5 Different Ways You Can Exercise On A Whole Body Vibration Machine By: Lenette Nakauchi

The great thing about whole body vibration machines is that it doesn't take a lot of time to get a high-quality workout in. Even just 10 minutes has been shown to have the same effect as 60 minutes of exercise at the gym. And just 10 minutes, 3 times per week, can yield maximum results in the areas of muscle health, hormone health, lymphatic health, bone strength, weight loss, balance, and many other areas of benefit with whole body vibration.

The two main reasons whole body vibration is so effective is 1) this neuromuscular training method causes muscles to contract and relax by natural reflex approximately 7-28 times per second as opposed to once or twice every second, and 2) Conventional exercise engages around 45% of muscle fibers wheres involuntary muscle contractions engage approximately 97% of muscle fibers.

Depending on your current ability and goals, there are 5 different ways to use a Whole Body Vibration Machine to exercise. These are applicable to a high quality oscillating, or pivotal, vibration machines, as opposed to a linear vibration machines, which are quite different.

1. You can just stand on the whole body vibration platform and make slight adjustments in your body position. The vertical support can be used to maintain balance if necessary. This will vary the muscle fibers used. The effects are dozens of different exercises are actually produced just by making these slight tweaks. You can lean back and feel your back muscles being worked out, or you can lean forward and feel your abs being engaged. You can squat a little or a lot or move from left to right. Due to the unique movement of the of vibration machine, you will find that you are working many of your core muscles by just standing on the platform. The machine does the hard work allowing you to keep exercises simple.
2. You can vary the intensity. You may want to use a pyramid method starting low and then going high then back to low again, or you might feel more comfortable with starting low and building up. As you use your machine, you will also notice that certain positions work better than others at certain speeds. Lower intensity levels 1-5 (7-26 Hz) are best used for muscle relaxation, joint flexibility, pain reduction, balance, coordination, rehabilitation, and neuro-muscular training. The more intense levels 6-10 (19-28 Hz) are best used for body toning, building muscle strength and power, and weight loss. Keep in mind, you do not have to use the highest speeds right away to get results; you can work your way up gradually and reap all the benefits of whole body vibration in the meantime.
3. You can vary the positioning of your feet. The great thing about pivotal machines is that you are in complete control of the amplitude, or the rise and fall, while you are on it. The closer your feet are together on the platform, the less muscle extension is required. As you progress and you become stronger, you can widen your foot stance to make the workout more challenging.
4. If you want to target a certain area such as thighs, buns or abs, position your legs or body in a position that works those areas. Start holding positions for 1-4 minutes each, depending on the position and your strength. Choose positions such as a squat, plank, side plank, lunge, downward dog, or calf raise and just hold it there. Use a digital timer by the machine to make sure you know exactly how much time you have left to hold it. Holding positions like this is called a static hold. You are not moving within them, you are staying still. You can do dynamic moves, where you move within the position, as well. These can be very challenging to do for even one minute. Some examples are doing pushups, doing a lunge where you are bending one knee down to the ground, or doing a step ups on one side of the platform.
5. If yo are already in good physical shape you can ramp up your workout from a 10 minute session per day to a 10-20 minute session twice a day. Just make sure to give your body a 24 hour rest period between more intense workouts. As you get stronger, you can add weights, medicine balls, elastic bands, etc. to your time on the machine. Hand straps should come included to allow a full range of upper body workout options.

After a few times of using your whole body vibration machine, you will find your own rhythm and routine that works best for you. Many machines come with an instructional DVD as well as personal support, to learn the different positions.

Lenette Nakauchi specializes in vibration technology, fitness, and therapy using the Noblerex K1 Platinum machine.  Whole body Vibration is used to rapidly build strength and bone density, shed pounds, maximize athletic performance, boost energy and even reverse health problems.  The Noblerex machine is perfect for people of all ages and fitness levels and especially for those who don't have time to exercise or have a disability.  To learn more, please visit the Noblerex site or call for a free consultation at (800) 518-4272.

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