Whole Body Vibration
How it Works
WBV, which stands for Whole Body Vibration, is a tool used in training and offers numerous physiological and neuromuscular benefits. When compared to conventional exercise, WBV yields accelerated results, making it popular among athletes and personal trainers, who use the technology for everything ranging from strength and speed training to workout recovery and injury rehabilitation. Health spas use WBV for full-body toning and massage, and health care professionals use the technology to treat back pain, poor circulation, and a whole host of other conditions. Many fitness-minded individuals are also discovering and using WBV on their own and deriving a multitude of benefits from the new technology. WBV technology consists of two major types: Vertical and Pivotal. While the two types work somewhat differently, both are based on the same principle – the principle of controlled motion and the stimulation it exerts on the body. A WBV machine uses this controlled motion, or vibration, to induce beneficial muscular activation while stimulating other helpful physiological changes throughout the body. The rapid motion of the machine’s platform causes body tissues to respond to the increased stimulus in several positive ways:Blood flow increases significantly, pumping more health-building oxygen throughout the body to support vital physiological processes.Lymphatic drainage improves, promoting tissue and organ system detoxification.The skeletal system receives a vigorous workout that contributes to increased bone mineral density – often bringing more dramatic bone-strengthening results than conventional weight-bearing exercise. When a WBV machine is in use, the body part that makes contact with the vibrating platform and the position of that body part on the platform determines which body tissues will be affected by the therapy. This makes it easy to target the specific body part that needs a workout and to control just how challenging the workout will be. Vertical WBV machines typically offer more versatility than Pivotal technology models. The teeter-totter-like motion of the platform on Pivotal machines prevents the user from completing most unilateral, or one-legged, positions or performing exercises that involve sitting directly on the platform. In addition, Pivotal machines deliver a form of Whole Body Vibration that feels and looks different than Vertical style machines. The nature of the motion in Pivotal platforms tends to cancel out the vibration in the upper half of the body due to compensation by the hips as one leg moves up while the other is moving down. In contrast, the straight up-and-down motion of Vertical WBV machines can provide Whole Body Vibration from head to toe. Many are discovering that WBV can train the body in ways that are rejuvenating, strengthening, health-building, and detoxifying. As a result, users of the technology are experiencing a number of physiological and neuromuscular benefits, including improved muscle tone, increased mobility, greater stamina, and better overall performance – all results that ultimately lead to an improved quality of life.
WBV, which stands for Whole Body Vibration, is a tool used in training and offers numerous physiological and neuromuscular benefits. When compared to conventional exercise, WBV yields accelerated results, making it popular among athletes and personal trainers, who use the technology for everything ranging from strength and speed training to workout recovery and injury rehabilitation. Health spas use WBV for full-body toning and massage, and health care professionals use the technology to treat back pain, poor circulation, and a whole host of other conditions. Many fitness-minded individuals are also discovering and using WBV on their own and deriving a multitude of benefits from the new technology. WBV technology consists of two major types: Vertical and Pivotal. While the two types work somewhat differently, both are based on the same principle – the principle of controlled motion and the stimulation it exerts on the body. A WBV machine uses this controlled motion, or vibration, to induce beneficial muscular activation while stimulating other helpful physiological changes throughout the body. The rapid motion of the machine’s platform causes body tissues to respond to the increased stimulus in several positive ways:Blood flow increases significantly, pumping more health-building oxygen throughout the body to support vital physiological processes.Lymphatic drainage improves, promoting tissue and organ system detoxification.The skeletal system receives a vigorous workout that contributes to increased bone mineral density – often bringing more dramatic bone-strengthening results than conventional weight-bearing exercise. When a WBV machine is in use, the body part that makes contact with the vibrating platform and the position of that body part on the platform determines which body tissues will be affected by the therapy. This makes it easy to target the specific body part that needs a workout and to control just how challenging the workout will be. Vertical WBV machines typically offer more versatility than Pivotal technology models. The teeter-totter-like motion of the platform on Pivotal machines prevents the user from completing most unilateral, or one-legged, positions or performing exercises that involve sitting directly on the platform. In addition, Pivotal machines deliver a form of Whole Body Vibration that feels and looks different than Vertical style machines. The nature of the motion in Pivotal platforms tends to cancel out the vibration in the upper half of the body due to compensation by the hips as one leg moves up while the other is moving down. In contrast, the straight up-and-down motion of Vertical WBV machines can provide Whole Body Vibration from head to toe. Many are discovering that WBV can train the body in ways that are rejuvenating, strengthening, health-building, and detoxifying. As a result, users of the technology are experiencing a number of physiological and neuromuscular benefits, including improved muscle tone, increased mobility, greater stamina, and better overall performance – all results that ultimately lead to an improved quality of life.