Can vibration plates help with weight loss and bone density? What experts say about the 'vibing' TikTok trend.
Lifting, running and stretching might be in your typical rotation of workouts. But have you heard of using a vibration plate — aka “vibing” — as a form of exercise?
Picture this: You put on your gym clothes, step on a platform and press a few buttons to turn it on. Suddenly, your body is shaking (uncontrollably, it seems) and within 10 minutes, you’ve completed an effective workout.
It sounds too good to be true, I know. According to people on TikTok, however, incorporating a vibration plate into your routine can result in numerous benefits that include increased muscle mass and decreased bone loss. Experts tell me they’re not wrong … but there are ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your workout.
Tell me more
A vibration plate is “a fitness device that produces high-speed vibrations, creating a whole-body vibration,” Chris Mohr, a registered dietitian and fitness and nutrition adviser at Fortune Recommends Health, tells Yahoo Life. Most have multiple settings that control the intensity or speed of the tremble.
Vibration plates can be found at many gyms, but there are also portable versions that can be used at home.
They’ve become increasingly popular on social media as TikTok creators are using them to get more out of their workouts.
One creator documented multiple days of her “vibing” journey and received 3.5 million views on a video addressing her husband’s skepticism of the workout. She committed herself to using it for 30 days to see if she’d notice physical changes.
She claimed that a vibration plate can improve “muscle strengthening, increase bone density, improve blood circulation, improve balance, increase metabolism, decrease muscle soreness and increase energy levels.”
Other creators have mentioned lymphatic drainage and even weight loss as beneficial results of using a vibration plate.
Is it legit?
While you can’t believe everything you see on the internet, TikTok is onto something with this trend. In fact, experts say that all of the above claims are indeed potential benefits of using a vibration plate as a workout tool.
“When standing or exercising on this plate, your body automatically reacts to maintain balance, leading to muscle contractions. This involuntary muscle activity can possibly enhance your workout,” says Mohr.
In simpler terms, it activates muscles in the body that aren’t typically active during exercise.
“The more muscles activated during movement, the greater energy expenditure, which helps with increased muscle building and fat loss. Increasing this muscle activity can also help improve balance and mobility,” Jason Sawyer, associate professor and exercise and movement science program coordinator at Bryant University, tells Yahoo Life. “Studies have found using a vibration plate can increase blood flow, and researchers theorize this is also because of increased muscle contractions.”
Amanda Grimm, a personal trainer and running coach for We Run U.K., tells Yahoo Life that one of the biggest pros is that it can be beneficial to a wide range of people.
“It’s a useful piece of exercise equipment for people with varying abilities,” she says. “As well as fit and healthy participants, it is often an effective tool to use for those recovering from injury, older people [and] those with low bone density or osteoporosis, and can even be used while seated if needed.”
Some of the benefits might be overstated by online creators, as research on the reduction of body fat from whole-body vibration notes that reports of its efficacy are inconsistent. But it also depends on how a person uses it.
How exactly is it used?
“Standing on a vibration plate will encourage increased circulation,” says Grimm. To achieve most of the other results, she says, “you’ll want to do a workout routine using the equipment.”
Exercises she recommends include:
Arm circles: Stand with arms “wide like a scarecrow,” she says, and rotate them in a circular motion 10 times. You can build on the movement by then “clapping” both hands together in front of you.
Stiff leg deadlift: Keep legs straight while folding forward and down to touch the plate — “or as far as you can reach,” says Grimm.
Squats: She recommends keeping hands held together in front of you and engaging your core while sitting down and back into a squat and driving up 10 times.
Alternating plié: Place your feet on the plate so the toes are pointing to 10 and 2 o’clock. Bend with your knees facing out toward your toes “like a ballet plié,” she says, “then rise and shift your toes and knees back to center.” You’ll dip again with feet facing forward, in a more traditional squat stance, before rising and alternating back to the plié.
Leg rises: Move to one side of your plate and raise the opposite leg. After 10 lifts, you’ll switch to the alternate side of the plate and do the same on the other leg.
Mohr additionally suggests performing planks or push-ups with both hands on the vibrating platform. Incorporating resistance bands, as demonstrated on TikTok, will also take the workout to the next level.
“The key is to engage different muscle groups while the vibrations challenge your balance and muscle control, making even simple movements more challenging,” says Mohr.
Vibration plates do have some limitations, according to Jordi Duff, a certified personal trainer for functional training studio F45. “They may not provide the same cardiovascular benefits as some other exercises,” he tells Yahoo Life. “Overall, when it comes to working out, it’s important to take a holistic approach by working not only on muscular form, but also the cardiovascular and mental side of fitness,” he says.
The takeaway
Vibration plate workouts should be used to complement other forms of exercise rather than replacing them. And like most anything, the device should be used in moderation (10-minute sessions three to five times a week is the consensus among experts I spoke with) and with an understanding of your personal health status and risks.
As for me, I’m ready to get shaking!
