A comparison of training intensity between whole-body vibration and conventional squat exercise

The aim of this study was to investigate surface electromyographic activity (sEMG) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) during semi-squat exercise on vibration platform compared with semi-squat exercise performed on a Smith machine. Twenty-three recreationally active students (15 males and 8 females) were exposed to six different loads in one of both exercise modes: vibration or Smith machine. The subject performed a squat in six experimental conditions; the load differed per experimental condition. For each subject the exercise mode (n = 2) and the different loads per mode (n = 6) were assigned in a random order to check the influence of vibration magnitude (acceleration: m s−2) as well as weight (kg) on sEMG and RPE. Two-way ANOVA for RPE, lumbar and lower-body sEMG revealed a significant weight main effect (P < 0.01) and a significant acceleration main effect (P < 0.01). The results from this study demonstrate that the training stimulus resulting from an isometric semi-squat exercise on a vibration platform (acceleration: from 12 to 89 m s−2) is similar to the training stimulus of an isometric semi-squat exercise on Smith machine (weight: from 20 to 70 kg) according to lower-body sEMG and RPE. However, the impact of semi-squat on vibration platform exercise for lumbar muscle is relatively small compared with semi-squat on Smith machine.