Exercise Lecturer Cautions Against Vibration Training Claims
Dr Sue Broadbent is a lecturer in exercise prescription at the Institute of Human Nutrition and Health in Wellington, New Zealand. She makes the following statements in New Zealand’s Sunday Star Times.
“There’s some evidence it may improve fitness and yield better results than normal resistance training with weights, but it’s not increasing cardiac fitness at all.
“In other words, it won’t prevent you having a heart attack and it’s not going to help you lose weight or increase your metabolic rate.” From the Sunday Star Times.
Broadbent is heading up reseach commissioned by NZ’s Accident Compensation Comission who funds the rehabiliation of injured athletes.
“There is anecdotal evidence that whole body vibration may reduce inflammation associated with soft tissue injury. But we don’t know if that’s true, or how it’s supposed to work.”
101 Comments
I wonder if there is such a thing as ” machine envy “?
Lloyd Shaw these are not random attacks on you and your company. I would say they are the people who have alot to lose if you are proven right about some products and services offered.
I know of one person waiting for reports from a machine where they signed a 3 year lease . So they can take legal action. All after reading this site.
This will effect a whole franchise , it’s members and it’s customers as they use the same product.
A medical supply company here in N.Z. is waiting to serve papers on an importer of machines from Asia.When the smoke has cleared. You will be able to relax and do your work.
- Wayne Campbell
February 12th, 2007Riki, I think you are right in what you are saying
As an owner of a 2 studios, I am not afraid of competition. Lets not think that no matter how good we are that we can monopolise the industry.
To further legimise this industry I welcome competition, it will keep us all on our toes and at the end of the day the public and the industry will benifit.
Lloyd Shaw is the only perosn in this industry to put himself, his philosophies and his knowledge out in the public domain. He is the only one trying to expose the make a dollar at any cost companies and individuals.
All of this makes him an easy target for people with hidden agendas and see Lloyd as a threat
For those legitimate operaters you who are sitting on fence. Dont think of Lloyd Shaw as a threat, see him as an ally to the industry. Lets hear your views.
- Mark
February 12th, 2007Guys, ladies. you are all missing the point, Believe me i don’t see Lloyd as a threat, i think he’s done a great job of helping to make the public aware of this area of the fitness industry and certainly has heavily promoted himself “Lloyd Shaw, mortician by trade”
Riki, although i don’t have anything to lose by Llyod being proven right…(just how would that happen? oh that’s right RESEARCH, STUDIES,etc) i would like to see some studies done on his machines lets get some research out there on these claims, there must be thousands of people eagerly awaiting the 1000cal in 10 min theory to be proven. No hidden agenda’s here Wayne.
Lloyd i’m sorry if you felt my comments were aimed at you personally or that they disturbed you, i don’t waste time on personal attacks as it gets us no-where. I will eagerly await the independent research regarding your machines including the disclaimer you speak of.
- Wayne Campbell
February 12th, 2007Mark
Where are your questions/Comments about PowerPlates use of research and celebrity endorements that do not relate to thier machines? where are your questions/comments about the companies that bring in cheap models claiming that they can do everything that a properly built commercial model can do?
You are pointing everything at Lloyd Shaw, in some sort of personal vendetta, the only one to put his you know whats on the line - If you were genuinly concerned why not focus on the actual dodgy companies out there as well?
To all…
A disclaimer has been on our research site since day one.( So again Mark’s comments are not based on ANY research).
No tests to date can exactly measure the calorie burn rate after a weight training session. Even though it has been in the public domain for 20 odd years ? Only estimates are still given.
An Asian company that build BCA units does have a testing method for Vibration Training but will not share it yet.
All my figures are based on equations , that I build my machines to.
If you dont believe I can count Mark , dont get on my machines.
To Admin of Site…
I would like to add , I do not believe in the least that Mark is a health professional as he claims. His lack of knowledge surrounding the human body would totally discount that.
If you go back through his questions , they are simplistic enough that I believe only a complete lack of education in this field could account for these.
Am I alone in this assessment ?
I also do not look forward to explaining to Mark and his friends how a machines designed to measure energy burn rates during involuntary reflexes works.
As you still seem to be stuck on the basics.
You may have to come to the conclusion that this is just not your thing .
P.S. To all….
I use the title ” mortician ” as that is what I do for a profession. There is no title for my present position.
Very similar to the car industry where the first people to fix and work on cars where ” blacksmiths ” until the term ” mechanic ” was coined.- Laura Smith
February 12th, 2007Anyone been to a powerplate studio? They are popping up everywhere
- mike Hair
February 13th, 2007Hi Laura, what town are you in? Last time i was in Auckland powerplate was shutting down all over the place.
- Sue
February 26th, 2007I have enjoyed reading this site for tips and testimonials about the use of vibration machines. I have used one that is the only available machine near where I live. I have felt many benefits from its regular use. I am looking for any information available and appreciate all constructive input. I am however disappointed at the bickering that seems to take a good exchange into a direction that is something I am most definitely not looking for and get nothing out of. It seems just when good questions are asked and I am anticipating good answers the discussion is bogged down with mud slinging. Is this a site for everyone, even us common people, interested in learning or has it become a forum for people directly involved in the industry.
It is aimed at people who want to learn. Anybody and everbody. Unfortunatly it was always going to be targeted by those who’s only motive for being in the industry is to make money, at any cost.
By definition these people fear the education of the public.
I think you will notice though , most have picked their fights and run away already .
So please keep visiting.
- D
April 4th, 2007This topic leaves me with questions:
* Was the Massey university testing actually done? The results were due out end of March, 07, so that’s right now.
* Results of the testing relate only to the specific vibration platform used in the tests - a Vibrogym platform set to vibrate at between 30 and 50Hz moving up and down either 2mm or 5mm each cycle and to the particularity of the test ie what is being tested.
When I read about this test (a few months ago) it looked interesting until I read that the testing involved 30 volunteers deliberately inducing muscle injury by running downhill on a treadmill and then the treatment group will use WBV for 5 consecutive days of 15 minute sessions while the control group does nothing. Blood testing will be done to determine the degree of inflamation decrease over the 5 days.
I’ve wondered why consecutive days of WBV are being used when at least one days rest between sessions is generally recommended.
I also wondered why injury was being induced rather than using healthy people using the machine but the newspaper article seems to answer this..ACC are maybe funding this.
Why has Dr Broadbent made comments before the results are known and why comment on areas outside of the scope of the Massey uni tests.
Also when I was looking at aspects of WBV I found a mention of Massey uni (NZ) doing testing in 2003 using a Gallileo system 26 Hz, displacement = 10 mm, over 5 weeks, 3 x week, athletes to be retested on vertical jumps, sprints, and muscle power three days
after the last WBVT. I can’t find any results of this study so if anyone knows of it, I’m interested. - Di
April 4th, 2007apologies..My name only appeared a “D” above
Firstly just from an ethical standpoint I hope the tests didnt go ahead.
(a) Not enough education by the testers on what to do or look for.
(b) Inducing already healthy athletes to such a test is dangerous. An extended downhill run could cause a career threatening injury.
NOTE: … the injuries would be varied depending on previous runners history and gate. Which will give random results.
Why not use an infrared scan to find similar injuries from Physio practices. This way matching pre-existing injuries could be monotored and helped.
I recieved a letter from Dr Broadbent’s boss. Things will be put right.
- Kate
April 5th, 2007Hi Di
Try contacting Darryl Cochrane, Lecturer Sport Coaching, Dept of Management, Massey University, Palmerston North.
I believe the research you refer to by Massey University was done on a Galileo sport and Gallileo top machine and was overseen by Darryl. The initial project was completed as a team research project in 2003 and in summary “with no differences in results”.
At the time of contacting Darryl Cochrane (April 28 2005), Darryl had just had another study accepted for publication in the British Journal of Sports Medicine - the results of which I was told were ‘exciting’ however were under embargo and could not be released to the public.
Hope this helps
Kate - Green
April 6th, 2007The above referred to study appears in the BJSM in abstract at–
http://bjsm.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/39/11/860
You can register free to get a full text PDF–
This is a very limited study with only 3 interventions in total compared: cycling, WBV, and Control.This is exactly what they have to say:
“What is already known–Whole body vibration (WBV) has proven to be effective in improving strength, power, and bone density. This novel training intervention is becoming popular for conditioning, rehabilitation, and general health. However, the acute effects of WBV on power, strength, and flexibility are still largely
untested.”“What this study adds–This study confirms that power and flexibility increase after acute WBV exposure and that acute WBV may accelerate the warm up effect. Additionally, muscle groups less proportionally exposed to vibration do not exhibit physiological changes that potentiate muscular performance.”
- Di
April 7th, 2007Thanks for replies.
That tesing is, of course, quite dated now but I was interested.
The results are positive which is good to see. Even the comment that effects are largely untested reads positively unlike the flack that WBV has been getting in some writings lately - often from people who wont even try it for themselves.
Remember these famous words from Sal Marinello ….
IT CANT WORK , ITS BASED ON FLAWED SCIENCE SO STOP WASTING OUR TIME.
And the good Dr. Sue Broadbent…
“It’s not going to help you lose weight or increase your metabolic rate ”
Meanwhile …..
The Childrens Hospital in Westmead , Australia have installed a Vibration Platform to help curb obesity in adolescents who have developed insulin resistance , a common precursor to Type 2 Diabetes.
Do readers have any idea how much background research , solid work and combined ethics consent was needed for this to happen.
Note: This has happened despite people likes Sue and Sals best attempts to stop this technology from helping people.
I will still be seeking a public retraction from Dr. Broadbent as evidence mounts she mislead the public.
- John Weatherly
November 6th, 2008That’ll be terrific when you get a retraction. This kind of reminds me of years ago when I went to grad school to study under Dr. Mike Stone. At the time, there were maybe only 3 or 4 universities in the US with a strong anaerobic strength/power physiology emphasis and people like Stone as faculty that knew a heckuva lot about strength training from both scientific and practical perspectives. There still aren’t a whole lot of PhDs at universities that are “true experts” on both the science and practice of anaerobic exercise (i.e., strength/power training).
I recently had a Dept Chair at a university tell me about a professor at another university that he frequently recommends potential doctoral students to say this professor can “talk a little strength training” but wasn’t on my level.
And vibration as an exercise modality is so new to people. I think it’s even worse than the science of strength training was back when I went to grad school.
Time will tell I guess.
February 11th, 2007
Woodrow Wilson…
“If you want to make enemies ,try to change something”