Power Plate Workout

Power Plate manufacture vibration plates for home and commercial use. The physical benefits of using them include improved strength, muscle tone, flexibility and circulation. Unlike traditional strength training, many of the exercises in a Power Plate workout are static, which is why they are often called "poses." Exercise programs performed on vibration plates are known as "whole body vibration" (WBV) and can be adapted and progressed to ensure they are suitable for beginners to advanced athletes.

Workout Structure

The unique features of every workout are dictated by what it is you are trying to achieve. These objectives need to reflect your current fitness level and experience of this type of training, so even if you are an experienced athlete it is wise to start with the basic poses before progressing to more intense options. Just like traditional exercise the formula for WBV is that you "warm up" before performing the work section of the program and then finish with stretching.

Basic Program

With traditional strength training a warm up will involve rhythmic movements to increase the blood flow to the muscles, but with WBV because the vibration encourages increased blood flow, the warm up exercises look like stretches. Remember it's the machine that is moving not you. For the best results, a basic session works the largest muscle groups first in the legs, upper back and chest followed by more specific poses for the torso. The recovery time between each exercise is equal to the time spent vibrating.

Cardio

WBV isn't classed as a method of improving your cardiovascular performance, however, by using the Power Plate as part of an Interval Training session it can be highly productive. The series of WBV exercises follow the same system of working the larger muscles groups first, however, the recovery time between exercises is replaced with an aerobic exercise such as running on the spot, jumping jacks or skipping.

Added Power

To develop speed and power you must progress from working individual muscles and work the body as a complete unit. Working the upper and lower body simultaneously is challenging, but brings rapid results. The entire body is worked via a series of squats, lunges, push ups and raises using the resistance straps, however, to maximize the intensity, no recovery time is taken between each exercise. Instead one minute is given to recover after a complete circuit of exercise has been performed. More circuits can be added as fitness levels increase.

Safety

With all types of exercise it's easy to think doing the hardest version of an exercise will have the quickest results. However WBV is no different from traditional strength training, so only attempt workouts that are appropriate to your fitness level and experience. Avoid WBV if you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or recently had a surgical operation.