Pro Athletes Swear By a Vibrating Device To Up Their Abs Workouts—And You Can Get One for a Fraction of What They Pay

As our lives slowly (or too quickly, depending on your perspective) ramp back up to the full speed at which they operated before COVID-19 upended everything, efficiency is going to be key for those wanting to, you know, have it all. So any opportunity to enhance the effects of a quick-and-dirty workout is a welcome one, and a single piece of investment equipment can do just that: the FitNation Rock ‘N Fit ($400).

FitNation Rock ‘N Fit

You might notice that shopping on this page is a little different than what you’re used to. Never fear; we’ll talk you through it. With the Well+Good SHOP, you can now add products to your cart right from this article page. Just click on a product below and more details will pop up in a new window. Hit “add to cart” and voila! That’s it! As you read more SHOP articles, you can keep adding products to your cart and check out when you’re ready (look for the cart icon on the right side of your screen).

According to Holly Roser, a San Francisco-based personal trainer and owner of the Holly Roser Fitness Studio, the Rock ‘N Fit is similar to the Power Plate, a pricey piece of equipment many professional athletes train on. At $400, the Rock ‘N Fit is far from pocket change, but if you’re looking to outfit your home-gym setup, it’s a steal compared to the Power Plate, which will run you four figures.

The idea behind both is that the vibration of the plate destabilizes you during your workout, which activates muscles that wouldn’t otherwise be used in various positions and exercises, like plank. Specifically, your core will be better engaged through use of the Rock ‘N Fit than it would be in an equipment-free workout. “You’re getting at your rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, and your obliques,” Roser says. “So, you’re working three different areas of your abs.”

Adapting your body to an unbalanced environment can also help to stabilize your joints and prevent future injury. “So when you go for a run or use a paddleboard, for example, your body’s used to having motion under it and you’re less likely to injure yourself,” Roser explains.

And while Roser says she’s not aware of any research that looks at the benefits of the Rock ‘N Fit specifically, she says that the device is similar enough to the Power Plate—which has been studied—to say using one helps to improve bone density, build muscle strength, and increase blood flow to reduce soreness, among other benefits.

Roser specifically recommends trying planks, glute bridges (with your legs on the plate), lunges, side lunges, and calf raises on the Rock ‘N Fit, though any number of exercises can be taken to the plate in order to supercharge your abs and enhance your overall athletic performance.

With time poised to be a scarce resource once more (if it wasn’t already—hat tip to those who worked, home-schooled children, and juggled plates through a traumatic pandemic), this piece of equipment can help you maximize the results of your workouts to make them as efficient and effective as possible. And even though we all know you can’t actually have it all, you can, for around $400, have a stronger core, a decreased risk of injury, and a personal masseuse (yes, massages on this thing are *a thing*, too!).

Want to be the first to hear about the latest (and greatest) SHOP product drops, custom collections, discounts, and more? Sign up to have the intel delivered straight to your inbox.