Feature in Health & Fitness Magazine

Hugely popular with supermodels (Elle Macpherson, Claudia Schiffer), pop stars (Madonna, Kylie Minogue) and actresses (Hilary Swank, Anna Friel), Power Plate workouts are now de rigueur in Hollywood, where A-listers need to get big results super-fast. 'It's the quickest, easiest way to tone up and create a lean body,' says X-Factor judge, Dannii Minogue, who has been wowing viewers with her newly honed figure. 'My friends have noticed the difference in how I look. It's even made me look forward to exercising!' The good news is you don't have to be a superstar to reap the benefits of this workout, which include weight loss, muscle toning, increased energy, improved circulation and reduced cellulite. Even if you can't afford to sign up for a course of sessions at one of the dedicated Power Plate studios on your high street, there are now Power Plate machines in most gyms. And if, like many, you've stayed away from these vibration platforms for fear of getting the moves wrong, H&F is here to help. Our easy-to-follow workout from Power Plate specialist Movers & Shapers (www.moversandshapers.net) will help you get the long, lean body you've always wanted.

How Power Plate Works

When a Power Plate platform vibrates, your body has to counteract the movement of its surface, as it forces your muscles to contract and relax multiple times per second. So, rather than relying on free weights or resistance machines to work your muscles, a Power Plate machine utilises your body weight and the natural force of acceleration (pushing or pulling against the vibrations) to provide a safe, highly-effective, low-impact workout. 'Holding a squat position on a stable surface isn't a particularly effective exercise,' says Evelyn Stevenson, Power Plate instructor at Movers & Shapers. 'When you perform normal squats, you rest at the top of the exercise before lowering back down. But when you perform squats or hold a static squat position on a Power Plate, you work your muscles continuously against the vibrations.' Because the muscles are worked so effectively, you only need to perform each exercise on a Power Plate for a maximum of 60 seconds, meaning you can get an intense full-body workout in less than 30 minutes.

The number of vibrations per second (hertz) you exercise at depends on the type of activity you're doing on the Power Plate. 'All exercises should be performed at 30–35 hertz, except for when you're stretching at the beginning of the workout or cooling down at the end with a massage, when you work at 40 to 50 hertz,' says Stevenson. 'If you work at 30 hertz, your WORDS: Joanna Ebsworth body will be working 30 per cent harder than if there were no vibrations. If you exercise above 40 hertz, your muscles won't be able to respond to the faster speed and you won't get the full benefit.'

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