Sculpt Your Arms and Thighs With Whole Body Vibration Exercises

You don’t have to be overweight to have your insecurities when it comes to body shape and weight. Even the fittest people out there have their bad days and have body parts they’re less proud of. It’s therefore not surprising that the average woman spends 17 years dieting, and that 74% of women within a normal healthy weight range desire to lose weight [1].

90% of females and 68% of males aged 12-17 years have been on a diet at some point in their life. 28% of males and 35% of females aged 11-24 years are dissatisfied with their appearance and very aware of their physical flaws.

Despite the differences in body shapes and sizes, the most hated body areas seem to be the thighs, upper arms, waist and belly. Although dieting can help one lose weight and achieve slimmer arms and thighs, as well as a smaller waist, in most cases the results are only temporary and the lost pounds come back once one returns to their regular eating habits.

The solution to building a lean and healthy body is not dieting, but getting active and exercising more often. Surely, one should keep an eye on calories and control their portions, as overeating may result in weight gain even in people who exercise daily, but for long-term results, the best solution is to eat balanced meals and to practice physical activities as often as possible.

Although it’s generally accepted that you can’t lose weight from a single body area, you can reshape your body by reducing the percentage of fat, increasing the lean mass and targeting the problem areas with compound exercises.

Given below are some exercises you can include in your whole body vibration routine for improving the shape and tone of your thighs and upper arms. Mix these with cardio movements to accelerate the fat-burning process.

How to tone arms on vibration plate

Triceps kickbacks are excellent for toning the arms and shaping the muscles. For this exercise, you’ll need a set of dumbbells or the elastic cords that come with the Hypervibe machine. Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand and put a right knee on the floor, or if you do this exercise on the whole body vibration machine, stand on the platform and grab the right elastic cord.

Lift the right arm so that the upper arm is parallel to the floor, and contract the triceps when the arm is extended. Hold for 1 second and bring the arm back to a 90-degree angle, with the upper arm still parallel to the floor. Follow the same pattern if you use the elastic cord, contracting the triceps when the arm is extended. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

One arm rows will strengthen your arm muscles and make them look leaner. Stand on your whole body vibration platform with knees slightly bent and weight evenly distributed on both legs. Hold a dumbbell in your right arm and place the left arm on the machine’s handle. If you prefer not to use extra weights, you can do this exercise with the resistance band delivered with the machine.

Bent forward slightly at hips and keep the abs engaged. Start with your right arm straight, then bring the elbow straight up, close to your body, until the dumbbell or elastic band is next to the bottom of your rib cage. Hold for 1 second, return to the initial position and repeat 10 times.

Triceps dips will shape not only your upper arms but also the shoulders. Hover over the platform and place your arms on the edge, keeping your knees bent and feet on the floor. Now lower your body and bend your arms to 90 degrees, then get back to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Alternatively, you can remain in the triceps dips position and allow the whole body vibration machine to do all the work for you, as the vibrations sent by the platform force the muscles to contract and relax rhythmically.

Planks may seem easy at first sight, but when done correctly they can make your arms burn. Moreover, your abs, back and glutes will also get a nice workout, and if you add whole body vibration, the exercise will become a lot more difficult, as your muscles will have to work harder to maintain the joints stable.

For a less intense exercise, do the plank with your feet on the platform and hands on the floor; the switch the position and bring the hands on the platform, with palms closer to the centre, to prevent injuries. Set the frequency to 8-12 Hz and do your best to keep the core engaged and the back straight.

Push-ups will also work your upper arm muscles, helping you build slimmer and more toned arms. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions if doing classical push-ups, or 3 sets of 30 seconds of whole body vibration push-ups, with 10-second breaks between sets (12-15Hz, #1-2 amplitude).

Vibration plate exercises for inner thighs

Lateral step-ups are a great choice for shaping your legs and glutes, and they can be quite challenging if you add dumbbells or a barbell and use an abdominal bench instead of an aerobic step for this exercise. But if you want to take it to the next level, replace the step with a whole body vibration machine and the exercise becomes even more difficult.

Lateral whole body vibration step-ups work the thighs and glutes, requiring a lot of focus for maintaining balance and proper form. With this exercise, you can strengthen and shape your lower body, maximizing the efficiency of your workout.

Lateral and front lunges activate the buttocks and legs, so they’re perfect for toning your thighs. Place one foot on the platform, with the knee bent, and maintain the other foot away from the machine, stable. Place your hands on your hips for better balance and dip with your buttocks, moving towards the floor. Engage the core and squeeze the glutes, maintaining for 30 seconds per leg.

Another exercise that’s very good for strengthening and shaping the thighs is the hip thrust, which engages not only the lower body but also the core area. To make it more difficult, place your feet on the moving whole body vibration platform, and raise your hips slowly, to feel the muscles working. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then lower your hips and repeat the movement for 1 minute.

The side plank targets the obliques, transversus abdominis and inner thighs, so it works not only your legs but also the core muscles. Start with your elbow on the platform and maintain the regular side plank position. You can place a rolled-up towel between your thighs to make sure you maintain the form or do the exercise without additional items.

Set the frequency to 8-12 Hz and start with your right elbow on the platform. Keep the core contracted 30 seconds per side, and repeat the exercise for 2 minutes. Once you’re done you can return to the initial position and do hip raises, 3 sets of 10 reps per side.

Hip circles are good for shaping the hips and legs, and for strengthening and lifting the glutes. Stand on your whole body vibration platform with feet shoulder-width apart and set the frequency to 12-15 Hz. Begin making circles with your hips, starting on the right side. Repeat 10 times for each side.

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References

1. http://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/key-research-a-statistics