Secrets of the Red Carpet: Getting Fit Fast with PowerPlate!

One of the hottest new workout trends to hit this coast isn’t exactly new– at least to medical and physical therapists but it is to the general public and to fitness pros– or at least in the form of machines that really work in a commercial setting.

This workout is available at Equinox fitness centers ( I was told it was So. California but I bet there are more out there that have these machines. Check with YOUR local Equinox fitness center) but there are a few Powerplate centers that are totally devoted to just these kind of workouts where one has the opportunity for private,semi-private and group lessons.
What is this kind of workout machine? Powerplate employs vibrational training and I am going to paste in what they say because it explains it more precisely than I can.
It uses the principles of Acceleration Training™ to stimulate the body’s natural response to vibration. These vibrations transmit waves of energy throughout the body, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second, enhancing overall performance in sessions as short as 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week.
Acceleration Training™ on Power Plate® equipment offers a host of benefits, ranging from an immediate improvement in blood circulation, to a variety of other measurable outcomes: such as increased muscle strength and flexibility, improved range of motion, decreased cellulite, increased bone mineral density, reduced pain and soreness and faster recovery. Their three-dimensional vibration technology continues to lead the industry, and its benefits are grounded in extensive academic and independent scientific medical research.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty here.
I actually went to a Powerplate studio in Brentwood Village (near the Country Mart) and it’s a cute little studio with these machines. Actually the commercial machines aren’t little at all, but they are definitelly 1/3 the size of a weight machine and a lot smaller in footprint than a pilates reformer (of which I have both).

This machine had a variety of vibrational settings and the time was set for different exercises because of my physical condition — which is pretty good because I do a lot of pilates every day and walking and stairs. (lots of stairs!) The trainer, Will Caton was really great at explaining the machine and monitoring my workout– which was about 30 minutes and I wasn’t dripping with sweat when I completed it–however I did note that I felt different and my muscles really were working differently for a couple of days.
Will found that I could handle almost everything he threw at me, till we got to heel drops and push-ups. He gave me some tips on how to strengthen those moves and how the machine would actually help me get fitter, stronger and develop more stamina faster. I have to say that I emerged from that work-out convinced of vibrational training and that it was the way to go. I felt energized and really functioning at a better level (and considering the day I had, that was a good thing because it was a very long day).
Will stated that if the workouts were done on a regular basis of 3 x a week, you would see marked changes in your body in 4 weeks, The machine is set up to work every body part including arms, shoulder back, abs and more. There are videos online that show you how to do the different exercises on the powerplate site.
Some comments: It’s a pricey machine to buy for oneself– $10k.. and it’s better to be taking this with some supervision at a fitness club or gym because most people aren’t going to start out fit or with proper form. Here’s what Nicole Dorsey-Straff had to say about it. HERE

The Studio.
The Studio: http://powerplate.com/bemoved/
The Brentwood Town Center
13050 San Vicente Boulevard
2nd Floor
Brentwood, California 90049
T | 310 394 8600
F | 310 395 8660
Private lesson is $75 and lasts 45 minutes. Group classes are no more than four people and are $30 individually.
The group session packs are:
4 group sessions for approximately $99
8 group sessions for approximately $175
Stevie Wilson