First of all, what the heck is whole body vibration training?
Whole body vibration training is the use of a vibration
plate on which you stand on, sending vibrations throughout your body in order
to elicit improved performance. It is proposed, and has been shown, to bring improvements
in power output that equate to increases in vertical jump height and muscular
performance.
So how does this work?
You simply stand on the plate and it vibrates. The vibration
from the plate stimulates receptors in your muscles, known as muscle spindles,
which are responsible for the stretch-shortening cycle. This stretch-shortening
reflex/cycle is one of the mechanisms responsible for producing muscular power
output. It therefore makes sense that stimulating these sensors with vibration
primes your nervous system for athletic activities that require high levels of
power output.
Whether or not vibration training truly works, force plates
can range in cost from about $150 - >$2,000. In my opinion, that’s quite a
bit of money for something that you stand on while it sits on the ground, and
doesn’t really contribute anything else to your training space. There might be
other equipment that’s more worth your money. There are also other ways to
accomplish the task of improving power output, such as plyometric training or
dynamic lifting methods.
Do whole body vibration plates work? Probably to some
degree, as the research suggests. Are they the most practical? Mehh, I think
your gym space and money would be better spent on other endeavors.
Feel free to jump into the discussion in the comment section
below.
Ryan Goodell, CSCS
1. Dabbs
NC, Svoboda SM. Is Whole-Body Vibration Training Effective? Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2016;38(4):72-74.
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ryangoodell@weightsandstuff.com
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