Some home gym equipment is essential (like a set of weights or resistance bands). Then there are others to consider if you’re really curious—like the best vibration plates (or platforms that move up and down, side to side, and front to back at fast speeds). You’ve probably seen them floating around the fitness corners of TikTok, with influencers touting their benefits for muscle recovery, blood circulation, strength training, balance, and more. As is often the case with trendy workout gear, there isn’t a huge body of research backing up these claims—but that doesn’t mean you have to totally ignore the hype around vibration plates if they’ve piqued your interest.
“All systems in the body, including the neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems, react to the stimuli [from vibration plates],” Mallory Fox, DHSc, MS, NASM-CPT, a NASM master trainer and NASM-Certified Wellness Coach (CWC), tells SELF. “These vibrations cause muscles to contract and relax rapidly, which can enhance muscle activation and circulation.”
A vibration plate is far from a wellness must-have (and it’s not without its risks—more on that below). But if you have the go-ahead from your doctor or physical therapist, it may be worth it to see how one can up the intensity of your workout. Here, we looked at the best options on the market and got the low-down on their potential benefits from experts.
Our top picks
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Let’s see what all the buzz is about.
Best Overall: Lifepro Waver Vibration Plate
With a grippy, textured rubber surface and an enormous range of speed settings, this Lifepro vibration plate is suitable for practiced users and beginners alike. While you can toggle through the settings manually to find your desired speed, you can also select from one of nine preset programs designed for different levels of training and recovery.
As a bonus, the Waver also comes with a remote control for easy adjustments and a set of resistance bands to incorporate into your workouts.
Dimensions: 15 x 27 x 6 inches | Speed settings: 99 speed levels; 9 programs | Weight capacity: 330 pounds
Best Splurge: Power Plate Move
Power Plate is one of the biggest names in vibration plates—and with those industry chops comes a hefty price tag. It’s worth it, though, if you want to bring a gym-quality experience straight into your home. The Move plate has a sturdy, remote-controlled design that makes it easy to hop on and seamlessly start your workout.
One thing to note: The Power Plate Move stands taller than the other options on our list, so it’ll need a higher clearance if you plan to store it under furniture when you’re not using it.
Dimensions: 24 x 30 x 9 inches | Speed settings: 6 frequency modes | Weight capacity: 300 pounds
Best Budget Pick: Flybird Vibration Plate
Here’s a great option if you’re curious about vibration plates, but don’t want to make a huge investment straight away. Flybird’s sub-$150 plate comes with a remote control, an antislip pad with clear spots to plant your feet, and two resistance bands that handily anchor to the plate—basically everything you need to get the full vibration training experience at home.
Dimensions: 14 x 20 x 5 inches | Speed settings: 120 speeds; 5 programs | Weight capacity: 330 pounds
Best Compact Plate: Merach Mini Vibrating Plate
If your home gym is also your living room or home office, you can save a little space with Merach’s Mini Vibrating Plate. Its low profile makes it easy to tuck away under a couch or desk, and it weighs less than 15 pounds, so it’s nice and portable if you need to move it from room to room.
However, it doesn’t feel flimsy. Sleek features like the plate’s silicone surface, remote control, and easy-to-read LED display make it clear you’re not missing out on a high-quality experience.
Dimensions: 11.60 x 16.30 x 4.50 inches | Speed settings: 99 speeds; 9 programs | Weight capacity: 265 pounds
Frequently asked questions about vibration plates
How do vibration plates work, and what are their potential benefits?
Vibration plate machines create an unstable platform by oscillating at various speeds (some will move up to 50 times per second), Laura Wilson, a personal trainer at Life Time Fishers in Indiana and the director of training and curriculum at Power Plate, tells SELF. Theoretically, that constant movement will cause your muscles to reflexively contract and relax, in an effort to maintain your balance.
Andy Fata-Chan, PT, DPT, a physical therapist and fitness coach at Moment Physical Therapy & Performance in New York, tells SELF that vibration plates are mainly useful among elderly patients and those with Parkinson’s disease looking to work on their balance. Dr. Fox points to research that suggests using a vibration plate helped boost older adults’ coordination and single leg strength. Another study found that whole body vibration therapy helped reduce older women’s risk of falling.
For others, there may be some benefits to using a vibration plate, but they probably won’t make a night-and-day difference to your overall well-being. They may enhance blood flow, which can help with soreness and even speed up your muscles’ recovery process after exercising, Dr. Fox says. They can also make workouts more challenging for beginners—but Dr. Fata-Chan is quick to note that you don’t need a $100-plus gadget to up the intensity of your exercise.
How to use a vibration plate
Wilson says using a vibration plate can make standard exercises like a high push-up hold more challenging, simply by making it harder to hold your balance. Standing bodyweight moves, like squats and lunges, are also popular vibration plate exercises. The parts of your body closest to the plate (i.e., your lower body when standing) will feel the effects of the plate most intensely. Most experts recommend using them two to three times per week, as part of your larger fitness routine.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t use a vibration plate?
Experts don’t fully understand the long-term effects of whole body vibration training at the moment, Dr. Fox says. However, research suggests that long-term exposure to vibration may lead to bone, joint, and muscle disorders, as well as vascular and neurological issues. How athletes and people who use vibration as a training method may experience these negative effects isn’t totally known.
With that in mind, Dr. Fata-Chan recommends skipping vibration training if you experience seizures, have neuropathy (meaning weakness or numbness) from diabetes, use a pacemaker or have a cardiovascular condition, are pregnant, or may have an active blood clot. Dr. Fox notes that if you’re currently dealing with an injury or joint pain, it’s also a good idea to avoid vibration exercises.
But if your doctor has cleared you for cardiorespiratory, weight-bearing exercise, you should be able to use vibration plates safely, Wilson says.
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