Power Plates – what a buzz!
Friday 10 June 2011
It’s been hailed as the ultimate tone-up machine by super-svelte celebs such as Dannii Minogue, Courteney Cox and Elle Macpherson, and trainers claim 25 minutes on the plate is equal to an hour in the gym, so I was eager to see what the Power Plate was all about.
The Power Plate is a machine that delivers vibrations to the body at up to 50 times per second when you stand on it or lean against it, which puts the body out of balance and causes your muscles to contract, helping to burn fat and improve strength and fitness – but, much to my disappointment, you can’t just stand on it and watch the pounds fall off!
In fact, each 25 minute session is a total body workout, with exercises targeting the arms, legs, back and bum – all the areas I need to work on then! My trainer took me through a wide range of exercises from squats and lunges on the plate, press-ups using the stem of the machine to lean against, tricep dips off the edge of the plate and crunches while leaning back on the plate – we incorporated weights, resistance bands and even included boxing and Pilates moves into the mix.
Luckily, each exercise only lasts 60 seconds, so just as you start to really feel the burn, you’re on to the next move. And you get to give your muscles a lovely massage at the end, which, as well as being lovely and relaxing, will increase circulation and in turn help to reduce the appearance of cellulite – bonus!
The vibrating sensation is a bit weird at first but you quickly get used to it. And the great thing is that at just 25 minutes I can even pop to a class in my lunchbreak.
It’s recommended you use the Power Plate three times a week for maximum results, combined with regular cardio. And I was definitely aching in all the right places! After four weeks I could definitely notice my body toning and tightening and I can safely say I’m hooked on the buzz!
You can find the nifty machines in most gyms and at various studios around the country. I went to London’s Powertone studio, (www.powertone.com) but visit www.powerplate.com/uk to find your nearest machine. They’ve even launched a new PowerBike, which combines strength training with cardio, so here’s hoping I’ll have a body like Elle Macpherson in no time!