Vibration training how does it work

Vibration platforms would be included in some regular conditioning and gym exercises such as squats, press-ups and step-ups. The therapy is undertaken by standing, sitting, lying or doing exercises on specifically designed equipment that oscillates, generally in a horizontal plane, at relatively high frequencies. The theory is that the vibration signals are transferred into body tissues, tendons and muscles, which increases muscle contractions and ultimately improves muscle strength, co-ordination and balance.

In the long term, such contractions would increase muscle mass and energy expenditure, leading to better control of blood sugar levels.

Current theory also suggests bone cells are sensitive to this vibration and respond by increasing bone density. This has a further impact on better sugar control. But these are still theories. The overall effects of whole body vibration therapy remain elusive, as scientific studies vary largely in the vibration parameters used.

A recent study comparing whole body vibration with exercise in male mice specifically bred to be become obese and diabetic showed whole body vibration was equivalent to exercise for improving muscle quality, control of blood sugar and improving bone health. It was also equivalent in reducing fat tissue — especially in the abdomen, which is known as "bad" fat.

But caution should be exercised when applying findings from this or any other animal study directly to humans. There are a number of significant differences between humans and mice. The women were put into one of three groups:.

All three groups lost body fat, but the second and third groups lost more fat than the first group. The researchers concluded that vibration training combined with a diet program was equally as effective as an aerobic program with a diet program over 9 months. When the platform of a vibration machine shakes, your muscles reflexively contract rapidly.

Machines called electromyographs, which measure electrical activity in your muscles, have confirmed that vibration machines cause an increase in muscular activity. Some studies have found repeated exposure to vibrations is linked to several negative health effects, such as an increased risk of developing back, neck, hand, shoulder, and hip pain. However, most studies linking vibration to these health effects look at people exposed to vibration every day for an extended period while working.

These people are also often exposed to other risk factors, like toxic chemicals and repeated heavy lifting. Depending on the model, you can use vibration machines while standing, lying, or sitting.

Most of the time, people perform exercises on the machine while its vibrating to increase the number of calories they burn. Many different types of exercise can be performed on a vibration machine. You can perform both static and dynamic exercises.

Static exercises involve holding a position for a set length of time. A plank is a static exercise. Dynamic exercises involve moving during the exercise. Pushups are one example. You can find vibration machines at some fitness clubs and gyms. You can also buy them for home use from many places that sell fitness equipment. Shop for a vibration machine for weight loss online.

You need to burn about 3, calories to lose 1 pound of fat. You can lose weight by dieting, exercising, or a combination of the two.

Combining exercise with a healthy diet is often more effective than focusing on one or the other. The following are just some examples:. Mixed results were seen in the elderly , and those with multiple sclerosis. Vibration training for strength has shown benefits for some populations, but not consistently.

The website we looked at makes some claims about high energy expenditure, and generating fatigue faster. There is some research showing that vibration increases the energy cost of resistance exercise, so this is plausible. Changing the weight, the speed of the lift , and your exercise choice will also change the energy cost of the exercise. The author also claims that cellulite is broken up by vibration, allowing energy contained in the fat cells to be used. We should see it demonstrated in research, with overweight clients benefiting more from vibration than other exercise!

Again, there are issues with the quality of the research. A review in found that while exercise including vibration training had positive effects on body composition, few studies compared vibration training to exercise conditions. An even more recent meta-analysis found a very small effect from vibration training in the studies analysed less than a kilogram of weight loss.

But most of these studies were again not comparing the vibration training group to regular resistance training. Those that did found no difference. Again we see that the quality of evidence is low, and higher quality evidence tends to show no effect. It is claimed that vibrations can increase osteoblast activity. These are the cells responsible for laying down new bone, and they do more of this when stimulated. And vibration has also been shown to have this effect… in mice.

In people the story has been less positive. A review found small effects in the leg and hip bones , but no higher. And again we see some issues with the quality of the research. Later, well-designed research has found no effect. Much of the research has been done on post-menopausal women, and most has showed a positive effect of vibration on bone density. But when a comparison group of resistance training is used, there is often no difference.

When someone lacks the ability or will to do other exercise, whole-body vibration is a decent alternative. In older populations it has been shown to improve walking, and reduce the risk of falls. Or if we are looking for a weight loss effect, paying more attention to our diet and overall energy expenditure.

Vibration training can help reduce our risk of falling as we age. For those who are too frail for resistance exercise, it can be a safe, useful alternative. Above you see an example of the genetic fallacy , which is when someone tries to attack the credibility of a source to make their evidence seem less reliable. You see, scientists are just not smart enough to find the positive results we know we will see! This opinion is formed from personal experience, and confirming anecdotes he sees in the gym when people use his equipment.

When the evidence disagrees, he will likely be critical of it. This is confirmation bias , another popular topic here at Critical Fitness. There will always be a criticism. The frequency is too low. If we find research with the frequency he wants, it will be the amplitude that is the next problem.