Gravity Fx Fitness

Vibration training along with resistance exercises can provide increased bone mass to help prevent osteoporosis in women. A study published in 2004 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research showed an increase in bone density at the hip, along with increased muscle strength and postural control in post-menopausal women.

Various studies have shown the ability of vibration training to build or maintain bone mass.  The study mentioned used a Power Plate vibration platform.

This type of training is not widely used in the United States but is more common in Europe.  Various sports teams and strength coaches have used these devices in the warm up and rehab of their athletes.

The platforms create reflex muscle contractions of between 25-50 times per second, depending on the frequency setting.  These multiple contractions can increase circulation, flexibility and enhance balance, while causing a positive hormonal release which can assist your metabolism to burn more fat.

It should go without saying, that you need to do resistance training in order to maintain bone density as you get older.  Use it or lose it applies to this, as well as muscle strength, which usually declines with age but even more so for those with sedentary lifestyles.

I’ve seen a positive change in bone mass while training a woman in her mid to late 60’s – my mother.  At age 63 she had a bone density test done and it said she had osteopenia, which is slight loss of bone mass.  She was given a prescription to help with this but she wasn’t able to tolerate it and stopped taking it after 10 days.

About two years later I started training her on the Power Plate, putting her in various static squat positions and doing bodyweight strength training off the platform, such as step ups and hip lifts (bridges) on a mat.   We did this twice a week for 4 months and she took her bone density test again.

This time her score had increased and I was slightly surprised that this occurred with this amount of training.  She stopped training and two years later her score had dropped again for the bone density test, which is not surprising.

Presently she has resumed training with me, doing the same type of workouts along with some time in the warm water pool to ease stress on her achy knees.  She has dropped 18 pounds in two months, which is pretty good at 68 years old.

She has a friend who recently tripped and broke her hip while carrying some items up a flight of stairs.  This woman is similar in age to my mother and not overweight.

The doctors told her that she could have stepped wrong off a curb and broken her hip, because her bone mass was so slight.  She didn’t just break a bone, she sheared it right off, leading to a hip replacement.

As someone who doesn’t have the best balance, has fallen before and has somewhat limited mobility, I am very happy with the progress my mother has made in the area of weight loss and she definitely needs to keep up with her exercise in order to minimize the risk of breaking her own hip in the future.

Different facilities around the country such as the Stand Strong clinics have adopted vibration training for this very reason – fall prevention.  Vibration platforms cause an increased accelerative force of gravity to go through the body.

For example, at 30 hertz in the low setting, there is 1.8 G occurring during the muscle contractions, which is almost double the force during normal bodyweight exercises.

They also help with balance by providing a slightly unstable surface to challenge your nervous system.  There are handles to hold for those who need additional stability.  Minimizing use of the handles will obviously translate to better balance training.

Single leg positions are also used for increased balance and strength training when appropriate for the individual.   Power Plate information.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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The Power Plate is a great tool for golf fitness and is complimented by training with the TRX and sandbags.  Check out this article on TRX Training for Golf.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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The Power Plate whole body vibration platform is a great tool for warmup and flexibility. With reflex muscle contractions of around 25-35 times per second, you stimulate the muscles and increase circulation at the same time.

Here is a great way to prepare the hamstrings for a workout or training session.  Some self massage on the Power Plate or with the Stick or foam roller first, is a good idea.

I borrowed this clip from Nick Winkelman at the Athlete’s Performance center.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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I recently injured my elbow due to my own ignorance (stupidity) and have learned a few valuable lessons.

Basically, I ignored my body’s own pain signals until it was too late and had no choice but to stop what I was doing and make some changes.  In my quest to be “lean and mean” at the age of 44, I tried pushing through pain, which is never a good thing!

Yes, you may definitely have to push your body past its comfort zone to achieve great physical feats, but the adage “no pain, no gain” is a bunch of crap that usually leaves you with loads of injuries down the road.

Specifically, two weeks ago, my right elbow was throbbing after I got done playing basketball for the first time in 10 or 12 years.  I don’t like taking anything if I don’t absolutely have to, but I ended up taking some Advil to reduce swelling and inflammation.

I’ve used icepacks and soaked it in a large pan of ice and water quite a bit, too.  I’ve had restricted movement at my shoulder and shoulderblade for a while, with some nasty triggerpoints in my levator scapula and rhomboids (upper and inner areas of shoulderblade).

My pecs and lats have also been tight and contained some triggerpoints (tight bands of muscle) that haven’t responded to self-massage with a massage ball or tennis ball.  These items plus a rolling massage tool like the Stick may be great for maintenance work, but don’t always replace the hands of a skilled massage therapist.

The result of the tightness and movement dysfunction (misalignment) in these areas puts unnecessary stress on my elbow and I also have some tight bands of muscle in my triceps.  Instead of taking the time to get some quality soft tissue work, I tried to work through it – BIG mistake!

I’ve been doing weighted pushups with a sandbag on my back and single arm kettlebell presses to try and increase my upper body size and strength.  My elbow didn’t want to fully straighten so I just ignored the discomfort and shortened the movement.

Playing basketball and all the overhead movements involved was the last straw.  Two weeks later, the elbow feels much better but is definitely not 100%.  Yesterday I did some upper body strength work and partial pushups with my bodyweight is all I can do for the pushing movements, except for static pushups on the Power Plate.

Its not quite ready for much eccentric work, but the vibration platform allows some static work without causing pain – keeping the stress to the elbow minimal but still providing some maintenance strengthening to occur.  The increased blood flow probably aids the healing process, also.

This minimal joint stress would probably benefit athletes during their competitive season – helping them maintain strength when combined with some resistance training.  So I talked to a massage therapist the other day who does some quality deep tissue work and we are going to exchange services.

The stretching I received at a recent continuing ed course helped quite a bit as well, but if I don’t get the proper massage work done, my problems will only get worse over time and keep me from achieving my goals of a lean, athletic physique.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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I just came across some new technology that could possibly revolutionize the fitness industry – something that could appeal to the 85% who don’t use traditional healthclubs.

I recently read an article about a new computerized isometric system called bioDensity.  These isometric
machines allow average people to increase their strength and bone mass in exercise sessions as short as 5 minutes.

Naturally this sounds too good to be true, but they have some strong data to back it up.  The idea is to create a very strong stimulus to the muscles, something powerful that requires little time.

I have done something similar in the past with barbells and other weight equipment, but this is totally different.  There are four exercises that involve multiple muscles and joints, exercising the entire body in one brief session.

This is geared toward those 50 and over who are de-conditioned and want to slow down the aging process. Performance Health Systems opened a test clinic in 2005 and gathered data for a three year period with 500
subjects with an average age of 52.

These participants experienced  an average strength gain of 123%  and an extremely high retention rate, likely due to the limited time required.  Clients can come in their street clothes and leave quickly.  This will definitely appeal to those who dislike exercise or typical healthclubs.

Another group using the technology has opened the Stand Strong Clinics, which incorporates a Power Plate whole body vibration platform.  Part of the goal is to prevent falls in seniors.  Vibration platforms stimulate the nervous system and can help increase balance and bone strength.

The Stand Strong program has increased the strength and overall quality of life for its participants.  They also have seen a significant increase in balance and stability, likely decreasing their risk of falling.

I think the main thing is that it introduced many people to resistance training who wouldn’t otherwise have participated.  I enjoy strength training but most people don’t – yet we all need it to fight the aging process. So this may prove to be a vital option for those who are overweight and de-conditioned.

Definitely something to keep an eye on.

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After a long Monday I am left with little time to exercise – a perfect time for a little Power Plate workout.  I had a fairly intense workout two days ago, so something lighter will do the trick.

If you have heard that a 10-15 minute workout on a vibration platform is the equivalent of a normal workout, it depends on what you are used to.

If you haven’t been exercising for quite some time then you can get some results from 3 of these sessions a week, but if that is all you do, you won’t look anything like your favorite athlete or be mistaken for a fitness model.

Your best results will come from combining it with other forms of resistance training – or you can do a session in between longer workouts, as a maintenance workout.

Like most people, I need a time efficient workout now and then to keep my metabolism elevated.  It also serves as a nice break from more intense workouts – it can help you recover faster.

Tonight I combined the vibration platform with some joint mobility movements.  Besides being a very joint friendly workout, all the reflex muscle contractions helped increase my circulation and flush out some waste products.

Movement based workouts are good for relieving stress and keeping the mind fresh, something we all could use.  I spoke once of “fire and ice training”.  This would definitely be a good example of the two extremes – high and low intensity.

Get moving!

Brian

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Last night I did some stability work on the Power Plate to work on some “weak links.”  I like using the vibration platform as part of my warmup to activate (turn on) muscles that are prone to weakness and injury.  I also like the fact that I can get in a quick workout when short on time.

Today I was watching some resistance band videos and saw something new that I wanted to try out.  So I attached the bands to a fixed object and used a dowel rod to do some core stability work.

I’m getting ready to reopen my training studio and flex bands are one of the key components of the workouts.  They are extremely versatile, portable, and they help increase your athleticism, even if you are slightly past your competitive days, like myself.

The exercises really worked my midsection while also working on my shoulder stability, making them very efficient.  I’ve had past shoulder injuries and anything that helps keep my shoulders healthy is a plus.

So I did these seemingly simple exercises, working my core from every possible angle, including front and back.  I also used the bands for some lower body activation, including some lunges with the band around my waist.

Then I finished with a little sandbag work for my lower body – good mornings and front squats.  Between these two training tools, I got a fast, efficient workout which worked my core during every exercise.

Workouts don’t have to take hours to do in order to get results.

Get moving!

Brian

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In light of Oprah’s much publicized weight gain, maybe she should follow the lead of fellow celebs like Madonna and Martha Stewart.

What am I referring to…….using whole body vibration training for a fast and efficient workout.  These vibration platforms, such as the Power Plate, are used by Heidi Klum, Hillary Swank, George Clooney, and Clint Eastwood, among others.

Already big in Europe, this cutting edge training device allows you to get a full body workout in 30 minutes or less.  They are being used in rehab and wellness clinics, healthclubs, and in athletic training centers, including use by professional and college athletes.

Ultimately, most of us, including Oprah have busy lives and limited amounts of time to exercise – which makes it difficult for most to stick with an exercise routine that requires several hours a week to get results.

These platforms send vibrations through your muscles, creating reflex muscle contractions that occur around 30 times per second, depending on the frequency setting.  These muscle contractions can increase strength and bone mass, as well as increasing your levels of fat burning hormones and increasing your circulation in the process.

Basically, these time efficient machines produce a number of fitness and wellness “effects.”

I’ve had mine for over a year and combine it with the use of dumbbells, resistance bands (flex bands), sandbags, and bodyweight exercises.  It can help with your flexibility and is a great warmup tool.  Clint Eastwood likes to use his before playing golf.

In fact, it is being used by several pro golfers and currently is available in the fitness van on the PGA tour.

But with a nation of aging Baby Boomers and ever expanding waist lines, its use as a fat loss and wellness tool may be its greatest potential.  For those who despise exercise, it offers the ability to get in a quick workout so that they can get on with life and doing things they enjoy.

I enjoy training and get restless if I don’t get enough movement in my day.  I realize however, that not everyone else shares my love of exercise, yet they still need the health and fitness benefits that are part of an active lifestyle.

For these people, vibration training might be the solution.

Get moving!

Brian

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