Good Vibrations - Benefits of the Whole Body Vibration Plate
Have you tried Generator’s Whole Body Vibration Plate yet? Whole Body Vibration (WBV) isn’t just the latest fad at the gym, WBV provides proven health benefits including:
Stronger muscles
Increased bone mass
Increased blood flow
Increased flexibility
Stimulate lymphatic system
Decrease in cortisol levels
The idea of using vibration for health benefits dates back to ancient Greece, but the concept of whole body vibration transitioned from unproven concept to serious science when the Russian space program used it to simulate the weight of gravity for astronauts who would otherwise lose muscle tissue and bone density while living in space’s zero-gravity atmosphere.
It’s also believed that Russian athletes used WBV therapy to improve performance for their Olympic athletes in the 1980s. While professional athletes have been using vibration for years to enhance performance, this therapy is beneficial for anyone at any age who is interested in improving their health.
Stronger Muscles:
As you sit or stand (always with knees at least slightly bent!) on the vibration plate, your muscles contract and relax 30 times each second. As your body works to regain stability, multiple muscle fibers become engaged in each movement, significantly amplifying the effectiveness of any movement performed on the plate. This is why doing squats on a vibrating plate requires so much more energy than doing them on the ground. To make the most of your time on the WBV plate, consider performing dynamic strength exercises like squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. The variation applied in different angles enhances the performance of the exercise by activating more muscle fibres which leads to muscle growth and increased muscle density.
Lower Blood Pressure:
Whole body vibration has been demonstrated to reduce hardening of the arteries in study after study, among populations ranging from men in their mid-twenties to postmenopausal women. In each study, the subjects' blood pressure was lowered significantly.
Stronger Bone Density:
WBV performed three times per week for 15 minutes has been shown to improve bone density, providing people with a drug free alternative to osteoporosis prevention, management and improvement.
Better Balance, Flexibility, Coordination:
During traditional exercise, muscles contract 1-2 times per second as opposed to 30 contractions per second while using a vibration machine. Standing, or better yet performing exercises, on the vibration plate engages your core and hip flexors to stabilize your body. This makes your body work harder and eventually, the muscles around the joints grow stronger. Over time, you’ll notice that your balance, coordination, posture, and flexibility have improved.
Increase Immunity and Stimulate Lymphatic System:
As muscles repeatedly contract and relax, the blood circulation in your body increases. Increased blood flow makes sure that your muscles are oxygenated, which speeds up the recovery process and rejuvenates the body. Improvement in blood circulation also leads to faster metabolic waste removal.
WBV therapy stimulates the lymphatic system causing an immune response in the lymph nodes, and giving the body better defenses against illnesses. WBV exercise also causes the lymph system to drain more efficiently, getting trapped fats and toxins on their way out of the body through the natural filters of the circulatory system. This is especially important for the aging body where lymph health is ever more vital to overall health.
Lower Cortisol Levels:
Cortisol is a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. While cortisol is important for helping your body deal with stressful situations, when cortisol levels are too high for too long, this hormone can hurt you more than it helps. When cortisol levels remain high over an extended time they can cause weight gain and high blood pressure, disrupt sleep, negatively impact mood, reduce your energy levels, and contribute to diabetes.
The Whole Body Vibration Plate can serve as a great warm up or cool down from activity, or just a supplement to your regular exercise regime. Come on into Generator and experience the benefits for yourself. If you’ve never used one before, be sure to let us know so we can assist you in your first-time use.