The workout with a buzz

We all want to work out but, with ever-shortening lunchbreaks, we want to do it faster and more efficiently. The solution may lie in a new range of vibrating gym equipment, launching in London this week, which includes a bike, dumbbells and an exercise "platform".

Guus van der Meer, founder of Power Plate International which tomorrow launches the Power Bike, says: "Until now, it has only been serious athletes who can train at a level high enough to obtain excellent results. But new studies show that exercising using vibrations means normal people can do a high intensity workout at a moderate level and obtain similar results." Here are the new ways to get you buzzing:

THE POWER BIKE
What: Like a classic spinning bike but with vibrating pedals.
Good for: Quads, hamstrings, glutes.
How was it? I free-cycle until the resistance is cranked up and my legs start to heat up. When the shuddering starts, I experience a serious tingling in my ankles and calves, a pleasant if slightly odd, buzzing sensation. Later, standing up on the pedals, my thighs nearly give way. But I push on until the five-minute mark and free-cycle for another 90 seconds. I clamber off, legs burning but well worked.
Try it: Demo models available to try from late June at John Lewis, Harrods and Selfridges. Or £2,995 from powerplate.com/uk (020 7317 5000)

The BODYVIB
What: Similar to gym dumbbells but with added buzz.
Good for: Shoulders, biceps, triceps.
How was it? They may be light (mine were just 1.5kg) but vibrating dumbbells give a deceptively good workout. I start with a variety of warm-up squats and dimensional bicep curls - easy enough. More squats are accompanied by a shoulder press, working on my shoulders, biceps and triceps, but it is the Frontal Plane Reach which really pushes my arms into action. Hardest of all is the shoulder press, bicep curls and tricep extensions done extra slow - I thought my arms might drop off.
Try it: At Faster Fitness studio at 219 Baker Street (fasterglobal.com/home) or buy for £676 (bodyvib.co.uk)

THE PLATFORM
What: TrueVibe's version of a vibrating Power Plate but without the support post.
Good for: Glutes, hamstrings, pectorals.
How was it? Tough but useful for working on pesky recurring injuries. Here, trainer Si shows me how to attempt a posterior lateral TV step to get the glutes firing, then another with a reach and jump afterwards to hit the hamstrings and work on shin splints. The final blast is a set of near-impossible press-ups with a twist to work out my upper body. It sure does.
Try it: At Faster Fitness studio (see above). More info: truevibrations.co.uk