Working out while not really working is the concept behind a trend known as passive exercise.
You're lying on the sofa, maybe munching a bag of
chips, and watching your favorite movie on DVD. And ... you're toning your abs?
That's the picture painted by some proponents of passive exercise, a fitness
trend based on the idea that you can pretty much do nothing and still work out,
if you have the right equipment doing the work for you.
The’four of the top passive exercise trends today are: whole-body
vibration, chi machines, electronic ab stimulators, and inversion boots.
By far the most popular new addition to the passive exercise category
is whole-body vibration or WBV -- also known as "Power Plate"
exercise. An outgrowth of a program used to train Russian cosmonauts, it
quickly spread through Europe and Japan, then hit U.S. shores -- with whole
centers now devoted to this workout.
With whole-body vibration, you stand, sit or lie on a machine with a
vibrating platform. As the machine vibrates, it transmits energy to your body,
forcing your muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second. The
activity may cause you to feel as if you're exerting yourself. How It Works:
According to physical therapist and personal trainer Ben Quist, DPT, most
people stand on the platform with knees bent at about a 30-degree angle, while
the surface beneath their feet vibrates an astounding 30 times per second.
That vibration, says Quist, tricks the body into thinking you're
falling. "This, in turn, activates the 'stress reflex' -- an extremely
rapid muscle contraction," says Quist, owner of Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee
health club and rehabilitation center, where he has been training patients on
the Power Plate for over a year. These muscle contractions, says Quist, are
responsible for most of the benefits attributed to this type of exercise.
According to manufacturers, those benefits include increased
circulation, muscle strength, and flexibility; better range of motion; core
conditioning and stability; and faster muscle recovery after working out. They
say the health benefits also include enhanced metabolism, increased bone
mineral density, reduction of the stress hormone cortisol, elevation of human
growth hormone levels, and improved lymphatic flow. Whole-body vibration is
also said to reduce cellulite and stimulate collagen production for smoother
skin. Manufacturers also say MBV can provide muscle toning and conditioning for
those who have health restrictions that keep them from exercising, such as
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and some forms of arthritis.
Working out while not really working is the concept behind a trend known
as passive exercise. But does it really work?
Whole-body vibration can offer
some fitness and health benefits, but it's not clear if it's as good for you as
regular exercise. It was originally developed space programs for zero gravity
exercise. While medical experts generally say that wbv does offer some
benefits, most caution that the level is nowhere near the claims being made.
You may find a whole-body
vibration machine at a local gym, or you can buy one for home use.
Advocates say that as little as
15 minutes a day of whole-body vibration three times a week may aid weight
loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, reduce muscle soreness
after exercise, build strength and decrease the stress hormone cortisol. The
claims and testimonies seem to imply that the benefits this single machine far
exceed any other form of exercise. But can such technology really be the key to
health?
But comprehensive research about
whole-body vibration is lacking. It's not yet clear if whole-body vibration
provides the same range of health benefits as exercise you actively engage in,
such as walking, biking or swimming.
Some research does show that
whole-body vibration may help improve muscle strength and that it may help with
weight loss when you also cut back on calories.
Whole-body vibration may also
have a role beyond sports and fitness. Some research shows that whole-body vibration,
when performed correctly and under medical supervision when needed, can:
·
Reduce back pain
·
Improve strength and balance in older adults
·
Reduce bone loss
Still, if you want to lose weight
and improve fitness, enjoy a healthy diet and include physical activity in your
daily routine. If you choose whole-body vibration, remember to do aerobic and
strength training activities as well.
Dr. Rob Long
https://www.facebook.com/3dnight
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