Gareth Walton has over 20 years’ experience as a performance coach, working with athletes across a wide range of sports at various levels, from youth athletes and recreational enthusiasts to professional sports teams and Olympic athletes.

Walton’s work currently sees him supporting a group of young Olympic-level sprinters, with training taking place at Cardiff Metropolitan University. “This is where my real passion lies, having been a track and field athlete myself,” he says; Walton represented Wales in the U20 sprint events.

Walton has also been involved with human performance company EXOS for 10+ years, which is how he first came across and began to explore the benefits of Power Plate. A Power Plate educational event in 2017 cemented his interest, opening his eyes to the many ways in which Power Plate can support and enhance movement, aiding pre-training preparation as well as promoting recovery.

“Power Plate is a great tool for Pillar Preparation,” he explains – this being EXOS’ approach to preparing for movement, developing a blend of mobility and stability through the hips, torso and shoulders to allow for movement and force transfer.

Walton continues: “Power Plate’s targeted vibration products are also really useful, enhancing my athletes’ soft tissue work.

“Firstly, it’s time-efficient: my athletes are looking for a magic feeling to go in to a training session and they don’t have to spend too long with these tools before they get it. It helps keep the training session flowing.

“These targeted vibration devices make my life easier as a coach, too. The athletes know they need to do soft tissue work and these tools make it fresh and appealing.

“Having explained the benefits to them, I now see them automatically going to use the Power Plate devices. That’s gold to me, because it shows the buy-in is there. They see and feel the benefit and they’re straight in there with their soft tissue work and Pillar Preparation, using Power Plate targeted vibration for that enhanced effect.

“Incorporating different tools reinvigorates the training environment.”

He adds: “The athletes look to these products to help with their recovery, too. Recovery work is so important, not only straight after a training session but also regularly throughout the day and the week, as part of a pre-season regime and during any competition window.

“I’ve seen other products left in bags and lockers, left at home, not used, but Power Plate’s targeted vibration devices are the go-to for my athletes. They all swear by them. Even while they’re sitting at home watching TV, sometimes even when they’re socialising with friends, they’ll be using these tools.

“I use them myself too, to support my training and if I’m stiff from travel. I find them very beneficial. But for my athletes, they’re a key part of developing them to be the best possible versions of themselves that they can be.”