Power Plate my5 - Manual (Page 3)

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Introduction
Power Plate ® machines use the principles
of Acceleration Training™ to stimulate the
body’s natural response to vibration. Power
Plate ® machines create vibrations that
cause instability throughout the body. As
these vibrations transmit waves of energy,
a variety of muscles subconsciously
contract to stabilise the body. This
rapid cycle of muscle contraction and
release is what makes training with
Power Plate ® equipment so effective.
Acceleration Training™ was discovered
in the former Soviet Union, where it was
found to effectively combat the negative
effects of the zero-gravity environment
in space. Cosmonauts were faced with
considerable loss of muscle strength and
bone density from their time in space, and
Acceleration Training™ exercise apparently
helped reverse these effects. However,
this new form of training was unknown
in Western Europe until after the fall of
the Iron Curtain, when the Dutch sports
expert Guus van der Meer introduced the
technology, resulting in the development
of the first Power Plate ® model in 1999.
Since then, Power Plate ® technology has
been adapted for the masses so it is now
possible for everyone to enjoy training on
Power Plate ® machines. That means you
can strength train without the need to add
extra weights, thus without overloading the
body and its joints. Power Plate ® machines
are used by everybody from high-level,
high-performance athletes, to the elderly,
to those simply wishing to improve their
general health and fitness levels.
Correct use is essential for optimal results
In theory, the Power Plate ® machine can
be used by almost everyone. You can
adjust training to your own level and
reduce any burden on your joints, tendons
and ligaments. As with every form of
training, the correct use of exercises,
adjusted to your personal abilities, will
determine the benefits and effects of
completing a training session on the
Power Plate ® machine, while at the same
time avoiding risks of injury or damage to
the body.
Body posture, muscle stiffness and
muscle tension (i.e. how contracted your
muscle is) are important contributing
factors in your training session. If muscles
are tensed, or contracted, they will absorb
vibrations to help strengthen and tone
those muscles. Passive exercises, such
as stretch and massage on the Power
Plate ® machine, don’t absorb as much
vibration and can therefore be performed
on a more frequent basis.
This is why Acceleration Training™
exercise should be used on a regular
basis, starting with low intensity, which
means low frequency settings for short
sessions. The body should be gently
stimulated in a way that will allow you
to adjust to vibration training, but will
not overload your body. Over time, the
intensity and duration can be increased
in the same manner as other progressive
training programs. Once the body has
adapted to vibration, the training can be
changed or intensified to keep improving
performance, whether this improvement is
desired for sports or daily life goals.
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