We Tried It: The Power Plate

The Power Plate is an intriguing machine designed to improve muscle strength and toning in brief, intense workouts. The device beginning to catch on with celebrities such as Madonna, as well as with elite athletes such as and Serena Williams and the Chicago Bulls.

The Power Plate vibrates in several different directions, it goes up and down and side-to-side creating an oscillating effect at a very hard and jarring rate. The body has no choice but to continually contract the muscles being used or you'd just immediately fall off the platform.

The first time I was on one of these machines was at a fitness convention. It was a bit intimidating as I watched buff dude after fit gal struggle to hold a simple squat position.

As I took my turn, I decided to just stand there and see what happened. The guy running the machine told me to hold on to the handlebars and then flipped the switch. It's hard to explain the bone-rattling, teeth jarring (I literally had to clamp my jaw shut) 30 seconds that followed. It took a few seconds to adjust to just how hard this thing was vibrating my entire body. I whooped (several other people did too), held on and just went for the ride. The guy shut off the machine and I started laughing. It was fun -- in a masochistic kind of way.

I came back several times during the convention and tried other poses such as push ups, squats and even some Pilates moves. Each time, the same thing -- an intense amount of work and a bone rattling experience.

When I returned, I found a local trainer with a Power Plate and did three or four more private sessions. The workout really does only take about 10 minutes and you just hold certain positions and let the shaking begin. A couple of my clients got hooked on it to and went regularly. I can attest to some pretty impressive muscle tone as a result of two to three sessions per week.

I do have a concern, though. One of my clients, a medical doctor, had worked out with the Power Plate few times. She was at risk for developing osteoporosis and was particularly interested in it for the health benefits, as researchers have discovered the Power Plate may be beneficial for people with osteoporosis and fibromyalgia. After a few sessions, though, she decided to stop. I asked her why and she said, "you're vibrating a lot of soft tissue, like your eyeballs and your heart. It's probably not a good idea in the long run to vibrate those tissues frequently at that level."

Pluses: It is a fast workout and some research has found it seems to improve osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, muscle strength and tone.

Minuses: Really expensive, doing sessions at a local health club or owning the machine are both pricey. Medical professionals are concerned about the long term effects of shaking soft tissue that frequently and that much. Prices are $3,500 for a home model and $9,250 for a gym version.

Takeaway: Something to keep an eye on for down the road. While I like the concept and I really like the idea of counter-acting osteoporosis, I want to make sure it's safe for my entire body before I engage in it regularly. I'm waiting for more studies on overall health benefits and risks before adding this into a regular routine.

If you're interested in working out with the Power Plate, here's a sampling of exercise to try:

Standing: Just standing on the platform and let it shake away is a toning exercise. Particularly when working with people with medical issues, they frequently start by just standing for very brief periods of time, say 30 seconds. To get used to the machine and gradually adapt the body to the experience.

Squats: By holding onto the handles and lowering your bum down into a squat position you'll be heavily engaging your leg muscles in full contraction. Yes, some of your body weight is being held up by your arms, but your arms are working too to hold you in that position.

Planks: With your feet on the floor and your hands on the platform you hold a plank position for 30 to 60 seconds, longer if you're conditioned. You can even go all out and throw in push ups. This works arms and the core muscles, of abs and glutes.



Would you or have you ever tried the Power Plate workout? If so, what did you think of the workout that's worth $10,000?