Effects of 12 weeks of dynamic strength training with local vibration

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the chronic effects of dynamic strength training (ST) with local vibration on the maximum strength of elbow flexor muscles. Twenty healthy male untrained volunteers were divided randomly into the following two groups: the conventional training group (CTG) or the vibration training group (VTG). Both groups performed ST for 12 weeks, three times a week. The ST protocol included four sets of 8-10 repetition maximums (RMs) of unilateral elbow flexion exercise. The VTG performed this training protocol with local vibration at a frequency of 30 Hz and amplitude of 6 mm. The mean values of the one repetition maximum (1RM) tests for both groups increased significantly from the pretest week to the fourth week and from the fourth week to the eighth week (CTG: mean 19.02, s = 7.88%, p = 0.01; mean 10.50, s = 6.86%, p = 0.019, respectively; VTG: mean 16.02, s = 8.30%, p = 0.017; mean 12.55, s = 8.76%, p = 0.019, respectively). The increases in the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) tests were also statistically significant from the pretest week to the fourth week and from the fourth week to the eighth week (CTG: mean 12.32, s = 8.33%, p = 0.004; mean 9.95, s = 5.32%, p = 0.006, respectively; VTG: mean 10.16, s = 11.71%, p = 0.003; mean 10.36, s = 2.96%, p = 0.01, respectively). There was no significant difference between the 1RM and MVC test results in the eighth and twelfth weeks in either group. No significant differences were observed between the groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the application of local vibration does not change the chronic effects of dynamic ST in untrained individuals.

Does combined strength training and local vibration improve isometric maximum force? A pilot study

“…In some investigations in literature 3,28 no effect or even a remarkable decrease of maximal force and strength related abilities is measured in the final test. Drummond et al 3 have shown that the application of local vibration does not change the chronic effects of dynamic ST in untrained individuals after 12 weeks. The main reason for this result often can be found in a too long and/or too intensive training schedule.…”

“…Therefore, target muscles can be stimulated more efficiently, resulting in the tonic vibration reflex (TVR) and, consequently, increasing the acute and chronic muscles' strength production. Many studies demonstrated significant chronic increases in the muscular force when conventional ST is combined with the use of mechanical vibration, and these increases can be acute or chronic [1][2][3] . The responses to both types of vibration training (WBV and LV) may lead to increased motor unit recruitment, increased firing frequency and/or improved synchronisation, thereby permitting a quicker and more forceful muscle contraction when the muscle is rapidly stretched.…”

“…Local vibration (LV) which stimulates specific segments of the body might affect target muscles more intensively than WBV 16 . This type of vibration directly applied to target muscles or their antagonist might reduce dissipation of the vibration energy 3 . Therefore, target muscles can be stimulated more efficiently, resulting in the tonic vibration reflex (TVR) and, consequently, increasing the acute and chronic muscles' strength production.…”

“…To optimise strength performance in trained and nontrained subjects, recent attention in strengh training (ST) has focused on adding mechanical vibration to the whole body (or parts of it) when being engaged in strength exercises [1][2][3] . Generally speaking, vibration is seen as a mechanical transmission of energy to the body.…”

Comparing the Effectiveness of Whole Body Vibration and Local Vibration Exercise on Counter-Movement Jump Performance and Its Residual Characteristics in Well-Trained Athletes

“…This response to vibration resulting in the activation of an afferent feedback mechanism is known as tonic vibration reflex (TVR) (Hagbarth et al, 1996;.The stimulus generated by the mechanical vibration causes a high level of stress on the musculoskeletal system (Abercromby et al, 2007;Roelants et al, 2006;Marin et al, 2009), and the level of stress determines the training load, which consists of frequency, amplitude, acceleration, and duration of vibration on the musculoskeletal system (Cardinale et al, 2008;Rittweger, 2010).However, some anatomical structures such as soft tissues, bones, and body fluids absorb some vibration load during WBV, and therefore, affect the amount of vibration load transmitted to the muscles . The amount of vibration load depends on the distance between vibration source and target muscles and therefore the distal muscles may not effectively benefit from the vibration load to enhance performance (Drummond et al, 2014). However, local vibration (LV) may be more useful than WBV for targeting the muscles, because the muscles are directly exposed to the vibration in LV and absorption of the vibration is minimized (Drummond et al, 2014;Peer et al, 2009;Kurt et al, 2015).…”