Vibration machine review

Product – Vibration machine
Category – Fitness equipment
Cost – $899 – or a $10 a week payment plan
Web purchase – www.cardiotech.com.au/getvibratin

Lose Baby Weight rating – 4.5 stars out of 5
I had heard lots of good things about Vibration machines. There is always lots of positive editorial in magazines with lots of editorial about how the likes of Elle Macpherson and Danni Minogue use them and that they swear by them for toning up and stopping cellulite so as my pregnancy progressed I made up my mind that I would buy one to help me tone up post pregnancy and help me get back into my skinny jeans! So I bought mine for $899 (it is also available at $10 a week payment plan) from Cardio Tech and had it delivered two weeks before Kai arrived. (Please note that if anyone is thinking of getting one for post pregnancy use make sure you don’t use it when pregnant as it is really dangerous to use when pregnant).
After I came home from the hospital I was gagging to use it to help me lose my baby weight but made sure I didn’t go on it for about 4 weeks. The packaging doesn’t say not to use after birth but common sense told me to hold off as the vibration was so strong I didn’t think it wise to have my body vibrating so much when it was still recovering internally.
So four weeks later I gave it a go and set the machine to max strength and got on it for a 10 minute session. It was a very strange sensation – literally your whole body jiggles around – even you face! And some bits vibrate more – I don’t recommend wearing shorts while using it – long joggers are the way forward so you don’t see the jiggle!! The information that comes with the machine says 10 minutes is all you need to give your body a workout which is the equivalent of a gym session and when I was on it I did squats, horizontal leg raises, leg lifts and standing in a squat position. None of them were very hard to do and all of them made my tummy vibrate too which felt good and even though I didn’t feel that I was working hard the next day my legs were aching which made me feel spurred on to keep using it every day.
The best thing about it was only having to allocate 10 minutes a day to using it – which for me was critical as I had so little free time with Kai needing to be cuddled or fed or sleeping on me most of the day! Even finding 10 minutes was hard some days and I found myself hopping on the machine at 11.00pm at night!

I have been using it now for about 6 weeks and I can definitely feel and see my legs toning up and I am so glad that I have the machine.
My husband is a personal trainer and he laughs at me for using it so much – many of his personal training colleagues and him think that vibration machines are a cop out and people should do actual running or old school cardio exercise instead but as I so often say to him – I just don’t have the time, energy or inclination to go for a 30 minute run so for sleep deprived and time poor mums it is just great – but I guess it isn’t as good health wise and heart wise as a run but I take Kai out for a walk in the pram most days so I am getting my cardio in then.
So how does the machine work? According to the information booklet it works by creating involuntary reflex muscle contractions which stimulates every cell, muscle, bones and soft tissue in the body and ensures that the muscle vibrates 18 times a second. The vibration creates muscle growth and lean muscle boosts the metabolism which in turn leads to a better BMR (basal metabolic rate) which is the rate our body burns calories when it is resting which leads to weight loss – the ultimate goal! Due to the intensity of the vibrations it is also said that it reduces the release of cortisol in the body – which is a major cause of the visceral and belly fat around the stomach – something all mums want to get rid of! It also helps with circulation as it pumps blood around the body so fast and prior to using it I used to have cold feet a lot but now I don’t so I feel better knowing that the blood is moving around my body properly now. The fact that it pumps blood everywhere also helps with the drainage of toxins and lymphatic waist which is one of the main causes of the dreaded cellulite and the manufactures claim that after 12 weeks you see a dramatic reduction in cellulite which is a major plus too!
So I look forward to toning up more on the Vibration machine and blasting away the rest of my baby weight in conjunction with my Lose Baby Weight weight loss plans!