Vibration Plate Exercises – Which Ones Should You Do?

Vibration plate exercises provide a full-body vibration which is purported to increase cardiovascular health, improve muscle growth, and lead to better flexibility. With increased muscle contractions, vibration plates may allow you to spend less time in the gym and lead to improvements in sports performance when applied correctly.

With multiple vibration board exercises to choose from, which ones should you be doing? How can you specifically improve these different health and performance markers? I’ve classified the main ones below and explained the possible benefits of vibration plates.

Vibration Plate Exercises – How Do They Work?

A vibration plate uses a vibrating platform that sends different frequencies and amplitudes through your body. As you perform different exercises, the vibrations cause your muscles to contract more as they need to work harder to maintain the correct movement pattern. 

Implementing a vibration plate into your normal workout routine provides an added exercise challenge and a fun way to workout. As well as making your muscles work harder, the unconscious contractions caused by the vibrations costs energy and therefore calories. This means that a vibration machine workout may be quite effective for fat loss and conditioning. 

Vibration Plate Exercises to Try

1. For Cardio Training

Ultimately, the majority of gym exercises can be used on a vibration plate if you’re looking to add some cardio to your workout routine. Some can be performed using the normal movement pattern whilst others may need adapting slightly due to the raised vibration surface. 

With vibration plates, whether an exercise is cardio-based depends more on workout volume than exercise type. Look to dynamically move on and off the plate or hold the exercise for 30-45 seconds. Here are some examples of my recommended exercises for cardio training that will fit well with a cardio-based vibration plate workout.

Step-Ups

Step-ups can be done with or without weights depending on your preference and ability level. The weights should be in your hands with your palms facing inwards and arms down by your side. Increase the weight, step up speed, or frequency to make the exercise more challenging and burn more calories.

Begin with both feet shoulder-width apart on the ground in front of the plate. Step up by driving one foot whilst keeping your chest up and head looking forward. As your first foot reaches the platform, step up with the second foot and pause briefly at the top of the movement. Step each foot down and repeat.

This can be done for a set period or by using a popular training method such as HIIT. Aim for at least a minute of work using an RPE of 3 or above.

Burpees

Burpees are a great full-body exercise that uses a dynamic movement pattern and helps to improve functional movement. They are done with a push-up to combine strength and cardio into one. 

Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. As you reach down to put your hands on the plate, flex both your knees into a crouch position. Extend both your legs backward as you keep in contact with the plate. Once extended, briefly hold the position or perform a push-up before returning to the start position the opposite way.

Burpees are an excellent way to get your heart rate going whilst providing some upper-body work using one movement pattern. Look to perform these for 30-45 seconds or until you find yourself losing form.

Dynamic Planks

A plank is a classic gym exercise that’s been used widely since health and fitness were first known. While placing your hands or elbows on the vibration plate surface, brace your core and maintain a flat position with your upper and lower body in line. For a cardio-based workout, bring your elbows off the ground into a press-up position and lower back down before repeating. Look to perform as many reps as you can whilst taking a 1-2 minute break in between each set.

2. For Muscle Growth

Performing traditional bodyweight or weight-bearing exercises on a vibration plate helps to provide an added stimulus by increasing the frequency of muscle contractions. A huge range of gym exercises can be performed successfully using a plate but for now i’ll stick to the main fundamental movements. To increase difficulty, up the intensity by adding or increasing the amount of weight. 

Squats

Squats use a range of functional movement patterns that can enhance your overall mobility and help to prevent injury when used regularly. They are a compound movement meaning they work a large range of muscle groups when performed correctly. This makes them a great exercise for muscle growth.

Start with your feet on the plate using a shoulder or hip-width stance. As you go wider you will recruit more of your hamstrings over your quadriceps muscles. Brace your core and lower down by driving your hip back and flexing your knees. Imagine you are going to sit on an invisible chair. Maintain a neutral spine position and keep your chest up with your head facing forward. Once you have reached parallel, look to hold the position for 10-20 seconds. Repeat for 10-12 repetitions.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are another classic gym movement that use a simple movement pattern but are highly effective at stimulating muscle growth. You can use them to target different muscle groups depending on your hand position and width. 

For normal push-ups, place your hands against the plate at shoulder width with your palms facing slightly outwards. Extend your legs out and brace your core before lowering your chest down to the plate. Pause at the bottom position for 2-3 seconds before returning to the start. Again, look to perform around 10 repetitions. 

To make the exercise easier, go onto your knees. If you need to make it harder, place your feet on the plate instead or add weight to your back using a plate or weighted vest. 

3. For Flexibility

Research into vibration plates and flexibility has yielded positive results, with increases in limb range of motion shown with repeated practice. The mechanism of action is thought to be a loosening of adhesions and fluid transfer between cells which helps to relax stiff muscle groups.

Seated Hamstring Stretch

Start by sitting on the floor with your bum on the ground and feet on the vibration plate. Lean forward and aim to touch your feet with your hands. The added height of the plate provides an added challenge.

Perform the seated hamstring stretch with one or two arms at a time depending on your preference. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat.

Static Lunge Stretch

Place one foot onto the plate and step back into a lunge position. Keep your chest up and your head facing forwards. Use your core to keep your body balanced. Hold the stretch for up to 30 seconds before returning to the start position. Alternate between legs. 

Child’s Pose

If you’re looking to improve your upper-body flexibility, this is a great place to start. With your hands placed on the plate, sit back onto your knees and let your glutes touch your heels. To feel the stretch more in your lats try to reach further forwards. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat.

Who Can Benefit From Using Vibration Plates?

Vibration plates are a great investment for anyone looking to improve their cardiovascular health, muscle growth, and flexibility. Promising research has shown possible beneficial applications to older populations with reduced mobility and larger people who struggle with high blood pressure and performing normal tasks.

Using a vibration plate to stimulate muscle contractions without having to move may represent an excellent way to provide older populations with an exercise stimulus whilst subsequently reducing the risk of injury. Those suffering from osteoporosis may be able to improve bone strength and mineral density to reduce the risk of slips and falls by using a vibration plate. 

For normal populations, vibration plate training may be a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle growth, and flexibility whilst spending less time in the gym. As I’ve mentioned above, vibration plate training has been shown to have beneficial effects to certain sports performance.

Vibration Plate We Recommend

If you’re looking to purchase a vibration plate to add to your workout routine, the Sunny Health & Fitness 3D Vibration Platform is a multi-purpose workout tool with detachable resistance bands. It also features 16 speed settings, 3 user programs, and handy transportation wheels for easy portability around your home.

This 3D Vibration Platform is easy to use, with the remote control allowing you to change the speed, workout mode, or switch between program settings. 

To stay consistent it’s important to measure your progress. The Sunny Health & Fitness 3D Vibration Plate is compatible with their interactive workout app. Track your progress, personalize your workout, and follow along to a big variety of trainer-led fitness programs. 

In terms of dimensions, the platform measures 30.7″ L x 18.3″ W x 6.7″ H and weighs just 42 pounds. It supports up to 265 pounds of user weight and comes in a gray color scheme.

FAQ

Do Vibration Fitness Plates Really Work?

Promising research does suggest using a vibration plate can have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular health, muscle growth, and flexibility when used with a variety of traditional gym exercises. Like anything, you need to stay consistent for it to work correctly. 

How Long Should You Stand on a Vibration Plate?

Performing a vibration plate workout for as little as 15 minutes three times a week can be effective in providing a big enough stimulus for muscle growth and flexibility gains. Aim for slightly longer if you’re looking to develop your cardiovascular fitness. 

Should I Wear Shoes on a Vibration Plate?

Shoes shouldn’t be worn unless you really need to. The sole of the shoe prevents you from maintaining full contact with the plate and therefore reduces the number of vibrations that are transferred through your body.

Conclusion

Vibration plate training may provide a beneficial workout stimulus by forcing the muscles to contract as the frequency runs through your body. This may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health, muscle growth, and flexibility with a decent amount of research to support this. 

Vibration plates are suitable for a wide range of recreational and athlete populations, with possible beneficial applications to older people suffering from osteoporosis. 

What do you think of vibration plates? Have you used one before? Let’s discuss them in the comments! 

Also read:

• How Does a Vibration Plate Work
• Best Fan for Garage Gym
• Best Cable Machine Attachments
• Best Vibration Plate
• Best Arm Blaster
• Best Gym Water Bottle

References:

1. Do Vibration Plates work? (Benefits – 2023) // Origympersonaltrainercourses: https://origympersonaltrainercourses.co.uk/blog/do-vibration-plates-work
2. VIBRATION TRAINING: AN OVERVIEW OF THE AREA, TRAINING CONSEQUENCES, AND FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS// Researchgate: http://surl.li/iwbai
3. Metabolic effect of bodyweight whole-body vibration in a 20-min exercise session: A crossover study using verified vibration stimulus // Journals: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192046
4. The use of vibration training to enhance muscle strength and power // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15651911/
5. Effects of vibration on flexibility: a meta-analysis // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24292614/
6. Whole-body vibration training reduces arterial stiffness, blood pressure and sympathovagal balance in young overweight/obese women // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22357522/