A whole lot of shaking goin' on

New fitness equipment is sending tingles up and down spines in the Twin Cities.

At its Chanhassen and Eden Prairie locations, Life Time Fitness recently started offering the Power Plate, a vibrating platform that sends vibrations throughout the user's entire body during workouts.

The idea is simple: A traditional workout uses voluntary muscles. The vibration from the Power Plate, however, activates involuntary muscles not being directly used at the time.

"Every muscle is being turned on at once," said Doug Lerfald, a Life Time trainer in Eden Prairie. "The days of working just one body part are over."

Users sit, stand or lie on the plate while incorporating it into their workouts. Besides the added muscle workout, advocates say, it can also help burn more calories, reduce soreness after workouts and boost circulation.

Kendall Wilkins, 16, a student at Eden Prairie High School, started using the Power Plate equipment in September as a rehabilitation tool after a sports injury in April. "After my workout with the Power Plates I don't have the same pain as if I did sprints," she said.

The Power Plate generates 45 vibrations per second and can provide a full workout in 30 minutes, said Kadi Stine, a Life Time trainer, adding that a 10-minute Power Plate workout is comparable to an hour of traditional training.

Still, there are those who are skeptical of its long-term effectiveness.

"Any program, any device, any piece of equipment that can motivate people to get off the couch and lead an active and fit lifestyle is a good thing," said Kevin Burns, a spokesman and group fitness trainer for the American Council on Exercise. "However, people need to realize they will feel results because they are moving their body in ways that they normally don't in a day-to-day basis."

While the Power Plate can be used to rehabilitate muscles or promote weight loss, users should analyze its long-term effectiveness, Burns said.

"There is no such thing as a magic bullet, and no such thing as one size fits all," he said. "It could help motivate people, but I'm not aware that over the long run it will significantly change lifestyles."

Burns recommends seeking advice from health experts about a fitness program that meets individual needs best, whether that includes the Power Plate or not.