Methods
Study design and subjects
The effects of Vibration Exercise study (EVE study) were
designed as a stratified, randomized two-group parallel design.
Twenty-six healthy men (26 ± 4 years) were recruited as participants.
Two matched groups with regard to their maximum
vertical jump height as an indicator of neuromuscular fitness
(Runge et al., 2004) were formed. A coin was then tossed
to determine which group would perform either resistive
vibration exercise (RVE) or resistive exercise (RE) only.
Table 1 presents the anthropometric data at baseline. All
subjects had been examined by a medical doctor before study
inclusion. Exclusion criteria were as follows: diabetes; any
known cardiovascular disease or abnormality; smoking; participation
in strength training during the past 6 months; or any
regular medication. Written informed consent was obtained
from all subjects before commencement of the study. The EVE
study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the
Northern Rhine medical association (A¨ rztekammer Nordrhein)
in Duesseldorf (a rural suburb of Cologne).
Procedures
Training protocol
Exercises were performed using a guided barbell (Hoist fitness,
San Diego, USA) and a side alternating vibration plate (Galileo
Fitness; Novotec Medical GmbH, Pforzheim, Germany). All
participants were familiarized with the training and equipment
before the first training session. Subsequently, the individual
training load was determined at 80% of the 1-Repetition Maximum
(1RM; 80% of the 1RM equals eight repetitions of squats;
squats were used as a reference to determine the individual
training load) using the method described by Baechle & Earle
(2000). Briefly, the subjects were loaded with an estimated
weight and were then asked to complete as many repetitions as
possible. The initial training load was then adjusted to (i) a
higher load if the subject completed more than eight repetitions
of squats or (ii) to a lower load if the subject completed
fewer than eight repetitions of squats. During the first 2 weeks
of the training intervention, two training sessions per week
were completed. From the third week until intervention end,
training was performed three times per week. As a warm up,
two sets of heel raises and squats, in alternating order, were
performed using the barbell (approximately 15 kg) without
additional weights. A metronome was used as time emitter.
The amplitude for the vibration was set to 6 mm (peak to base