My grandpa loves to be active.
At his age, he loves to take walks around the neighborhood for some low impact exercise.
However, from time to time, he’ll have days where his arthritis flares up and it gets a bit more difficult for him to make his way outside.
I wanted to find a way to help, and found out about the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer as a low impact way for him to get some physical activity in on days where it was tough for him to go outside.
What is Whole Body Vibration Training
The concept of whole body vibration training was new to me when I first started looking for a way to help my grandfather stay active.
But based on what I found, I learned that whole body vibration training involves standing, sitting, or lying on a machine with a vibrating platform that transmits energy to your body.
This transmission of energy from the machine to your body, in turn, forces your muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second.
Benefits of Whole Body Vibration Training
- Muscle recovery and regeneration
- Increased strength
- Improved power
- Enhanced flexibility
- Metabolic training
- Postpartum pelvic floor recondition
- Stronger bones
What is a Vibration Training Machine
If you’re new to vibration training machines like I was, you’ll want to know a little bit more about them.
A vibration training machine is a fitness machine that can be found at local gyms, rehabilitation centers, and for home use.
This machine typically has handles attached to it where you are able to stand on a platform that produces oscilating vibrations that pass through the body when turned on.
There are various ways to use the vibration training machine, with the easiest being to simply stand on it.
However, there is some room to expand its use – you can perform lunges, push-ups, squats, include weights, and much more.
The vibrating training platform can usually be controlled by a console on the vibration training machine and allows you control the frequency and amplitude of the vibrations you experience while using the machine.
Higher frequency settings will increase the number of vibrations per second while increasing the amplitude will increase the extent of the vertical displacement of the platform during vibrations.
If you want a more intense workout, you’ll want to increase the frequency and vibration. However, a word of caution – always consult a licensed clinical practitioner on your ability to use a vibration training platform or when increasing the intensity of your workouts.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Vibration Platform
Being new to the world of vibration training and unfamiliar with buying a vibration platform, I had to do some research into it – especially since it would be used by my grandfather.
I was looking for a machine that was low impact and easy to use.
Here are a few things to consider that might help you during your decision-making process to purchase a vibration platform machine.
Your Fitness Level
One of the first things I considered when looking for a vibration plate trainer was the fitness level of my grandfather.
I wanted to first make sure he was able to use the machine, so we checked with his physician to make sure there would be no complications.
Even if you feel like you are healthy enough to use a machine like a vibration plate machine, it doesn’t hurt to make sure by talking to a licensed professional.
Your Space
The next thing I took a look into was the amount of space he had in his apartment for this training machine.
The models I took a look at weren’t as large as a treadmill or elliptical, but they were a good enough size to be noticeable if you saw it in someone’s living room.
Eventually, we ended up settling on a space that was a little off from the couch in his living room where he could still watch television while using the machine.
Your Budget
Lastly, our budget was the last thing we took a look at.
While other options for low impact workout tools were available at a much cheaper price, we budgeted for a machine that has some lasting power and that my grandfather could use for at least a couple of years with ease.
Your budget will help you to determine what features are the most important.
Eventually, we settled on a machine that was somewhere in the middle in terms of value, price, and features.
Introducing the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer
The model my grandfather and I eventually settled on after searching was the Confidence Fitness Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer.
Unlike other workout machines you can buy for your home, the idea with the Confidence Fitness Slim Full Body Vibration Platform Fitness Machine and other vibrating plate machines is to shake yourself into shape.
The reason we like this machine so much compared to other vibration training machines we looked into was because of how user friendly it was.
The Confidence Fitness Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer makes low impact, easy exercises accessible for nonathletes and beginners like my grandfather.
He felt totally comfortable using the machine on his own without my help using the user friendly console.
There are 3 built-in programs, over 50 speed settings for you to choose from, and a heart rate monitor.
What we also like about the machine was that it had a smaller footprint when compared to a treadmill or exercise bike, and was easy to move around my grandpa’s apartment once we unboxed and assembled everything.
Overall, it’s a really convenient machine to have at home, easy to use, and doesn’t require much commitment to get results – in fact, just 10 minutes a day 2-3 times a week as part of a low fat, low calorie diet is enough to get results.
In addition, the vibration plate is fitted with easy to install resistance bands for full body workout options.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Easy exercise
- Very compact
Cons
- Warranty only for 1 year
- Handle bars not tall enough or adjustable
- Poor instructions
Features & Benefits of the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer
Ultimately, the vibration platform you decide to go with will depend on your preferences and your needs.
For us, the following were the features and benefits of the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer from Confidence Fitness that we found the most value in and ultimately helped up with deciding to go with this machine over other options available on the market.
Quick Workouts
Confidence Fitness claims that just 10 minutes on the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer is equivalent to 60 minutes of conventional exercise.
For many beginners looking to get started on their fitness journey, the Confidence Fitness Slim Full Body Vibration Platform Fitness Machine gives you an opportunity to slowly work your way up to more intense and longer workout sessions.
It’s also perfect for parents who are unable to make their way to the gym or for seniors like my grandad who may not be able to do long exercise sessions.
Compact
If you don’t have a lot of space to work with at home, you’ll like how compact the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer is.
With a smaller footprint than most home fitness equipment, you won’t have to worry about it really taking a lot of room in your house.
In addition, it only weighs 62 lbs altogether and comes built with wheels for transporting to various locations of your home in case the need ever comes.
Easy to Use
There’s really not much involved with using a full body vibration machine.
You simply hop on, put on the vibration settings you want, and let it run for however long you want your workout to last.
Navigating the machine is also super simple with the user-friendly display console.
Full Body Workout
The Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer is fitted with easy to install resistance bands so you can exercise your upper body as well as your lower body during your vibration training session for a full body workout.
What Others Think of the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer
Our experience with the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer has been great, but you’re probably interested to know what others also thought of this machine to give you a better indication of what you can expect.
From what I was able to dig up about the machine, most people love it!
They love how easy and convenient it is to use the machine, especially for those who dealt with a lot of existing physical ailments and limitations.
For those who did not have a positive experience with the machine, they mentioned that they wanted more power options from the machine and better instructions on how to use the machine.
Alternatives to the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer
It’s understandable that before committing to the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer you take a look at what other options are available out there.
Here are a few other home whole body vibration platform machines that I found during my research that also deserve your attention.
Bluefin Fitness Vibration Platform
The Bluefin Fitness Vibration Platform is a whole body vibration trainer built for those who are serious about vibration training.
It has over 180 levels of intensity and 10 built-in programs for you to choose from.
In addition, it comes with integrated speakers so that you can connect any device with an aux cable to listen to your favorite music or a podcast while working out.
The Bluefin Fitness Vibration Platform really offers a lot for a similar price to the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer, and to top it all off, comes with a lifetime warranty.
Pinty 2000W Whole Body Vibration Platform
The Pinty 2000W Whole Body Vibration Platform features a powerful, yet quiet 2000w motor for your vibration training, and also features 10 different preset programs with over 180 speed levels to choose from.
The Pinty 2000W Whole Body Vibration Platform also comes with a built-in mp3 player to keep you entertained while working out.
This is another whole body vibration platform you’ll want to look into that comes in at a lower price than the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer and previously mentioned Bluefin Fitness Vibration Platform.
LifePro Rhythm Viberation Plate Machine
Rounding out our list of top vibration plate machines is the LifePro Rhythm Viberation Plate Machine.
This vibration platform machine comes with free, live support for the entirety of your ownership of the LifePro Rhythm Viberation Plate Machine.
In addition, you’ll have access to an online video library of various exercises you can do with this vibration plate machine.
When compared to the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer, however, it does have a larger footprint, but can support up to 330lbs of weight.
Final Thoughts
After seeing my grandad use the Power Plus Vibration Plate Trainer for some time now, I’m convinced that it’s probably one of the better values in whole body workout products out there.
Whether you want to lose weight, improve your flexibility, or build muscles, the Confidence Fitness Slim Full Body Vibration Platform Fitness Machine gives you an easy and accessible way to do so without much commitment on your part.