Two Benefits of Whole Body Vibration for Men

Although women are more likely to choose whole body vibration over conventional strength exercises, this form of training is also suitable for men.

Studies have showed that exercising on a vibration plate influences hormonal levels in males, and can contribute to increased muscle strength and power, the effects of this physical activity being similar to those produced by explosive power training.

In today’s article we’ll discuss two ways vibration exercises can benefit men.

1. Effective muscle activation for mass gains

Exercising on a vibration machine induces vibrations and oscillations within all the tissues of our body and is a unique way of increasing the exposure to gravity and the load on muscles and bones without lifting weights. The type of WBV platform used and the frequency and G-force settings determine the degree to which the vibration training effects are experienced.

When standing on a WBV machine, the repetitive upward movement sends pulses of energy up through the body and causes it to accelerate upwards. These pulses create an effect similar to the elevator that moves upwards and makes your body feel heavier. The acceleration is felt by your body as a resistance force that is applied upwards instead of downwards and is referred to as G-force. The value of the G-force is added to the value of Earth’s gravity, so the load on your body is greater when you exercise on a vibration plate at 3G’s, 5G’s, or 10G’s even if you don’t lift any weight.

When your muscle reflexes are activated by the energy pulses sent from the machine, the fibers contract and relax involuntarily, the strength of muscle contraction depending on the strength of the vibrations coming up from the platform. Through this effect, a vibrating machine forces your muscles and joints to work harder for stabilizing the body, maintaining balance, coordinating the movements, and performing the various exercises. These result in increased muscle stimulation and energy expenditure.

So the first reason men should give WBV a try is that this form of physical activity can help them strengthen their muscles, burn more energy and build a lean and athletic body through intense workouts.

2. Increased power and better performance

Vibration training increases muscle strength and power, helping you perform better in your daily activities and sports competitions. Although it takes time to build muscle mass and improve stamina and athletic performance, you can see an improvement in power or the ability to generate force quickly after a single session of vibration training.

Thanks to this effect, WBV is recommended before a competition or workout if you want to jump higher, sprint faster, or hit a ball further. Also, it’s an excellent solution for improving your balance and reducing the risk of falls and injuries.

When the machine sends vibration pulses through your body, some of the energy is absorbed by tissues and converted to heat, and rhythmic muscle contractions are triggered. This warms up your muscles and joints, preparing your body to operate better and increasing the circulation of blood and lymph.

Although in the long run, the effects are similar to other forms of weight-bearing exercises, high-speed vibration gets you to a growth-stimulating level of muscle activation faster and with less conscious effort. It is therefore a less energy-taxing solution for warming up and maximizing the results of a workout session. Plus, the body requires less time to recover after a WBV workout than it does after a conventional weight lifting session.

Whole body vibration has been shown to cause clear metabolic responses similar to conventional exercises, and to have beneficial effects on the levels of various hormones, among which cortisol, testosterone and growth hormone. To learn more about WBV, check our Complete whole body vibration series, and if you have questions, feel free to post them below.