researchers at the University of Groningen showing that working out on a whole body vibration exercise machine has a small but positive effect in people with attention deficit disorders.

These findings are encouraging, if we consider the fact that the subjects performed only 2 minutes of whole body vibration training. Moreover, according to the same study, patients with ADHD experienced similar effects to healthy participants, so it’s worth investigating vibration training as a potential alternative to the available medication-based ADHD treatments.

3 Ways to Use Whole Body Vibration Machines at Home

With whole body vibration machines, you can never get too much power. Or can you? Although it may seem counterintuitive at first sight, there is such a thing as too much power, as studies have shown that once you exceed a certain frequency, body vibration machines no longer exert their beneficial effects on the human body.

These platforms send energy waves through the body, stimulating the muscles, improving circulation and lymph drainage and promoting a higher bone density. However, the muscle fibers, which absorb most of the vibration, can only respond to a certain amount of electrical stimuli. Our muscles, just like any other physical object in this world, have a certain frequency at which they resonate, and once that value is exceeded, they no longer respond.

The maximum frequency to cause muscle activation is 50Hz, but proper muscle activation happens even at lower values, of about 20Hz. Under this value, you can still use body vibration machines for massage and relaxation, while above 50Hz, no matter how much you increase the frequency, you won’t get a different response or effect.

Knowing these facts is important before purchasing a WBV platform for home use, as lots of people who buy whole body vibration machines end up disappointed with the “lack of results”. It’s therefore crucial to know what a WBV machine can be used for and what it won’t do.

3 applications of whole body vibration machines

1. Massage and relaxation

When using a vibration platform at a frequency that’s between 5 and 12 Hz, you can get a relaxing massage, and relieve the tension from sore and painful muscles. This range of frequencies is also good for stimulating the blood and lymph flow, so if your feet tend to get swollen in the evening due to poor circulation and water retention or if your work involves spending lots of hours standing, a session of WBV before bedtime can solve these problems.

2. Muscle toning and strengthening

Another way to use whole body vibration machines at home is for strength workouts. Although they don’t look like classical weight machines, these platforms can stimulate your muscles very efficiently, increasing the load on your body and making it “feel” heavier. When you perform an exercise on a WBV platform, the muscles have to work harder than when the same exercise is done using bodyweight only. So you can replace your strength routine with WBV training, or incorporate this machine in your daily workouts, for toning and strengthening your muscles.

3. Rehabilitation and active recovery

Last, you can use a body vibration machine for rehabilitation and recovery purposes. Again, the frequency you’ll be using will be lower than 20Hz, but in some cases a higher value might be recommended. You can increase the frequency progressively, as your body recovers and you feel stronger, this form of training being a low-impact activity that puts less stress on joints, bones and muscles than lots of the classical rehabilitation exercises. 

How to make sure you buy the best vibration machine?

You decided to get a high quality vibration exercise machine and saved enough money to buy the best vibration machine available on the market. Yet, you’re not sure how much you should be spending on the device, as prices vary greatly when it comes to fitness equipment, and whole body vibration platforms make no exception.

Even if budget is not a concern for you, it’s still not worth paying more than necessary on a vibration machine, when you can get the same results – or even better – for a much lower price.

Yes, you heard me right: a vibration machine with an accessible price can provide the same results as a more expensive one, as it’s not the price that counts when it comes to working your muscles, reshaping your body or helping you regain your flexibility and balance.

A WBV platform should be able to provide an acceleration or force that’s high enough to stimulate your body and increase the load on muscles during the exercises, and should work at a frequency that forces your body to work harder in order to maintain its balance.

How to buy the best vibration machine

As you can easily guess, to make sure you get the best value for your money, you should check for two main parameters: the acceleration and the frequency. I cannot stress enough how important these are in a vibration machine, as unless the muscles are thoroughly worked and the load on your body is high enough, you’re practically getting a nice massage, but not an effective workout, when using the machine.

Some of the very expensive WBV platforms deliver the optimum frequency and acceleration, taking you to over 20 Hz and 10 G, which is 10 times the Earth’s gravity. Imagine yourself doing your regular workouts while wearing a strange suit that increases your body weight 10 times! That’s what a WBV machine does, and if you want a powerful device, you have to pay a good amount of money, in most cases.

Still, there are some machines able to deliver the same parameters as the more expensive ones (20 Hz to 45 Hz, and at least 10G), but cost under $3000. Sounds too good to be true? I had the chance to test such a machine and I can tell you, it’s a great deal and a great replacement for strength workouts, if you’re not the type who lifts heavy weights at the gym on a daily basis.

Then, to make sure you get a high quality vibration exercise machine, you should check its engine, as just like treadmills, these pieces of fitness equipment can deliver very different performances, even if they look similar. A powerful machine requires a powerful engine, and a powerful engine means more noise and a heavier device. So make sure to keep these in mind when preparing the place where the WBV platform will be stored.

And last, to get the best deal, make sure to look for a platform that looks comfortable and has an ergonomic design, as you’ll be using it very often – on a daily basis, ideally, so you’ll want your body to feel comfortable while doing the exercises.

Summary: With all the models available on the market, getting a high quality vibration exercise machine shouldn’t be too difficult. Still, if you want to make sure you buy the best vibration machine out there, you should opt for one that delivers at least 10G of acceleration, works at a frequency of 20 Hz to 45 Hz and has a strong engine and an ergonomic design.