John Davenport | 210SA Contributor The makers of the Power Plate say it accelerates fat loss, decreases pain, improves joint function, builds muscle tone, reduces stress, increases circulation, enhances immune functions and increases metabolism.

There's a hot vibrating training machine on the market, and it's shaking up everyone from Madonna to the Mavericks.

The Power Plate promises to tone muscles, improve strength and increase flexibility with just three 15-minute workouts a week. At 20 to 50 vibrations a second, it shakes up the entire body, causing all those muscles to contract at lightning speed. Spending 15 minutes on the Power Plate is, according to the manufacturer, like working out for an hour at the gym without all that sweat and strain.

The $10,000 Power Plate is nothing like the vibrating belts that were trendy in the 1960s. This modern-day device is used mostly by athletes, who say it improves speed, balance and coordination. The rich and famous have also given it a whirl, and some fitness buffs have found a place for the 300-pound device in their homes.

The pros

Kay Smith, a Colleyville Pilates instructor who owns the device, calls it the “ultimate anti-age machine” because it builds bone density as well as increases flexibility, strength and muscle tone. She saw measurable results after about eight months. It also helps heal sports injuries faster, increases circulation and reduces pain. Best of all, users don't walk away from a workout feeling exhausted.

The cons

The device should not replace your cardiovascular fitness program, said Jennifer Campbell, an exercise physiologist in the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Executive Health Program at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital. It may be great to add variety to x  your routine or to challenge different muscles but don't trade in your treadmill. Its main purpose is core training or strength enhancement. You still need an aerobic program.

How it works

The Power Plate creates vibrations that cause instability throughout the body. The body then stabilizes itself, unconsciously, using the muscular system. This constant muscle action is what makes training effective. Users typically spend 10 to 15 minutes doing squats, lunges and other moves. As the device vibrates, muscles contract and you can feel the tingle up your legs, spine and neck.

The story behind the Power Plate

In the 1960s, Soviet cosmonauts used similar technology to combat bone and muscle degeneration caused by zero gravity.

Competition

Soloflex has a vibrating platform for about $300 and several companies make personal models selling for $2,000 and up. The professional Power Plate sells for about $10,000 but a personal-use model called the Power Plate my5 goes for about $4,500 at Brookstone.

JAN JARVIS | Fort Worth Star-Telegram