Vibration machines, often known as shaking machines or shaking platforms, cause your muscles to contract instinctively by vibrating your whole body thus people use these equipment to do squats, pushups, and crunches.. You can see these machine available in the gym, and they may also be used at home.
When shopping for your equipment, keep in mind that the phrase “vibrating platform” can refer to both vibrating and oscillating plates.
The way the machine works differs between these two sorts of platforms. Depending on the posture chosen and the body part put on the machine, the oscillating or vibrating platform will target different muscle groups. As a result, depending on whatever body area you want to improve, you’ll do different exercises and position yourself on the platform in different ways.
The vibrating plate rotates around a central axis on oscillating platforms. Thus the movement simulates walking. The plate moves up and down on a vertical axis when using vibrating platforms. As a result, the outcomes varied slightly.
If you want to reduce weight, the oscillating platform is preferable, while the vibrating platform is preferable for muscle training. We occasionally get caught in product descriptions between vibrating platform and oscillating platform. This article will assist you in becoming more knowledgeable about all of these technical jargon.
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History of Vibration Plates
Initially i.e., in the 1960s, the vibration platforms were utilized by cosmonauts for muscular training after they return to earth from a space trip. The USSR first intended to use them to harmonize the impact on muscles due to the variation of gravitational force in space.
In 1998 Guus Van Der Meer, the Dutch sports coach, introduced these vibrations to athletes as a part of their work program to stimulate their muscles. The special machines he designed for this purpose were later patented and released into the market in 1999.
These became the first in the field when they were introduced into the market by a brand named Power Plate. Later on, they became popular due to several uses and advantages they have.
How Many Types of Vibrating Plates Are There?
There are two types of vibrating plates in the market. Check out more information about them below.
Vibration Plate without Column
The plates have a standing area like an aerobic step inside which one or more motors are present to help it vibrate. Since it does not have a column, it is compact and can be stored easily. The only disadvantage is that you cannot perform exercises that require support when standing.
However, they come at an affordable price and are apt for beginners. So, most first-time users and individuals with less space for exercise equipment opt for this model.
Vibration Plate with Column
They have a standing plate similar to the above model and a column that you can hold when you need support. This additional column facilitates you to perform many exercises as you can conveniently hold the support and exercise.
Since they offer better support, they come with a more powerful motor that gives you good vibration power for excellent exercise. You can use it for various training purposes. Though they offer better advantages, it is little expensive and requires larger storage space.
What Types of Vibration Are Available?
All vibration models are not similar. They come in three different varieties of vibration such as vertical vibration, 3D vibration, and oscillation vibration. Understand each type of vibration more below.
Vertical Vibration
The vertical vibration model is also referred to as linear or linear vibration due to its action. Its plate vibrates from the bottom up. They are intended to target the muscles of your body along the vertical and longitudinal axis.
When compared with other vibration machines, it has one-sidedness in its training movement sequences. It is one of the disadvantages of this vibration model.
3D Vibration – Triaxial Vibration
This vibration plate has a horizontal and vertical course making them different from other vibration types. As it moves in various directions, it can work for more muscle groups simultaneously. They are highly effective as you get excellent calorie burn using this machine.
This 3D action demands more from the user and is suitable for advanced trainees. It gives powerful action and burns more calories.
Oscillating Vibration
The oscillating vibration machines are also known as rotational, teeter-totter, tilting, or side-altering vibration machines. They have a natural pattern of movements that seem like rocking motion. This vibrating board adapts well to your body movements.
So, these are considered a good fit for beginners. If this is your first time trying a vibrating machine, then this is a perfect option.
What Are the Common Benefits of Vibrating and Oscillating Platforms
- Muscle cramps: It reduces cramps in your muscles as they tend to contract and relax. When the blood flows evenly through the body due to enhanced circulation, your muscle cramps get addresses easily.
- Improved blood circulation: The blood circulates in your body against gravity, and your heart needs to pump hard to counteract that force. Legs are prone to poor circulation in this process leading to several health issues. It helps in improving blood circulation in the legs.
- Cellulite reduction: Decreases orange peel skin and cellulite effectively within weeks of using this machine. You can get rid of the ugly bumps under your skin, making it appear smooth.
- Better drainage: Lymphatic drainage is improved, making your body free from drainage issues that can keep several health problems at bay.
- Bone density: Strengthens and improves bone density with the right usage.
- Strengthens muscles: Adds strength to your muscle when you utilize them properly. As you activate the muscles, they learn to strengthen themselves with gradual training.
- Appealing figure: Gives you better shape by burning the fat from unnecessary areas of your body.
- Improves posture: it improves your posture by making your body learn better balance that comes with the right posture. Unless you maintain the proper posture, you cannot balance well on these machines.
- Supports relaxation: Helpful for warm-up and recovery for exercise. Minimum mode allows you to unwind and relax, making it feel like a massage.
- Muscular toning: You get to tone your muscles perfectly using these machines. The muscles, as they improve, help burn more calories even when you are asleep by improving metabolism.
- Quick results: Gives results in a short time of 20 – 30 minute sessions. Even a small session of 10 to 20 minutes is enough. Gain optimal results even with 3 sessions of 20 minutes per week
What Are the Main Differences Between Vibration and Oscillating Plates
Though both vibrating and oscillating plates produce vibrations, they do it differently. The technique is the same, but the platform they use for practicing differs. A vibration platform has uniform motion, whereas an oscillating platform performs the sinusoidal movement.
Both beginners and professionals find the oscillating platform effective than a vibrating platform. You can see a better increase in muscle volume as well as better contraction and relaxation of muscles. Sometimes linear vibration might cause nausea and dizziness.
Main Differences Between Vibration and Oscillating Plates
- An oscillating platform operates with relation to the central axis with a frequency ranging between 5Hz to 15Hz, whereas a vibrating platform operates with a frequency range of 15 Hz to 50 Hz.
- An oscillating platform makes low noise when operating, whereas the vibrating platform is a bit noisier.
- An oscillating platform needs you to use both the feet and arms all the time, limiting your flexibility, whereas a vibration platform gives you the freedom of movement allowing many positions such as sitting and lying.
- You can reshape your body, lose weight, refine your silhouette when you use an oscillating platform along with a proper diet, whereas a vibration platform offers slimming and cellulite reduction.
- An oscillation platform helps in tissue regeneration and repair, improving circulation, and pain relief kind of therapeutic functions, whereas vibration machines allow balance improvement, muscle activation, and muscle relaxation.
Advantages of Oscillating Platform
Oscillator platforms offer comfortable workout than vibrator platforms, without any doubt. For those who need a convenient workout, it is the right equipment. It even comes at an amicable price as it is easier to manufacture than a vibrating platform.
These oscillator platforms usually come rested on a pivot point comparable to scales, meaning the weight you put on each of your feet decides the plate’s position. When you stand with your feet apart on the plate, it rises on one side and falls on the other side.
This balancing act caused by the swinging motion called oscillation is responsible for shaping your body. You get to focus on your lower body, such as buttocks, legs, calves, and thighs. The main benefit of an oscillator is both aesthetic and for better well-being.
It offers muscle toning, fat reduction and diminishes cellulite that keeps you good-looking. Similarly, it enhances your health by improving blood circulation, massaging your body, and improving lymphatic drainage.
Both men and women under 45 who are concerned about their body shape and figure can use it to achieve their goals. This age limitation is applied to safely keep the hip level osteoporosis susceptible users from using it as it is not recommended for them.
Disadvantages of Oscillating Platform
An oscillating platform does not allow the working of arms and pectorals, meaning your upper body remains untouched during these workouts.
Men and women training for sports and looking to tone their muscular efficiency cannot benefit from this variety and need to use a vibration platform to achieve the desired results.
Individuals suffering from osteoporosis should stay away from the oscillating platforms as they create pelvis movement making them susceptible to injury.
Advantages of Vibrating Platform
These machines are reputed for overall fitness training and serve the sportspersons to improve their vibration platform preparation. Many scientific studies have proven that this equipment has physical and biological benefits through several scientific studies.
It helps both beginners and elite athletes to reach their goals by training on a vibrating platform. These machines have a higher production cost as they are sophisticated due to their vertical vibration method.
This complicated design requires greater investment, driving the cost of making it to be high. They create controlled and balanced up and down motion using the vibration action. However, you get good value for the price once you start using it.
When you use an acceptable quality vibrating platform with the right position, you are bound to achieve optimal benefits of a vibration platform. On the other hand, if you opt for a low-end machine that claims to be vibrating, platforms do no good than the vibration of your washing machine.
For efficient working, you require the right position, or all your effort goes to waste or does not yield any result. Taking coaching from trained personnel is the right thing to do to get things done well. You can see the results within weeks of using it.
It is useful in improving your endurance, boosts your resistance capability, and increases your strength capability making you thrive at different sports. It improves your body shape and gives you an aesthetic look by reducing your cellulite, improving your muscle tone, and burning fat.
It improves your wellness by draining the lymphatic system properly, boosting blood circulation, and relaxing your body with a massage-like action. It is also supportive of rehabilitation activities, especially for people who need help with the prevention of osteoporosis and improvement of proprioception.
It addresses both the lower and upper body with precision making each part to be targeted with proper attention. They are suitable for an age range of 10 to 70 years, making them a widely useful machine.
Disadvantages of Vibrating Platform
Vibrating platforms are less comfortable than oscillation platforms and require greater effort to establish your workouts.
These machines vibrate linearly and cause discomfort with the high-intensity vibrations they produce, leading to nausea and dizziness as these vibrations transmit to the upper body.
Vibrating platforms require a high precision operation, which increases its costs of manufacturing and comes at a high average price.
