Vibration Platform

Thoughts for the vibration platform were originally developed by Russian scientists and used in space programs designed to keep cosmonauts fit.

How vibrating platforms work

Vibration is a “Mechanical” irritation on the body, which moves with oscillation. Exercising with “vibrations” to the body requires specially designed machines that vibrate the body at specific frequencies. These machines cause whole-body vibration. The advantage of exercise on a vibrating platform is that it mobilizes about 100% of the muscle fibers. In most other activities which use resistance 60% of the muscle fibers are mobilized. Furthermore this type of exercise stimulates blood flow to the muscles and thus helps to better rehabilitation after a workout. It is known that during exercise the muscles suffer fatigue and need proper nutrition and rest to grow.

The person on the vibrating platform tries to keep his head and body straight and upright. All the muscles that keep the body in this position are forced to react to the oscillating movement provided by the machine and in this way they are exercised.

Just a few minutes exercise per week (the duration depends on the type of machine), are enough to have measurable results and benefits. The best known machines use platforms that allow the user to perform a variety of exercises, mainly upright, but those are specially designed exercises in which the arms are also placed on the platform. Lately in the market one can find weights which cause vibrations while exercising the arms.

The scientific community now “recognizes” that when we are looking for improvement to the bones and muscles during the workout, the body has to accept large forces from the ground and / or joints. These forces charge the bones and muscles and cause their growth. The mechanical loading of bone can be done either with normal activities (eg physical exercise), or by applying non-physiological factors, such as full body vibration. With the use of platforms the goal is achieved safely and quickly, without any injuries. The mechanical loads are applied in a strong form, while the intensity is high, and in this way “sufficient” results are achieved.