I recently got a bunch of emails sent to Singapore personal trainers and Singapore strength and conditioning coaches offering a “power plate” certification.
Cool name, but for a machine costing about 10,000 SGD per piece it better do more than sound cool. We could set up a decent small gym or home gym for the price of that machine alone!
What is a powerplate? It is a small platform that vibrates fast. That is it.
What does it claim to do? It claims to improve your blood circulation, flexibility, and increase bone and muscle strength.
Possible… yes!
But only for a VERY untrained or elderly patient and only for a limited time till be the body gets used to it.
The only claim that is of some validity to me is the one about increasing flexibility. The reason for this is that fast vibrations are known to “turn off” what are known as spindle cells in your muscles. Spindle cells are something that all of us have in our muscles that report changes in muscle length.
So if we turn them off using vibrations from a power plate, you don’t “tighten up” when you try to stretch, so you can improve flexibility.The “stretch
reflex” is turned off.
However… if you do this too much, you will “turn off” the spindle cells too much and then your body will lose coordination because it has no clue how long the muscles are and how fast their length is changing.
Also, the stretch reflex is important in generating power and speed so you will deprove in those areas as well.
Finally, the stretch reflex is an injury prevention mechanism in your muscles so if you turn it off long term its bad news for preventing muscle tears/pulls.
Also, any good flexibility program can get you to improve flexibility and range of motion without these side effects.
All in all, the problem I have with the power plate is not that it is totally useless, just that it is not a good value for your money, and it’s claims are overstated. For the price, get yourself a good set of weight plates, bar, power rack and dumbells!
NOTE: Most countries have laws against how many hours per day you can operate heavy machinery like jackhammers. This is because constant vibration is not a good idea for your body especially internal organs. Just think about that when deciding if a power plate is something you want to be training on.
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
nothing beats hard work, discipline and smart training..
people fall for gimmicks too easily!
I had to chance to use this device in my previous gym. Firstly, I really don’t see how it can tone muscles (not for me) and you can’t use that on a half full bladder ! The vibration is so great that the bladder feels like it’s going to burst anytime. And Carl is right, I feel good after working out with weights as there’s a sense of satisfaction =)
Your body is right. Massive vibrations are generally not a good idea!
You are not meant to just stand on the power plate and expect to tone up! That’s the misconception. For example, the difference between doing a squat on a power plate and on the ground is significant. On a power plate you are also activating various muscles to keep you balanced while doing the squat as a result there is more intensity in the workout and you lose more calories. So the Power Plate may not be good for body builders who isolate muscles in their workout but good for athletes like footballers, cyclists, basketball players etc.
Rafeal Nadal uses Power Plates as part of his strength training. You can find a video of Nadal on You Tube using power plates and performing resistance exercises on the vibrating platform.
Unfortunately, Chris the use of unstable surfaces for training of anybody who is not a rehab case, is wrong (and in my opinion ineffective at the least and fraudulent at worst).
Below is a link to a study done by one of my fellow coaches as his masters thesis on unstable surface training using athletes of college level or higher.
Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
July 2008 – Volume 22 – Issue 4 – pp 1360-1370
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2008/07000/Not_All_Instability_Training_Devices_Enhance.46.aspx
The “readers digest short version” – Unstable surface training uses the same movement pattern (checked with an EMG) compared to a regular surface. And of course you can’t use as much load. That means a less effective exercise.
Who would you rather face as an opponent? A man who can power clean 140kg and squat 220kg on a stable surface, or a man who trains by squatting 40kg and power cleaning an empty bar on a bosu ball or power plate?
I suggest all athletes who are facing a team that I am coaching, invest heavily in power plates and bosu balls, I shall use dumbbells and barbells.
then how would u explain why so many professional sports team are using it as part of their training regime? they don’t just only train on it, but it seems like more and more PROFESSIONAL sports teams are including powerplate training in their regime, what is your take on it? there is no doubt powerplate is not a miracle machine, but it has its fair share of results and on their website, they have a few research backed by international panel of researchers so surely, there must be some positives to it?
Most “professional” athletes are not that well conditioned. You will be shocked how weak soccer players for e.g. are. They also have big budgets but not the knowledge of strength training to match their budget. So the super expensive, super ineffective power plate is “just right” for these guys.
….hey sir thanks for the Analysis thats very helpful,I think I agree with you…this will somehow open up the reality behind this powerplate craze….I am thinking its just a good motivational tool good for lazy beings…kind a “lazy workout”….. from my side…..i will not believe until emg reports will back it up on a human subject.
Power plates will NEVER produce more improvements that properly designed training using the good old fashioned barbell and dumbbell.