Nitric Oxide Dump: Benefits & Exercises
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ronald Mochizuki, MD
There’s a chance you’ve heard of nitric oxide and the benefits it can have for our bodies, but you might not be familiar with what a nitric oxide dump is. Here’s everything you need to know!
What Is a Nitric Oxide Dump?
A nitric oxide dump workout is a form of high-intensity interval training developed by Dr. Zach Bush. It consists of four simple exercises that can be completed in as little as four minutes (more on that below). The goal of a nitric oxide dump is to increase naturally occurring nitric oxide within our bodies. Before we get ahead of ourselves, we’ll go ahead and break it all down for you.
Quick Overview
Nitric oxide, more scientifically known as nitrogen monoxide (NO) (not to be confused with nitrous oxide [N2O] or nitrogen dioxide [NO2]), is a naturally produced molecule in the body that helps boost blood circulation and overall health.
While a nitric oxide dump might sound like getting rid of nitric oxide in your body, the goal is actually the opposite — it’s about increasing the release of nitric oxide in the body via short, high-intensity training. Here we’ll take a look at what nitric oxide is, why it matters, how it can help us, and how vibration plates can help maximize the results of a nitric oxide dump.
Let’s jump in!
Why Nitric Oxide Matters
Nitric oxide is important in its role as a powerful vasodilator. It works as a messenger molecule, signaling muscles in the arteries to relax, in turn allowing an artery to expand. By doing this, blood circulation throughout your body is improved, helping lower blood pressure.
Circulation is just one of many areas that nitric oxide can help with, however, as it also plays a crucial role in boosting oxygen delivery, improving cardiovascular health, and much more.
How It Supports Overall Wellness
We just mentioned the general importance nitric oxide can have in increasing your health, but science has shown that nitric oxide does far more than just boost blood circulation.
Some other ways nitric oxide supports overall wellness include:
- Prevents and reduces hypertension by supporting circulation and arterial flexibility.
- Helps regulate immune system responses that eradicate pathogens, regulate inflammation, and aid in tissue-restoration and wound-healing processes.
- Helps cognitive function via increased blood flow to the brain.
- Enhances energy and stamina by allowing for greater oxygen uptake and delivery throughout the body.
Benefits of Doing a Nitric Oxide Dump with Power Plate
There’s no shortage of research showing the benefits of nitric oxide, but what you might not be able to find on the internet is how vibration plates can help you boost the effects of a nitric oxide dump. While doing a nitric oxide workout is one way to boost your NO levels, doing those exercises with a Power Plate can help you level up those benefits.
Enhanced Muscle Activation and Circulation
Studies have shown that whole body vibration is one way to shear vessels, exciting tissue and releasing nitric oxide. Power Plates 50 vibrations per second send tiny vibrations through your body, activating more muscles (up to 138% more compared to a standard workout, in fact) and increasing blood flow, allowing for superior results when compared to traditional exercise.
Accelerated Recovery and Detoxification
We’ve covered how nitric oxide can help our bodies detox harmful substances to support our immune system, reduce inflammation, and boost tissue restoration. We’ve also gone over how vibration plates can boost nitric oxide in our bodies. But, that’s not where the benefits of a nitric oxide dump and vibration plates end.
Our lymphatic system is also an important part of keeping our immune system up and running in tip-top shape by producing and distributing immune cells that remove all sorts of harmful toxins. In order to function properly, our bodies need to be able to drain excess waste fluid known as lymph. Lymph is a fluid that moves through your lymphatic system, carrying nutrients and proteins to your cells and tissues while also collecting and carrying away harmful substances.
That brings us all the way back to our main point — vibration plates help promote and enhance lymphatic drainage, ensuring optimal recovery and immune system health. By performing a nitric oxide dump on a Power Plate, you get the enhanced benefits of both increased nitric oxide and improved lymphatic function, resulting in optimum recovery and immune system detoxification.
Greater Efficiency in Less Time
Exercise is an important part of maintaining good health and the longevity to continue doing things we love to do. That said, we don’t always have the time to spend large chunks of our day at the gym. For some of us, injuries also make maintaining rigorous workout routines a trial in futility. Once again, nitric oxide dumps in conjunction with vibration plates swoop in to help save the day.
The goal of nitric oxide dumps and vibration plate workouts is to maximize results in less time with less strain on your joints. That’s why combining the two can help us achieve our goals — whether it be weight loss, increased physical performance, or just improved overall health — while allowing us to be cognizant of our time and body-limitations.
How to Perform a Nitric Oxide Dump on Power Plate in Less Than 10 Minutes
Dr. Zach Bush created the nitric oxide dump workout to be fast and simple. Dr. Tommy Rhee realized that by doing this workout on a Power Plate, anyone can gain the maximum benefits of increased nitric oxide quickly and with minimal strain.
Here’s Dr. Bush’s original nitric oxide dump workout routine (and as a bonus, here’s a video of Dr. Rhee discussing the benefits of doing these exercises on a Power Plate vibration machine):
- 10 squats — start standing up with a slight bend in your knees, and slowly squat down as if sitting in an invisible chair
- 10 simulated jumping jacks — move your arms up and down from your sides, as if doing a jumping jack without leaving the ground
- 10 arm raises — reach out with your arms straight in front of you, and then raise one arm up and back down, alternating between your left and right arm
- 10 shoulder presses — start with your hands up along either side of your head with your elbows bent 90 degrees. Push your hands up above your head, straightening your arms, and then slowly bring them back down. (If you’re having a hard time visualizing this one, just imagine you’re pushing a bar over your head or “raising the roof.”)
You’ll start by doing 10 reps of each, but can work your way up to 20 as you become more comfortable. Dr. Bush recommends doing this workout three times a day for optimal results. While this workout can be done in about four minutes, Dr. Rhee also recommends aiming for a total of around 10 minutes on the Power Plate in order to gain the benefits of a workout without the strain on your joints. Since those 10 minutes can be broken up into intervals, completing the nitric oxide dump routine three times a day should put you exactly where you want to be.
Tips for Best Results on Power Plate
Whether you're new to Power Plate or a seasoned vet, remember to follow these three simple tips for the best results:
- Keep your knees slightly bent
- Use proper form and core engagement
- Breathe consistently to aid nitric oxide release
Who Should Try the Nitric Oxide Dump?
If you’re wondering whether you should try the nitric oxide dump, the answer is absolutely. From beginners to seasoned athletes and even older adults, a nitric oxide dump can benefit anyone on their way to achieving their health goals.
That includes:
- Busy professionals in need of an efficient way to boost energy without a long workout.
- Older adults or workout beginners looking for a low-impact and joint-friendly workout.
- Athletes and wellness seekers who want an effective warm-up or midday boost for performance and focus.
- Explore Power Plate’s Whole-Body Vibration Collection
If you’re looking to enhance athletic performance, lose weight, reduce pain, or all of the above, Power Plate has a collection of meticulously engineered machines to ensure you’re getting the most out of your training and recovery routines. Beginners, athletes, and everyday home users can benefit from Power Plate’s whole body vibration machines and targeted vibration products.
Take your nitric oxide dump routine to the next level with Power Plate’s clinically backed vibration technology!
Sources:
Oregon State University. Say NO to disease. The benefits of nitric oxide. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9442-say-no-disease-benefits-nitric-oxide
The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. Nitric Oxide in Hypertension. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8109558/
Journal of Leukocyte Biology. Nitric oxide and redox mechanisms in the immune response. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3100761/
BBA. Functions and dysfunctions of nitric oxide in brain. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925443918304526
American Heart Association. Roles of Vascular Oxidative Stress and Nitric Oxide in the Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circresaha.116.309326
University Hospitals. How Nitric Oxide Fuels Your Health. https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2024/07/how-nitric-oxide-fuels-your-health
Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. Effect of Whole Body Vibration on Skin Blood Flow and Nitric Oxide Production. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0362/1139/2645/files/Effect_of_Whole_Body_Vibration_on_Skin_Blood_Flow_and_Nitric_Oxide_Production.pdf?v=1705069227
Cleveland Clinic. Lymph. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/25209-lymph
GQ France. The revolutionary 4-minute workout that oxygenates the body and speeds up metabolism. https://www.gq.co.za/culture/fitness/the-revolutionary-4-minute-workout-that-oxygenates-the-body-and-speeds-up-metabolism-210bd56d-d375-42dd-baf2-d4bba7129d10
