Shake Your Body
Jul. 9--The Soloflex WBV (Whole Body Vibration) platform is not just something I hope for; it is also something I hope is true.
Consider the claim: By just standing on the vibrating platform, you can "improve circulation, strength, flexibility and balance while easing joint and muscle pains."
That's it.
No stretching, no crunching, no repeated lifting of heavy objects, just a whole lot of shaking for 10 minutes a day. Which is not to say you can't do some exercising while standing on the platform; it's just that you don't have to.
Granted, this sounds like a late-night infomercial for one of those devices that bust abs or take the thunder out of thighs. But there is a major difference. Soloflex is an older, reputable maker of exercise equipment, and there appears to be scientific evidence to support the concept.
Essentially, what the WBV does is distribute vibrations throughout the body, thereby engaging the muscles in the contraction-relaxation exchange that is the basis for weight training.
The Office of the Surgeon General has recommended WBV for people not able to exercise (the elderly or frail, for example), and the Journal of Sports Sciences found that those who combined vibration with resistance strength training experienced additional benefit.
Many professional and college sports teams use vibration in their training regimes, although the models they use are larger and can cost in excess of $10,000. In comparison, the Soloflex WBV platform measures 10 by 40 inches, weighs 35 pounds and costs $350.
One can also purchase other Soloflex equipment, such as weight-training and leg-squat machines, with the vibration option, or just purchase the vibration motor itself, which can be attached to other apparatus.
The WBV does come with warnings and should not be used before consulting a doctor if you have certain medical conditions.
Given that I don't have any of the medical restrictions, all I have to worry about if I decide to shake it is not to break it.
Promises, Promises .... What About Results?
The reason I am skeptical about the WBV Platform is because there are just so many bogus exercise devices out there, all claiming to provide fabulous results in a short period of time with minimal effort.
One company, for example, offers the Bun and Thigh Doer, Bun and Thigh Max, Bun and Thigh Rocker, and the Bun and Thigh Roller -- any and all of which, it is implied, will give you the thighs of a supermodel in just minutes a day. (I assume it's OK to eat cheesecake while using it.)
My favorite infomercial is for the "Tony Little Gazelle Freestyle," which is promoted by this muscular, high-energy guy in a baseball cap and ponytail who says, "Yeah, baby," as he swings his arms and legs back and forth. I mean, would you buy an exercise machine from a guy who mimics Austin Powers?
The reason I have hope for the WBV Platform is that, although it claims to be of benefit in and of itself, it also states that it will be of more benefit if you actually exercise while using it.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Hartford Courant, Conn.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
