What Does the New Power Plate Study Mean for the WBV Industry?
May 17, 2009 by ted
Filed under INDUSTRY, POWER PLATE
The good and bad of positive research.
This new study is going to be used by every single company that sells something that vibrates up, down, sideways or tilts fast enough to be called a vibration and even though some companies would be justified in using it to support the effectiveness of their product, about 99% of the industry have NO claim to the positive outcomes shown in that report.
Here are the Power Plate facts
The study was done on a newer Power Plate machine designed to take heavier loads. It was a fiberglass Lineal machine and would be considered to be at the upper end of the “Medium Energy Lineal ” as per our review categories.
No one except Power Plate and other companies on that same/similar level and above can rightfully use this study in any kind of advertising. I think this is logical to most, but we will soon see how many people in our industry come up with justifications for twisting it for their own marketing purposes. I am quite sure I will be slamming a few companies in the very near future for exactly that, but for now we get to Power Plate’s problem.
Now of course we can not ask Power Plate to name their equals and above because that would be paramount to “sales” suicide. However, Power Plate at the same time must differentiate themselves or lose sales to much lesser and probably cheaper units. A catch 22 if there ever was one. So what are you going to do as a consumer to get around this? Everyone’s either going to lie or not say anything at all. So here is the ONLY answer…..
The old fashioned try before you buy
Yes it might seem simple, but so many people forget this common piece of advice. Trust that your body knows the “difference” in quality when it feels it, you do not need a PHD to feel something, after all, your body is very in tune with its surrounding and gives feedback you instinctively understand. No big word or fancy sales speech to worry about. Go where you can try a Power Plate (a larger model like used in the study, not a home unit), then find somewhere you can try other machines. As always the more the merrier.
A 1 minute basic squat ( as per the safety program here) is the perfect position to do these tests and don’t let the salesperson talk to you or distract you during this. Tell them to put it on a good workout setting and vibrate off. Even after only 3 units you will get the idea.
Important note: No one in the study we are aware of had any injuries or physical limitations that would stop them from doing a basic squat, so if you do have one it is not advised you try this test (”its too hard” is not a physical limitation, that’s a mental one).
Having tested the machines and made an informed decision, buy the product and use it with a calorie restricted diet if you want the kind of results seen in the research, please note that buying a lighter home model for economic reasons will also vary the outcome. The whole point of this is to understand machines are NOT all the same, even if built by the same company. I am sure a number of companies that sell larger machines like those used in the research will attach it to their cheaper home models, this is also unethical without clearly disclosing it and would put them in the same bracket as the marketers who would attach it to anything that moves.
When Soloflex first began selling WBV equipment I had no idea what kind of feedback we’d be getting. The most surprising was that a few people were reporting losing fat. I still don’t understand how that could happen but why would anyone report that if it didn’t happen? One lady claimed she lost 30 pounds. Hmmm?
As for high levels of vibration being necessary to induce the conditioning effects, this is clearly repudiated by the Juvent device, a certified medical device that operates below .3g’s. Vibration is just vibration, regardless of the mechanical method chosen to induce it. Perhaps there is a “most efficient” device on the market but everyone selling the expensive WBV Platforms claims that title with their “proprietary” advantage.
“Vibration is just vibration, regardless of the mechanical method chosen to induce it.”
I hope I misunderstood that statement, because my first thoughts were “Did he really just say that?” and “Did that really just happen?”
Of course Jerry said that, he sells a cheapo unit! This is the very reason we need peer-reviewed studies on different models of vibration equipment. Guys like Jerry will twist anything they can around to market their products.
Quote: “Vibration is just vibration, regardless of the mechanical method chosen to induce it.” end quote
Sorry, Jerry you’ve lost all credibility in my eyes. Your platform might provide a slight rebalancing effect but the small amount of uncontrolled vibration provided is VERY DIFFERENT to a purpose designed, controlled vibration platform.
Controlled is the Keyword here – and all important to induce any type of expected conditioning response. In the study linked above the desired result is weightloss (which would include toning of course). The study itself was carefully controlled/monitored. I challenge you to replicate it.
All vibration is NOT equal. Industry leaders spend so much time educating the public on this. You’ve shown that you have no understanding of how the human body and machine work together to produce results. Have you ever tried a high energy platform?
All very diplomatic folks, but Jerry and his ilk do not understand the soft approach, you must be clearer. And he will never answer straight questions because doing so will expose him as dishonest or very, very thick, so don’t waste your time.
Jerry…
Wake up, You sell a step-pad with a vibrator attached to it, you are an embarrassment to our industry and we will all work hard to flatten your company for the damage you have done. I will personally not stop until every filthy, scamming, marketing piece of shit like you are buried, named and shamed for the world to read about forever.
That’s right Jerry, your name up photo and all, this must happen as it is part of my plan to expose you and teach others what you have done is unacceptable. So have your “consumer ignorance honeymoon” while you can, it will soon be over. Any money you have made unethically will not help you , and no lawyer will stop me.
And you about to find out I am not alone .
Eg….
“Juvent device, a certified medical device that operates below .3gs”
Juvent do not promote their unit as a weight loss, full on Vibration Training machine which is what the reported research is about. Or is dyslexia part of the mass of afflictions you have beside not being able to tell right from wrong ?
Dr Clinton Rubin developer of the Juvent, will openly say all machines are not equal, the exact opposite of you .
Why don’t you go back to selling crack to kids or whatever else you were doing before you found misrepresenting health products was a good scam.
That’s how its done folks.
“Vibration is just vibration, regardless of the mechanical method chosen to induce it”
FOR SALE….
one lawn mower that vibrates, makes you loose weight, gain muscle and fixes all your mental problems…
Man same people are stupid, if what Jerry said was true, with Lloyds excesive use of his hand held toys, his butt would be way smaller than what it is
Jerry, get a life m8, your an absolute cock that gives this whole industry the shits…..
Mike, a bit OTT, I hope most readers don’t understand your post.
But on the previous diet blog site it was suggested that women might gain some vibration benefits from simply sitting on the washing machine while doing their laundry. After all, it vibrates heavily during the spin cycle and
If all vibration is vibration, is useful for training effects – Of course this is a ridiculous suggestion! The reply on that blog was that the washing machine might give some “pleasure” effect but it would be useless for any sort of training, toning, weightloss.
Jerry, I suggest you research “controlled whole body vibration” and also read the article here on vibration machine categories:
http://www.vibrationtraining.net/2009/03/whole-body-vibration-training-machine-review-categories
Di,
what do you mean “a bit OTT, I hope most readers dont understand your post.”
I’m sure Lloyd nows me well enough by now
Its ok too not be so uptight and have some fun once in a while…:)
Mike…
I do not think she means offending me, you are not smart enough to do that. I think she means the poor innocent readers.
*laughing* Yes of course, it was poor innocent readers that was my concern. OTT = over the top. I was hoping noone would ask for an explanation of your post
Offend Lloyd? Not a chance and if he felt even slightly miffed or even amused I know he’d give back way more than what was directed at him. It’s all good that we have the word “Vibration” attached to this technology as it provides scope for laughter which can reduce new customers fears before and when they first get onto the machines.
LMFAO– okay Mike please fill me in about Lloyds “hand held toys”?
Its clear that Jerry needs to offer us alittle more full disclosure. Sometimes when a consumer buys an exercise device, it motivates them to go above and beyond the call of duty to get in shape. If this woman who lost “30 lbs” did any research about fitness when buying this machine, she would have discovered that dieting plays a huge role in all of this.
The probelm with vague testimonials like this one is that people often forget to add important details like changing thier diet, doing cardio or even how they used the vibration machine.
Did she used the machine for plyometrics and step exercises? If so then there is no doubt she would have lost weight. Also, its important to note where these people started from. If they were obese to begin with, then odds are they will show much more drastic results than say a conditioned athlete who has built up a hefty tolerance for exercise.
I was looking thruogh testimonials from other vibration websites and I am certain that many of these things are fake.
Jerry- did you pull that testimony off of the Soloflex website?– its possible that they just threw that on the site to boost sales.
Power Plate has been integrated into fitness routines and utilized in training and therapy sessions.
That’s true but we need good studies on all the vibration modalities out there. Just because Power Plate may have been the first to capture a large part of the market does not mean Power Plate is the best or even one of the best.
It would be interesting to know how members of Power Plate’s Sports Medicine Advisory Board are being compensated? One member of this board (Mark Verstegen) and his company Athletes’ Performance (AP) have been corporate partners with Power Plate for some time. This raises conflict of interest issues. Mark, as far as I know, has never revealed what Power Plate is paying him/AP. He certainly won’t tell me as I have called him numerous times.
One thing Mark/AP are doing with their corporate partner Power Plate is featuring this equipment in coreperformance centers they are opening. This is kind of how the marketing thing works I guess? It seems to be tied to $. I know Mark complexes Power Plate exercises with resistance training exercises for neural potentiation. Does this work? A scientist friend of mine who does not have financial ties to Power Plate completed a pilot study looking at this in college track & field throwers and saw virtually nothing. They will do more studies. Also, an MD told me on the phone he will not use vibration as a neural potentiation right prior to squats because it alters kinesthesia. So, at least some of Power Plate being integrated into fitness routines appears to be mainly based on marketing and not scientific evidence showing Power Plate protocols to be beneficial for aspects such as neural potentiation.
The above post about PowerPlate is just advertising, linking to an entirely different brand. They are simply using the PP name to promote their brand. Not doing themselves any good in my opinion.
When people don’t say who they are (i.e., name), I think they should be ignored.
Prev post is also advertising by DKN. Ditto to Di’s comment.