These machines vibrate mostly up and down. All Vibrant Health machines and other machines sold on this website utilize a single motor form of this motion - relatively gentle and very smooth, similar to that of a cat purring. Standing on this type of plate will send a relaxing, calming message into your body and mind while still giving you a great workout. As long as the vibration is produced with only one motor, this will also be a completely synchronized movement and message. This motion is also the most stabilizing for your structural system.
While I believe that people of any age should avoid machines that create stress and/or destabilization, I feel it is critical for the elderly and anyone whose health, including brain health, is more vulnerable.
Confusingly, variations of this first basic type of motion can be produced so that small amounts of horizontal and other types of motion are added to the plate along with a predominantly vertical motion. Then, to seem different (and better), companies then come up with different names for these motions, such as three-dimensional, horizontal, spiral, circular, tri-planar, triangular, tri-phasic, multidimensional, omniflex, and piston. All these terms basically describe the same type of motion, but when these additional components are added the machine is now usually using two motors (see section on double motor machines above).
RELATIVELY GENTLE, SINGLE MOTOR, VERTICAL VIBRATION: This is the best type of vibration for most people. With a smaller amplitude of movement but greater speed it delivers a high intensity workout and all around experience, with the least stress to the body. For total health, I recommend a single motor, gentle, vertical vibration machine with its perfect synchronization, gentle motion, and higher rate of vibration. All of the machines that Becky Chambers, worldwide WBV expert developed, uses, or recommends, deliver this type of vibration.
Vibrant Health Power 1000 - $999
Vibrant Health Gentle 500 - $499
Vibe Plates - 7 models ranging in price from $1,195 - $4,495
Bulletproof
Maximum amplitude: 4 mm
Frequency: 30 Hz (no variability)
Cost: $1,495
Low Amplitude Very Gentle Single Motor Vertical Vibration: These machines are very gentle, with low amplitudes (less than 1mm), and low gravitational forces (0.3-0.4 g). They not very effective for bone building and workouts, but they are very safe and a good alternative when a person cannot tolerate the stronger vibrations of the mid-level machines above.
Juvent: 2 models, frequency range 32-37 hz, Price range: $3,400-5,200
Marodyne: Marodyne LIVmd, single frequency - 30 hz, Price - around $2000
VT003F - This company claims that this machine has an max amplitude of 3mm - but I have been on this machine and from my experience it does not feel like a powerful enough vibration to effectively increase bone density and muscle strength. This machine seems to be a cheap knock off of a mid-level machines such as the VH Power 1000. See Buyers Beware above for more on how some companies are deceptively claiming higher amplitudes than is true. It is inexpensive, but also mostly plastic.
Sonic Vibration Machines: These are not "single motor," machines per say - but they produce the same type of movement as single motor vertical vibration machines by using sound waves instead of a motor, sort of like very powerful speakers in a sound system.
SonicLife: There are four models of Sonic vibration machines. Frequency ranges: 4–30 Hz for the least expensive model; 3–70 Hz for the most expensive model
Cost: ranges from $2,995 to $9,995
TheraVibe: This company was making and selling high end, expensive sonic vibration machines (similar to SonicLife machines). They seem to have gone out of business - the main outlet (headquarters?) in Irving, CA is now closed.
