DO NOT BUY WITHOUT READING THIS PAGE FIRST
LINEAR VS OSCILLATING
The most important choice on this site!!!!
My Two Prerequisites for selling this style of machine:
#1: If you are going to get a teeter totter (pivotal, oscillating, elliptical) wbv machine, make sure you get one that has a Fuzzy Logic Processor. If you stand near the edges it changes the your amplitude and frequency. The new processors control the amperage
for this usage. (unless you have a motor that can handle heavy weights)
#2: Make sure the model has a DC motor or a low EMF AC motor. If it doesn't say, it probably has an AC motor. Read my article on EMF WARNING. (there are a few exceptions that have very low EMF. I only sell models I approve of!
Consumer Notice: If you want a certain amplitude make sure you find out if its the maximum amplitude at the edges and what weight and frequency is needed for that amplitude. This can be very misleading if you don't know what to look for.
WARNING ON PIVOTAL (TEETER TOTTER) WBV MACHINES: BEWARE OF FAKE MACHINES:
Don't fall for the cheap pivotal WBV machines that cost about 70 to 80 dollars to buy from China at import prices. I can only imagine what it cost them to actually produce it. Most people think that just because it says it pivots side to side and moves you that its good.
Well, you don't fool me.
I am not just going to stand on it and do static exercises. What new consumers don't know is that try to stand off center or do exercises on it and see what happens then. Sure, if you just want to stand on it, yea, get one of these cheap ones. To the eye it is vibrating but on a physics level, see what it is really dong. NOTHING. That is why these get a bad rap because of these cheap ass machines.
People read the sites that say how good they are. But, one product might not have anything to do with research that you have read about. Even more funny, they try to say, "Save 70% off retail" or get a $3,000 machine for only $899 and people fall for it. My recommendation is to try a 10 minute workout on the cheap $899 machine and then try a 10 minute workout on machine that is really worth $3,000. See how you feel after each workout.
My belief about whole body vibration. I won't say that I agree or disagree with them but this type definitely has its own
niche and clientele that are happy with this type. This type is usually the least expensive of all the models out there.
The PIvotal Pitch:
This pleasant rocking and rolling action causes the brain to tell the muscles of your body to actively contract to
maintain its equilibrium, thus creating a therapeutic and muscle toning workout. For those that are interested in
working out and not necessarily lymphatic movement usually like this type.
Those that have driven a large truck or other heavy operating machinery with the "up and down" piston movement and vibration knows vibration and force may have an undesirable a long term impact. Anyone who has used a jack hammer,
driven a truck or other heavy operating machinery with the "up and down" piston movement and vibration knows
the back problems that can develop and various physical stresses to other areas precipitating repetetive stress
injury syndromes (carpal tunnel).
This one's a willing and capable partner for a complete vibration experience, but stepping up to a lineal model is
worth it to all but the tightest budget. The models in this category can reach amplitudes up to 10 mm high for and
about 25 vibrations per second at its max. But, these can start at 1 frequency per second unlike some of the other.
This is why for those that want to open up the one way valves in the lymphatic system who want to lose weight
prefer this type.
I have seen these in some of the small personal training gyms but not in the big name gyms. These are good for up
to 4 hours of continuous use so small private gyms are usually the market for this brand. These usually have motors
that peak at 2 HP. I personally don't like any of the machines for weights under 180 pounds especially if you are
looking for amplitude. The models that have to work too hard don't last as long as they pull more amperage and
electricity to do the same job and wear out too fast from the excess friction. The top of the line models in this class
WILL produce 4 G's on the highest setting which is about double the ones that are in the lower price range or MLM
models in the same price range.
If you are going to buy a model in this class make sure they will give you a money back trial and they pay the shipping back. Most of the Chinese import brands do not offer this.
Your reason for buying a WBV:
Buying a WBV machine for bone density and developing core muscles are 2 different things. You will usually see the
tri-planers in gyms as they are more for working out. In private personal training gyms, and yes, I mean almost all of
them, they use the z axis or the teeter totters. Not everyone wants to build bone density and move lymph. Athletes
who are in top shape aren't really concerned about their bone density and moving lymph. All they want is big muscles
and to look good. When I was young, the words bone density and lymph weren't even in my vocabulary.
Jackhammer Theory.
Some of the Anti-Z Axis people say:
Z-Axis machines are like putting your body on a jack hammer that will damage all your internal organs.
What we say....
Yes, this has happened on the models that have the "pop" that give the sudden non-gradual G-force at the bottom.
See our article on being moved like a tennis ball racquet hits a ball or a ball being thrown by a pitchure. Both can send a ball at 90 mph but which does it with the least jarring force is the question if applying the theory whole body vibration.
anti Z axis...
I am not giving this as my opinion... its just an argument. 50% of the people buy the teeter tooters and have no complaint sand 40% buy the more expensive z axis models and the other 10% buy the tri-planers. Those that oppose z axis (up and down only) say that the body is not made to go against gravity that fast that many times per second but should be moved in a more ambulatory way, or a more cross-over manner or natural locomotive resembling walking or running on uneven ground. Those that don't agree have their argument too. I will say that most of the bone clinics promote the z axis more than the teeter tooters. More chiropractors order the z axis models for their clinic. More gyms order the tri-planers and still, the best sellers, for many reasons, are the teeter tooters. They are also the more affordable models.
Choosing:
Teeter Totter or Linear (up and down only)
4 Reasons to buy a Teeter Totter:
1. resembles more of a natural ambulatory exercise
2. less vibration to the head for the headache prone
 (those with no inner ear problems.. no bother)
3. helps build posture better (uses postural muscles)
4. hits higher amplitudes for harder workouts (they can reach as high as 12.8mm on the top models (for insane workouts only)...you will be lucky if you can last 5 minutes on one and if you step on the edge of a plate at 12.8 mm amplitude at 30 vibrations per second, you are getting hit with about 22 G forces... this can knock someone out on the floor.... but don't worry... if you can't afford 15 grand you don't have anything to worry about.
Most pivotal models go from 5 to 30 Hz, anything over that is basically overkill and then its just incoherent vibration and jarring. On higher quality pivotal models, they can maintain an accurate hz that you set it at with varying weights. The model that sets the standard is the Galileo model. If you set that one to 30 hz, it actually vibrates at 30 hz. On models that say they go to 30 hz they can claim that but if the motors max out at 250 pounds, I strongly doubt that machine will be vibrating at 30 hz if you set it at that level. I have asked companies if their machine will vibrate at the 5 to 30hz range, for example, or whatever their range is, with the highest weight allowed.
I won't mention names but the most common answer is, "the technical department is not in and I will ask them, "or "I will have to ask the engineers but they speak Chinese so it might take a while". ARE YOU KIDDING ME? HOW CAN A MANUFACTURE NOT KNOW THE ANSWER. YEA RIGHT. YOU CAN'T BS ME.
When buying a teeter totter, ask about how the spec sheet applies to your weight, not just go by the spec sheet.
I know which ones have better motors and others that have a hard time working at the max weight. Contact me if you are considering a pivotal and I will help you pick the right one for your weight because this seems to be the problem 99% of the time when people complain. Not powerful enough. People go by the specs on the cheapest machines and see that they have the same max weight as the more expensive ones and are the ones that get mislead.
Also, some of the platforms you stand on can be heavy or light gauge. A heavy gauge platform is more expensive to make and always feels better to most people. Steel plates are always the best. Get the highest gauge you can afford.
Some pivotal models have one motor and others have two motors. One motor can be preferred by some people and two motors by other people. Not everyone likes the same thing. If you need extra intensity, then you might want two motors. If not, a single motor is fine.
Most people buy the pivotal machines if they have a bad back or bad knees. If you are already an athlete and no health problems, and your bones are very strong, the linear is usually preferred. Most of the lymphatic vessels in the body are in the lower limbs and pivotal cancels each hip out after each legs gets the lymphatic draining G forces.
Running gives the body more G forces but gives more ballistic impact on the knee and hip joints. Walking gives about one and a half to 2 and a half g forces. Unless the person is walking on uneven ground getting higher g forces, it is hard to move lymph like you would in nature without even ground and pavements.
Law of Gravity
When oil is poured into water it will float but if you pour it into alcohol it will sink. If 50% alcohol and 50% water is mixed together, and you put oil into it, the oil will stay in the middle in a perfect ball. After studying the effect of exercise and buoyancy of a stagnant lymphatic system, it has helped me pick out the right machines that help to pump the lymph along. A teeter totter or a linear or a high amplitude linear will each produce a different hydraulic pump in the lymphatic vessels. Some keep the vessels open longer and others not so long. Some can vibrate too fast that the one way valves in the lymphatic vessels don't have time enough to flush as they open and close too fast and can just vibrate instead of having the milking motion.
Some models have more G force but lower amplitude and others higher G force but not as much amplitude. On some, they can be too harsh and the body can go into detox if too much lymph fluid is being flushed faster than the liver can process. If the organs cannot process the waste faster than you are dumping then that can lead to a healing crisis. Some models move more lymph and others can move up to four teaspoons of lymphatic fluid into the liver each minute. This can be way too much for certain people.
When the blood is poisoned it is easy to get sick. If the blood is poisoned and the lymph is stagnant and for the first time in ages you are moving it, the liver might not be ready. This is why I used the machines for 2 minutes at a time for about 6 times a day instead of doing it for 10 minute at once when first starting out. The goal is to flush the toxins but only if your body is capable of processing the toxins.
I find it really hard for myself to get sick if my blood is flushed and not poisoned. Most people that call me already have their blood poisoned and don't even know it. The right machine has helped me rid the toxins through my lymph so I don't always have to worry about breathing in pollution or or food that might not be 100% organic. Most people breath in pollution and eat bad food and the wastes get held in the body. Inflammation of the skin is usually the first sign of stored toxins from a sluggish lymphatic system. Once the wastes are flushed the body can work like it should from blood that is not poisoned.
In a nut shell,
The pivotal models seem to cancel each hip out and relieving the ballistic impact out for those with low bone density and those with bad knees and backs. By removing most of the ballistic impact by canceling each hip out, the spine gets less impact than vertical movement. Many chiropractors now have both models. For the personal training studies and chiropractic clinics they will put them on linear if they have a strong back and fewer health concerns and pivotal if they have back and other bone issues.
The pivotal models still give vertical vibration but only after removing most of the impact by the hip cancellation. Both types are good but the most important question is which is the best for you.
If you are comparing pivotal models the first thing I would look for is a motor that doesn't create a lot of EMF. Many people aren't sensitive to it or have such low energy to start with that they don't notice it but I personally can feel the difference. A 15 dollar amp meter at Radio Shack can tell you also. The next thing is longer plates. On some, to get 5mm you have to stand near the edge and on some you can stand naturally with legs shoulder width apart and get 5mm near the center of the plate. Beware, it takes higher quality bearings to move a longer plate. The further apart the edge tips, the sturdier the gauge of the entire frame needs to be and its bearings. One machine can have the same specs as a different machine that gives the same amplitude and frequency but one can feel like a high friction foot massager and the other just delivering the up and down amplitude to the body. Cheaper bearings and thinner plates have the most to do with this. If I see a model that has a limit of 300 pounds with a really long plate and is really cheap, I always question the bearings and motor quality.
Another reason to choose the pivotal model is to improve balance and work on the stabilizer muscles. Pivotal models work the stabilizer muscles much more than linear models. The involuntary muscles are engaged much more on this type. When I do squats on a pivotal model I feel that my legs are much more worked out "all over" the leg rather than just the main muscle. There is definitely a difference in feel after the workout between a linear and pivotal model. If my back was hurting for any reason, I will always choose the pivotal model. But, the linear models are liked the best by people that don't have any back problems.
If you are looking to get a model in the pivotal class and know which model you want, please fill out our instant price quote form. If you are not sure if this type is right for you please take our quiz.
Pivotal vibration plates cause one leg to go up while the other goes down as each hip cancels out the other. By trying to stand erect, you fight this force that moves your hips to get the best leg workout or arm workout, such as when doing pushups. For those with bone problems, less vibration passes to the upper half of the body past the hip. This can be good for those with back problems. This is not similar to the vertical movement that puts a gravitational force on the body to open up the lymph channels like the other. This type has its pros and cons which you can read below.
When choosing a plate size, consider how many inches apart is your natural "shoulder with apart stance". If you want a 5 mm amplitude on some you can have it with a natural stance and on others you have to spread your feet apart more. They did not tell me this stuff when I got my first machine and my second one. Getting 5 millimeter amplitude with the feet all the way at the edge versus near the middle gives a totally different feel. DO NOT GET SCAMMED THINKING JUST BECAUSE IT HAS HIGH AMPLITUDE IT IS POWERFUL AND RIGHT FOR YOU. I MADE THE MISTAKES AND WILL SEE TO IT THAT NO ONE MAKES THEM AGAIN. If you pick out a plate that is long enough for you, you shouldn't have the complaints that people have that pick out the wrong one. A shorter person can get away with a shorter plate but a 6 foot person might not. I have the least amounts of complaints from people that buy plates at least 25 inches long or more. To read more on plates click here.
G force is what most people sacrifice when buying low amperage, low hp powered shorter plates.
Some people may wish to wear knee 'stabilizers' initially, unless using only at lowest settings. older people with knee problems should look for models with the lowest frequency settings with the largest plate lengths to avoid problems.
IF YOU ARE OVER 6 FOOT TALL IT IS ALMOST MANDATORY TO GET A PLATE SIZE OF 25 INCHES. 27 INCHES IS OPTIMAL BUT 25 INCHES IS OK. When the feet are too close together, the feet are not grounded as they would be if spaced apart and there is more of a natural reaction to hold onto the arm rails for support when it normally shouldn't be necessary to do so. Also, at slower speeds, the further you stand with your feet apart, the more amplitude and the higher the G forces which create a stronger negative pressure (hydraulic pump) so the one way valves have more time to open and close, instead of just vibrating without creating a pumping flush.
Low frequencies (for lymph drainage)
3 Hz - 6 Hz (6 to 10 works some but minimal compared to 3hz to 6hz)
It is difficult for lymph to drain at the higher frequencies on oscillating machines.
Many of them start out at 10 Hz which is great for other reasons but I would not say so for lymphatic reasons. Some people are trying to build bone density while people that want to cleanse their body should look for frequencies under 6 hertz, otherwise, it doesn't give the valves in the lymphatic system enough time to open and close.
There are some brands that go around 6 Hz but are not consistent. They can slow down and lose the beneficial G force which just vibrating at 6 or less hertz without at least 2 G forces is basically just wasting time.
A 2HP motor should be sufficient for people up to 300 pounds to give at least 2 G forces at these ultra low frequencies. Just make sure its DC, otherwise a 2 HP AC motor, well, just get an EMF meter and see for yourself. 200 pound people should never get a motor under 1.5 hp and 500 watts. Anything over 2HP is just over kill. You only need so much power to lift a person. There are some 1700 watt models that can lift up to 550 pounds but there is no benefit of having over 2HP.
Spiral VS Pivotal (left and right)
The spiral motor has been introduced and was paired up with pivotal machines. With a 2nd motor dipping the plate forward and backward while the main vibration moves the plate left and right, it basically started a whole new category in vibration, instead of just linear and pivotal. It is a more circular motion that is very unique to having the two motors working together. For extra circulation, having the 2nd motor means you can turn down the main motor. The tippy edge is giving you the higher G forces while the spiral motion gives you extra vibration front and back. It's like vasodilation on steroids.
Bad Backs: I would avoid shorter plates with only right and left oscillation for bad backs. The recent addition of the spiral motor giving the bottom of the vibration a more circular pattern of lifting you. Less ballistic impact when both motors are running simultaneously. It give an intense exercise without the output... If i could tell you your body could run 20 miles in 10 minutes and get the benefits of running 20 miles that would normally take you hours, the back probably will get sore and much harder on the knees. Many people go in full force and don't work their way up to getting higher G forces. The muscles are not ready for this type of exercise. You can easily abuse it. However, using a tri-motion machine (oscillating with sideways movement), makes it easier.
Vasodilation Capacity
With each session that I do, vasodilation gets quicker and quicker. As many people's legs turn pink in the beginning , after the body gets back into homeostasis, when blood circulation is back and the muscles aren't as tight when the blood is able to carry oxygen and nutrients instead of just recycling trapped blood proteins, this is when the machine has done its job.
Each session should be a little better than the previous, but, only if the wastes are removed and not just starting it at 25 hertz just to make your body feel good. I would never go up a higher hertz without first warming up at 5 to 6 hertz.
Consequences of not warming up at a low hertz:
If the body is just circulating poisoned blood without cleaning it first and there is no further sessions, the body will regress each day to the same toxic level as the previous session. The goal is to be more healthier this session than you were the last session. Without detoxing the body first I would feel the need to gain extra blood circulation to make me feel better and this is not helping me at all, just to feel like I did before a few hours later. The slow vibration lets the purified fluids in and the toxins in. If done correctly the body should be in a higher level of health after each session, not just feel better and then feel the same and have to keep repeating the cycle.
With the extra vibration of a 2nd motor, the plate doesn't have to move at 40 to 50 hertz, but instead it can go at 25 hertz and with the vibration of the 2nd motor, their is actually 50 vibrations per second but not all in the same direction. (tri-motion). The body can get the benefit of high frequency vibration but without the jarring and more smoothness. It's like turning the machine up to full speed but the body only experiences it at half speed.
NOTE: Pivotal machines are not being phased out. Spiral (two motors) are not replacing them. Pivotal models are not any worse than spiral models. It is just that it is a recent addition to the technology. It only serves a purpose and is beneficial if having two motors is beneficial to you. The spiral motors don't kick in until near 25 hertz. We still promote the pivotal models as well as the spiral types.
Pivotal Buying Advice:
1. Machines under 100 pounds (unless you are very light weight)
I have noticed that those that are under 100 pounds are can still hold heavier weight people but most start out at a higher hertz range (rarely 5hz or under). It will be hard for a machine under 100 pounds to have a larger,heavier plate as they require more weight to stabilize themselves from the G force created. Usually machines under 100 pounds are usually less than 2 HP.
2. Make sure you the machine stays cool.
Most machines last for only 10 minutes until they start reaching the red zone (usually with heavier weight people). Machines that stay cooler can work up to 20 minutes for high end residential unless you want to go commercial like a $10,000+ vibration machine that has more amperage than you will ever use. I would always go with 2 hp if you want to use it for two people that are using it back to back. (Beware: some machine are 2 hp and have less amperage and some have 2 hp with higher amperage). Always verify that if you are looking for a 2 hp machine which as much as is needed for a workout with someone that is very heavy (anything more just makes the machine about to have more consecutive workouts with more people). Please get it in WRITING that if a company says 2HP it really is 2HP and not a 1.5 HP.
3. Shorter plates with higher amplitude:
having higher amplitude creates G force????? Having more amplitude doesn't necessarily mean higher G force. A 27 inch plate with a 10mm amplitude can have the same G force as a 22 inch plate with a 15 inch plate. The main difference is that the (what they don't tell you) shorter plate model will have to have to vibrate at a higher frequency to get those same G forces.
Getting 2 G forces over 5 vibrations per second is not the same as getting the G forces at lower hertz. Reason is that at the lower hertz the lymphatic system has time to flush out (valves close) and on the decent the (valves open). If it goes to fast fluid cannot enter and let the wastes remove and circulate. The one way valves need enough time to create a negative pressure (hydraulic pump) and just super fast vibration is not what does it. This is the main reason people return machines. All the promises that swelling will go down does not happen with all machines.
4. Big problem here:
foot size complaints: If you are a size 13 foot and you buy a machine that has a 13 to 16 inch deep plate, you might find you need a deeper plate. Many people just go by the length of the plate. If you have big feet or just want more room, most people find a plate that is 18 to 20 inches deep acceptable.
5 Assembly types.
Some come almost all done and others you have to assemble. Based on my research, the more you have to assemble it and the more pieces you have to bolt together, the more stable the machines are. Usually the heavier machines and more sturdy machines require more assembly. But, you only have to assemble them one time usually. The more pieces you have to assemble the more breaks the machine has in its welding making the machine have more give and flex. It is similar to having breaks in a bridge.
A machine that has 10 or more pieces to put together is probably not a uni-body piece that they have to separate just so it saves on shipping.
See our new Spiral Vibration page - the latest addition to pivotal models.
If you want help picking out a vibration machine, take the WBV Quiz. It helps!
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