Tamara is a stalwart of the NZ fitness industry, having been a trailblazer for over 40 years. Tamara has always on the crest of the wave of the fitness industry. She has been a fitness assessor, an educator for Netfit, and has presented her training programmes all over the globe. Tamara has seen every fad and trend when it comes to all things relating to fitness, health and wellbeing. This is a story about how Tamara came to be achieving game-changing results using Power Plate.
Tamara is introduced to Power Plate
Tamara was introduced to Power Plate whole body vibration training four years ago by a client of hers. As most people do when they are first presented with the concept, Tamara thought it was yet another gimmick. Fortunately she humoured her customer and gave it a try. Within five minutes of experiencing the harmonic vibrations generated by the Power Plate machine, Tamara had realized that this was game-changing at all levels.
Tamara believes Power Plate represents an evolution in the approach to fitness and strength training. Her clients are also living proof that there is something transformational about this modality of training. Kelly is one of Tamara’s success stories.
Weight loss with Power Plate
Kelly was struggling to shift her weight. She was going to the gym and trying to “do everything right” with disappointing results. Frustrated and discouraged, Kelly added two Power Plate classes to her weekly regime. Within 5 weeks she had lost 15kg! Kelly’s results are testimony to why Tamara believes that Power Plate can upgrade anyone’s workout.
How did Kelly get such dramatic results on the Power Plate when her gym routine had failed? The answer lies in the body’s response to the Power Plate vibrations. Power Plate triggers the body’s natural responses to vibration, causing multiple reflexive muscle contractions per second. This makes the body work a lot harder in a shorter amount of time. Stabilising muscles are also activated in response to one’s centre of gravity being shifted ever so slightly. Scientists have measured that doing an exercise on the Power Plate machine burns at least 20% more calories than doing it on the ground. This is because of all the extra muscle activations that super-charge the effect of the exercise.
The Power Plate Difference
Comparing the Power Plate machine’s vibrations to the shopping mall vibration boards, Tamara describes the Power Plate vibration as being “stirred not shaken”. Rather than being rocked from side to side, the smaller but faster vibrations provide an authentic environment for the body to move on that is comfortable yet stimulating and effective. Power Plate’s vibrations can actually reduce the perception of pain. This makes it a fantastic training tool for people with osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia.
Power Plate and Adrenal Fatigue
Another effect it has on the Central Nervous System is that using Power Plate for recovery stimulates the Vagus nerve and the body’s parasympathetic system. This gets it out of the “fight or flight” response and triggers the “rest and digest” phase. Today’s hectic schedules as well as the stress caused by uncertainties around Covid are just two influencors leading to people’s feeling more stressed. Stress stimulates release of adrenaline, and chronic stress causes production of the hormone cortisol. Too much stress for too long, and people get what is called “adrenal fatigue”, or “burnout”. In this state one can experience rapid weight gain, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression.
Power Plate brings balance to your Central Nervous System and it doesn’t take long to achieve amazing results. Exercise and “going hard” can often be just another stress factor on the body. The magic of using Power Plate is that one can reap the benefits at the same time as destressing the body and mind.
Power Plate Programme Design
While Power Plate can be integrated into any part of one’s exercise routine, a complete session on the Power Plate machine consists of three phases. These are the warmup phase, the conditioning phase and the recovery phase. It takes fewer than 30 minutes to complete all three phases. According to Tamara, by the time one has finished the recovery phase, one feels energized enough to start all over again!
Tamara’s boutique Whangamata studio, “Take a Breath”, offers a variety of Power Plate programmes targeting specific outcomes. Flexibility, strength, metabolic, and endurance classes are offered in one-on-one or small group training format. Some of the classes are “body-weight” classes. Others integrate tools such as dumbbells and kettle bells, or Pilates and Yoga movements.
“While the sensation of the vibration may feel a bit weird at first, it soon becomes very addictive!”, claims Tamara. “After a few minutes on the Power Plate machine you get into your Sweet Spot, your heart rate goes up, circulation increases, and you are warmed up within minutes. Pretty soon your endorphins kick in and you start feeling amazing. You can just see people’s stress melt away, and they leave feeling terrific.”
Take a Breath
“Take a Breath” is a busy boutique facility offering a wide range of classes, from boxing to hammock yoga, and breathing to meditation. There are five Power Plate machines used in the 12 Power Plate classes that are offered a week. This is all the timetable currently allows. Tamara is dismayed that New Zealand is way behind the rest of the world in embracing this amazing technology. She would love to see Power Plate machines in every gym in New Zealand.
With Power Plate’s proven ability to deliver game-changing results to everyone, no matter age, size or condition, Tamara thinks it’s a no-brainer to add as a training tool in any exercise or rehab facility.
“It gives bang for buck to everyone concerned”, says Tamara. “Clients get great results with less time investment than usual, and happy customers mean more referrals to the business. We really get game-changing results using Power Plate. It’s a clear win:win”.
– by Belinda Kropach