Vibration Training Anti-Cellulite Massage – Part 2

May 6th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »
Note: This article is written from my viewpoint as a trainer and user of high-energy, lineal vibration platforms. The results and the experiences described are not necessarily replicable on lower level machines, such as PowerPlate, FitVibe, nor on pivotal platforms of any kind.
It’s just an anti-cellulite massage – right -
how can there be a Part 2; surely its not that complicated?

Well, yes, really it is – the vibration training anti-cellulite massage is complex; its quite different to the training program, and in some studios you even pay an extra price to add it to your program.

In part 1 I’ve covered the basic process of how it works, enhancing blood flow to the backs of the legs and the butt, breaking down some of the static fat and transporting it back into the circulatory system.

So, what does this massage actually feel like?

I’m going to start by saying, we get a lot of  jibes from the wider fitness industry about vibration training; the words – vibe, vibration, and anti-cellulite massage get talked about accompanied with raucous laughter and more so when they joke about girls sitting about on  heavily vibrating platforms.  Some of these jokes are deliberately trying to discredit the fitness and strength training that we do, rather than accepting it as a valid alternative to the gym, but it’s probably fair enough to laugh about the anti-cellulite massage; after all, the ladies anti-cellulite massage means sitting on the world’s most powerful vibrators.

Woman sitting on washing machineIs it really that nice?

No, It isn’t all fun!  I said in my previous article (Part 1), the massage can be extremely irritating and it makes your legs itch so badly it’s hard to keep still. It can feel like being attacked by thousands of tickling or biting little ants.

Some ladies feel immediate sensation of needing to pee or pass wind and that’s really unpleasant. I explain to them that the vibration is actually closing up the urethral muscles, in fact they are getting a pelvic floor workout, but explanation doesn’t stop that horrible feeling. Adjusting position slightly can help and knowing what’s really happening does help ladies relax, so that over time they stop feeling quite so uncomfortable.  Another bad feeling some ladies get is a bright red bum and red backs of the legs, enough to prevent them immediately going to the pools or the beach – not a good look! And that feeling of passing wind, it can be so extreme that sometimes I’ll hit the stop button myself, go to the bathroom, then realise it was just the machine giving me that sense.

Women LaughingSo, you can see, that feeling; like you are about to go to the toilet – well it really can’t happen, do you think we would risk the machines like that?

I know you are going to ask, “do any women enjoy sitting on the machine, like the jokes suggest? Does it, well does it, ever, feel, you know; nice?”

Well, yes; some have told me it’s definitely a sensual experience for them, one they enjoy. Some burst out with laughter, others feel shy with embarrassment. Don’t worry, the trainers can’t tell what you are experiencing unless you openly tell them. Years of customer feedback plus comments from female staff who train regularly have told us the whole range of sensations people experience.

If;  right after the anti-cellulite massage, someone smiles and asks if they can take a  machine home with them; that’s when we laugh along with them and reply, “only if you can carry it out to the car all by yourself. Oh, and, it weighs about 200Kg”.

Seriously though, the company I work for doesn’t sell machines, they are studio based, so that would never be an option.

Why can’t males do it?

The reason why is quite obvious. Males are anatomically different to women; it would be very painful for them. Some have begged me to let them try; I’m not sadistic so always the answer is no!  Also remember, the dimpled looking fat deposits on the back of the legs that we’ve named cellulite, well it’s a women’s thing, men don’t have it quite the same anyway, no matter how big their legs are.

woman sitting on machine

 

So, you see that one position, the Anti-Cellulite Massage, it’s a lot more complicated than it first seems. The best thing is, it does exactly what it’s designed to do; it breaks down the fatty deposits on the back of the legs and butt. Despite the differing sensations women feel, the result is a better shape; no one’s ever complained about that.

 

 

 

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Vibration Training Anti-Cellulite Massage

April 18th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

anti-cellulite massageThis is the one position in the IVTRB Vibration Training Safety Program that’s rather odd. It’s not training, it’s simply a massage.

Well maybe not too “simply” a massage, as we shall see.

For one thing – the anti-cellulite massage is very annoying.  It can make your butt itch so bad you hop about for ages afterwards.

Sitting on the machine, legs spread-eagled,leaning forward and resting arms over a big flat rubber mat or dangling the arms down by your ankles (which is very important to keep the backbone slightly lifted off the machine); then being pounded into the backs of the legs and parts of your butt; it isn’t necessarily a pleasant feeling.

It’s easy to picture what’s happening if you think of a big juicy piece of steak and imagine pounding it over, and over, and over with a heavy wooden (or metal) meat tenderiser.  Keep that up for three minutes and what happens to the steak? Yes, it flattens and some of the fats and other juices run off.

This is kind of what happens with a lineal vibration machine, three minute, anti-cellulite massage.

But we aren’t a slab of dead meat so the released fats and other fluids don’t drain out anywhere but are instead taken up by the small veins and routed back into the circulatory system. Some of the fat stores that sit just under the skin (in the legs we call this cellulite) are broken down and free fatty acids (FFA) are released into the blood.

So now we have some extra fats in our blood, what now?

girl looking in fridge - tight butt

Fridge

The fats in this form can be readily oxidised and available as muscle fuel to help with the rest of our workout or they can travel around the body and reconvert back into fat stores. The good news is that even this re-conversion to fat stores uses up energy (calories).

Of course the way all this works is much  more complicated than this simple blog but there’s lots of good news here.

At Vibra-Train Auckland City, I’ve often heard customers comment on how effective the anti-cellulite massage is; on how much tighter and better shaped their toosh* is after just a month of vibration training sessions – that’s about 12 visits.

The anti-cellulite massage is part of the standard vibration training IVTRB Safety Program used at Vibra-Train and other vibration training studios and in  fitness studios worldwide.

 

* a slang word for butt or ass

 

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Vibration Training – Shake ya Booty?

April 11th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

A friend commented on Facebook  that they wished there was a  Vibra-Train studio in their town so that they could join with us to “shake ya booty”.

I laughed, of course, but then thought that others might read that post and it might cause some confusion, so decided to write a brief blog on the different types of vibration machines and how they work. In doing so I’ll answer the question; do vibration machines “shake ya booty”?

Girl Dance Exercise OutdoorsWe girls love these quirky, laughable terms and we immediately identify with their meaning.  There are many types of dance-sport and dance exercise where “shake ya booty” is an entirely appropriate term. You get a real good shake all over and especially your butt.

But what about a vibration training session? Is it true that it “shakes ya booty” and if it doesn’t then how does it work? You need movement to really be exercising, right?

There are two main types of vibration machines:

Pivotal: Simply put, these machines move the user from side to side, balancing on a pivot or rod; they move you like a see-saw but side to side rather than up and down.  Most are low speed, and correctly termed massage or therapy machines. They gently help with blood circulation and relaxation and provide just enough stimulation to relax  sore muscles, and to  maintain or improve bone density. They aren’t training machines (no matter what amazing promises unethical marketers make). Also the downside of the massager/therapy machine is that most aren’t built to high quality specs and so they can’t cope with a user’s weight being over about 60kg/130lbs without degraded performance.

Crazy Fit Massage Machine

Low Speed Pivotal

These low speed pivotal machines are the ones most often seen  on TV advertorials and looking at people on these machines is very funny – they definitely have a wobble and you might broadly stretch that to say the look is “shake ya booty” - but unless it’s simple massage results you’re wanting; they simply don’t perform.

There are a few brands of pivotal machine classified as High Speed Pivotal (Hypervibe Performance and Cardiotech CV9  are two that spring to mind). These are training machines for fitness and strength training. You can see the user’s body moving rapidly from side to side but you really wouldn’t say of these “shake ya booty”. That’s not really the look you see even though the person feels they are shaking.

Basic Squat on Bullet Vibra-Train Machine

High Energy Lineal

Lineal: Machines that move the user up and down so rapidly that when looking at the person in a squat position on the machine, they don’t appear to be moving at all.  From appearance you’d never say they are “shaking their booty” but ask someone using the machine and they’ll tell you their whole body is feeling the rapid vibration force. They feel like they are shaking; not just their booty but all over, and  more than shaking, they feel strong contraction  in the muscle groups targeted by the specific pose they are in.

So, vibration training isn’t really shake ya booty? 

It depends on what machine you are using (and some of us who are a little bigger don’t want to look like a wobbly jelly anyway).

It’s results that count – vibration is by definition “shaking” – but how much of that shows outwardly is no indication of what’s really going on.

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Vibration Training – A Comment worth Repeating

March 18th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

My husband loves to run. Currently he’s recovering from a medical condition so he’s slowly building up his running distances, speed and time again.  He’s had to start over, almost like a person very new to running.  He’s lost form but he hasn’t lost his “love” of  running; he dislikes any other form of fitness training.

And I’ve met many people like him – their whole belief is of specificity Runners Run!

Greg after Sydney Half Marathon Sept 2010This is so true that you can spot an old runner easily; their bodies give them away. All that running, mile after mile of pounding the pavement affects their bodies in a very negative way.  It’s true that they have stamina, have a fairly strong heart (although this can be negatively affected by sustained and frequent endurance events). They are never overweight and most pay good attention to their diet, ensuring they fuel up with carbs before events. Still, most look older than their true age.

No amount of telling them that they are wasting away, damaging muscles by all that cardiovascular exercise, is listened to. No amount of cajoling and pleading works, until the extreme runner sees himself as he really is or until he starts feeling run down and weak and loses form and speed; and then wonders how he can get better.

Only then does a fitness instructor or or PT have a chance to get the runner into some  resistance training, into an additional form of training that builds back some of the muscle strength that all that running has worn down.

And so it’s been with my husband. He was even my “project dummy” a few years ago when I needed to submit a paper. I trained him using Vibra-Train – high energy vibration training machines – helping him in his build up to a half marathon event. He grumbled about  the extra training and said how he preferred to be out there, running.  He even noticed a small build up in muscle size in his legs which annoyed him as he thought the extra size would slow him down. And it did.  The result though was a constant, even pace and his best placing ever in an event; he placed 9th in age group and around 200th overall of 7,000 entrants of all ages.

A comment worth repeating

I overslept on Sunday and was feeling annoyed as I had (in my mind at least) so many things to do. My husband suggested I’d needed the sleep, adding that we simply aren’t as young as we used to be.

He then said, “I don’t know what we would do without Vibra-Train!”

It seems he’s learnt how much we all need muscle strength training (and, of course, he still enjoys running)

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VibePlus – the challenge to my trademark has been withdrawn

March 5th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

I’m very happy to say that the “application for revocation” of my trademark “VibePlus” in New Zealand has been withdrawn.

 

VibePlus Logo

 

If you’ve read my previous post or know me you’ll know how upsetting this time has been.  In hindsight, challenging a trademark is regular business practice but I didn’t know that. I felt personally affected when I received a serious letter, a few days before Christmas, telling me that the owner of a vibration studio in a local gym, just a kilometer away, was challenging my right to my trademark. The grounds of the challenge (done through a business agent) was “Non-Use”. A quick check shows this means no use of the stated trademark for a period of three years (in N.Z. law).

Once I came down to earth again, after the unbelief that anyone could be so misinformed and not check up to see if the mark was actually in use, I set about defending myself. I quickly discovered  that the reason for the challenge to my trademark was because the challenging person’s chosen name was not accepted for registration in New Zealand because it was too close to mine and within the same classification.

A Note here: IP Consultants use the Companies Office website to check up on people and trademarks. I was told they don’t use Google. When I asked why I didn’t get much of an answer; they expect that if you have a trademark you’ll have a registered company but as I’m a Sole Trader the companies office search didn’t find me.  This possibly led to the IP Consultant believing it would be a simple process to have my trademark revoked. – Lazy research in my opinion!

I am gob-smacked that that’s all the checking up that’s done. I was told that a year previously a letter was sent to my home address (that’s the address for service for any matters concerning my trademark). I didn’t receive the letter and no other communication was made. I’m listed in the phone book and – this is the biggie – a search of my name or my trademark within New Zealand (and worldwide) brings up pages of information.  I’m quite “popular” to Google it seems.

Anyway, the legal process went ahead. I had  no idea what was required of me but encouraged by others I defended myself rather than employ an Intellectual Property Specialist. I was guided by letters from iponz (Intellectual Property Office New Zealand) and sought out advice where needed.  I had to submit a defense proving I actually was trading under the trademark “VibePlus” and within the class registered. The proof was there but setting it all out in the required legal manner and using the iponz website was a learning experience. Right at the start my iponz website LogIn didn’t work;  they’ve changed how its done so I had to get a new LogIn and Password, which then refused to work – I was feeling some frustration right from the start.

I completed the required processes and I refused to sign a letter from the agent for the person who was the applicant. That letter simply stated that I would agree to the other trademark being registered even though it’s quite similar to mine.  The letter allowed us to  both have what we wanted and work in our own businesses amicably. Sure, that sounds reasonable in principle but I was advised not to agree to it. There’s other challenges that could be made and I could risk losing my right to use my trademark –  by being nice I could have lost out.

The agent for the applicant against me contacted me by phone several times; the first time very pleasantly trying to achieve what he’d been employed to do. His manner changed when I stood up for myself.  He even rebuked me for emailing him – when that email was used to serve my Counter Statement, my defense against the application for revocation, a very proper use of email. Well, he obviously hadn’t bothered to read the mail.  I’d also sent the required papers by regular mail and the email was because the agent told me he was not at his regular office or town; in fact he was currently in my city, some 1400km away. In all I found his manner condescending but I understand he was employed to get what the other party wanted – their trademark fully registered, and mine was standing in the way.

In the matter of trademarks it’s first in, first registered. Simply put, the other person should have checked up (free to do and easy, online) before they ever started using their chosen name for their business.

When I first registered my trademark I was intending to buy a vibration training studio. For a few reasons that didn’t happen but I fully use the mark “VibePlus”. This website is just one such use. I have some machines that I lease out and I retail some product including Eggcel, pure eggwhite protein.

Some of the work that I do is free of any charge and that might have been a problem if I wasn’t also generating income, but I am so I was safe. There’s no way I’m ever going to give up my trade mark voluntarily, it’s known worldwide because of my writings and because I’m prepared to stand up to rogue marketers and supplier of vibration machines with fake specs.

At present my trademarked little business is an important but small part of what I do.  Alongside it is my employment at Vibra-Train, Auckland City. Any readers are welcome to come into the studio to visit and also can experience a free, first vibration training session.

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What Can Vibration Training Really Do for Me?

February 5th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »
Slim girl in big size jeansQuestion Mark
Every day I am asked this question or a variation of it.

The new year is definitely underway and it’s very busy at Vibra-Train Auckland City.  Each day has a mix of “old” and “new” customers – those who know the program really well training alongside newbies who need fully supervised training.  The studio operates on a “walk-in” basis, no appointments necessary so people just turn up when it suits them, before work, at lunchtime, after work, at night, and for some who work in large businesses nearby, they come in anytime during the day, even during their personal/bathroom break.

So, what’s vibra – training really doing for them?  One of the newer people asked me this morning. It’s such a frequent question it’s all too easy to reply glibly or in an off-hand way but it is a serious question and so requires a serious answer. Studio owners and trainers watch people get real results yet we can so often fail to promote this; it’s normal for us to expect great results but the new person asking such might be thinking ” am I wasting my time doing this (especially as it’s so different to other forms of training)?”

I explain to people that vibration training on high energy lineal machines is definitely going to give them results and they need to realize that results vary.

Firstly vibration training is exercise - so we can ask why do people exercise and what types of exercise give the results the person is wanting?  Vibration Training works, across the board, for physical fitness. In the simplest explanation It involves putting muscles under stress, asking them to respond to pressure or load, both really, so they grow stronger.  Our bodies respond to stress ( that’s the positive meaning of the word ) by adapting and becoming more able to cope with it. Vibration Training makes strong bodies.

I get asked if this form of exercise is designed to grow big, bulky muscles. No, It doesn’t cause muscle to bulk, it seems to pack  more muscle fibre compactly into the same space – stronger not bigger. To maintain this high quality muscle uses up extra calories, so, unless a person is feasting on chocolate muffins or excess fried foods after their session, the body tones and shapes. I get lots of customers telling me their friends have noticed the difference. One younger lady said when she was at the beach with her friends one of them said, “wow, what are you doing?  Did you join a gym or something?”

I said, firstly Vibration Training is exercise. So, is it more than this? In some ways yes, it has health benefits, though some people would still list these benefits under exercise. Vibration Training has an effect on the brain and mood. Depression and just feeling low can be related to lowered levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. Exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and  so increases the concentration of these neurotransmitters. Vibration Training is very efficient at this, also reducing levels of cortisol, a hormone who’s level increases when we experience mental stress. And exercise also increases cortisol temporarily but it gets used up in the process of metabolizing fat and glucose for energy for our workout. A warning here: it is very easy to over- train, to want to do the vibration training program twice or three times over, it can become  addictive. This gives the opposite of the results we all want, it can increase cortisol levels and increase hunger resulting in overeating and the person gaining weight and fat and losing quality muscle.

Other benefits of Vibration Training include better sleep, improving hormonal balance in both females and males.  Improved flexibility and the all important neurogenesis that comes from all exercise, improving neural connections and enlivening brain and body.

In many ways Vibration Training isn’t so special – as I said, firstly it’s simply one form of exercise. But, in other ways it is very special – it’s exercise that almost anyone can do, even people who are unable to do other types of  physical training.  I have customers at Vibra-Train who are very obese, others who have disability such as muscular dystrophy, still others who are elderly, and even some in wheelchairs.  Most quickly learn the full IVTRB Safety Program, the exact same program that other customers use. Some others follow a Therapy program.

Is it a away of training that you will enjoy and get great results from? You won’t know unless you try it.

 

 

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2013 – Vibration Training and my Trade Mark

January 18th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

This new year has started with a lot of bang and bright lights and I don’t mean the New Year’s eve fireworks.

The Vibra-Train studio is busy and I’m enjoying seeing customers back after summer holidays and many new people also. I’ve said how excited I was about the year ahead and some people smiled knowingly. I was told it meant more “hard work”, more of the same but with agreement that it is exciting for we who are passionate to see vibration training  known and accepted as an effective training method for fitness and exercise and what’s more, its a method that, when used with correct instruction, is valid for people who are less abled, maybe  because of age, injury, or disability.

 

VibePlus Logo

 

Alongside my work as a trainer I’m also busy with my other vibration training business involvements – About this, some readers will notice I took down my last writing, the one about my New Zealand trademark, VibePlus, being “challenged”.  I’m not sure challenged is the right word but I was sent papers stating that an Application for Revocation of my trade mark had been lodged. The grounds for the application were Non Use, no use at all, and that I needed to respond with a Counter-Statement and evidence of use. That if I didn’t respond within the set time my trade mark would be lost (revocation).

In my previous blog, now taken down, I named the applicant and said how surprised and upset I was at this event especially as the applicant had owned a business very close to my home and work addresses. I’d been into her business.

I’ve been told there was possible case for defamation, as what I’d written, even if true, can be seen as defamatory if written, in a certain manner. I guess that means if its read and understood as making the person seem less “nice”.  I could have said, in my opinion – but for now I’ll just keep my opinions to myself.  The applicant’s name is public information anyway.The agent for the applicant has talked to me since and told me that he acted for his client and without her knowledge in this application; she had no direct involvement, that she did not even know he had applied for revocation of my mark, in her name.  Well, my opinion on this is firm – if my name is on something I want to know and want to be certain it’s what I want. If it was me  – the “buck stops with me” and I apply this opinion to others to; to me the applicant’s name is where the “buck” stops.

What I didn’t know, and hence my upset, is that its regular business practise to apply for revocation of a trade mark that’s in the way of getting one the applicant wants. This is if there are similar ones that are the way of getting your desired Word or Logo  accepted are they not being used in the way of their class and stated description, or not used at all. VibePlus is being used; a google search would have shown this but I’m told that’s not a regular way for IP consultants to check. They look at the companies register and other places but I operate as a sole trader so the information wasn’t obvious. This makes me want to scream, and this is opinion, of couse – and fact – the very first thing I do if I want to find out about a business or a person is “Google”.  And, I’m always telling people to go away and “google” whatever they want to learn about. Being an early adopter of computer technologies and having a son working on artificial intelligence, I use internet and google as my number 1 tool.

What happens now? We go through the regular process and I counter-statement. Or, if sign a letter of approval/agreement to the other trade mark, “Vibe express”,  this might help it’s case to be approved; and the application against me will be put on hold. At present I’ve chosen not to do this. I have not actively opposed the registration which I could have done some time ago; but I’ve chosen not to actively help.  I think I have too much to lose.

The charge is that my trade mark, VibePlus, is not in use. The agent for the applicant conceded that he can now see that it is used. Of course that doesn’t mean this is over, it’s all about if it is used in the classification and description as stated. I doubt this will be a problem but its not over yet. Watch this space, I’ll update.

Comments on my previous article

that I took down included encouragement from people saying they had extremely benefited from my teachings and that they see a lot of confusion in the two names, VibePlus and Vibe express. I’m surprised at this, I guess I’m just too close to the scene so they look different to me.

And a comment from Lloyd Shaw (www.vibration-training-advice.com):
” My advice to all parties concerned is simple. Talk now. So far my opinion is a well structured system in a gym would do wonders for the industry. But if legal threats, under-handed tactics and lack of respect is where it starts ( as per Power Plate etc… ) it will only lead to failure”.

Lets hope [applicant's name removed] can learn from other peoples mistakes.

 

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Getting Americans Moving

January 14th, 2013 by Di Heap No comments »

In December I read a blog on nytimes.com with the topic “Getting Americans Moving”.

Every week there’s an editorial in the newspaper, a television documentary, or a magazine article on this same topic “How can we get people to exercise” so I wasn’t expecting outstanding or anything new in the blog I read and I was right, it was all the same information I’ve read time and time before.

So isn’t the message getting through? Maybe it is and prople are ignoring it?

Of course the message is getting through. Worldwide, we all know that exercise is part of health and wellbeing. We all know there’s no pill, no potion, no nutrition supplement that negates the need for regular exercise.

Yet even the word exercise conjours up mixed feelings; some immediately respond, Yes! they love exercise, or their chosen sport, or spending time at the gym four or five times a week, bootcamp mornings, or maybe it’s as simple as walking the dog every day, or running in the park or along the ocean broadwalk. These are all regular exercise. There are iPhone apps to help and guide exercise, maps and distance trackers,Count my Steps, FitBit Activity tracker and more; used by people who love exercise and love to keep a record of how they are doing.

For other people the word exercise brings about immediate guilt. They believe they should but they don’t, for many and varied reasons. Then there are people who truely can’t partake in what we call, regular exercise.  Some are older people who have a few aches or injuries or maybe health conditions. They might do some exercise such as walking but weather conditions and whatever else the day brings can deter them. Others have medical conditions or disability that prevents full-on exercise. Some simply don’t know where to start as it’s been years since they’ve done anything they’d term “exercise” or “fitness”.

The good news is that Vibration Training is suitable for almost everyone. Some start off with Vibration Therapy and move on to training. Others just have to put their minds into it, stop procrastinating, stop moaning (yes, it is hard work, it’s called training) and just do it! It’s a great start to exercise. It can be all that some people do, others do other training as well. I encourage everyone to also go out for a walk or swim if that’s possible.

There’s many different options; specialised studios, machines within gyms and fitness centres, machines available for use within beauty shops, and machines that can be bought for home use. If you choose the later do some homework first and check out what’s available and what is good quality, you don’t want to waste your money on a machine that’s advertised with fake specs.

It’s a new year – many people made resolutions to Get Fit or a least to make a start. Contact me if I can help or advise you in any way. I can often refer you on to people or a business in your location..  Happy New Year, everyone!

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Vibration Training – 2012 – A Good Year

December 31st, 2012 by Di Heap No comments »

It’s the last day of 2012; in fact there’s only 7 hours left of this year here in New Zealand. And what a year it’s been! 

I’m going to stick to Vibration Training and try to list at least some of the highlights. Also personally for me it’s been a very good year.

We are at an exciting time in the timeline of Vibration Training; right at the point where Real Vibration Training and Real Vibration Machines – both pivotal and lineal – are becoming accepted as a fully valid form of fitness training. Not that  it hasn’t been accepted for quite a few years already but, in my experience, it’s been an ongoing battle with gyms and personal trainers and even with medical people like physical therapists. It’s felt like vibration machines have been seen as only a minor method of achieving results, up till now.

This has changed  - with the clean up of the industry worldwide  and with such an enormous amount of information available online (and big thanks to Lloyd Shaw for both), consumers, whether they are buying a machine or looking for a training studio, are aware and knowledgable. They are unlikely to be suckered in by smooth talking marketers. Likewise people starting up training studios or buying or leasing a machine for their fitness studio or gym know what questions to ask and what they want . Even the buzz words, lineal ( a variation of linear) and pivotal are well known and there’s very little confusion when questions are asked about machines.

2013 is going to be huge in this industry. I hope the marketers that sell home machines (the honest ones that is) and the studio owners and trainers are ready for this.

Vibration Machines are right now being used for:

High intensity fitness training for muscle strength and endurance. This is for athletes as an addition to their program. Vibration Training on high energy lineal machines does not make people bulk up, instead it provides muscle strength and shape and toning.

High intensity fitness training – the same as above but I’ve given it a separate listing – for everyone who wouldn’t list themselves as athletes. Some combine it with swimming or walking, some with jogging. Others use an exercycle or a bike. These people want the very best fitness and the very best toning and body look they can achieve and are prepared to vibration train three times a week (on real machines with a real program) to get it.

High intensity and/or Medium intensity training for people who really don’t want to exercise but know they need to, or they are time short, or they have minimal starting strength or fitness. These people get such good results by committing to training two or three times a week.

Therapy or Physio work and/or training for people with limited mobility, for whatever reason. Vibration Machines used with a proper program save lives. I’ve been in this category at times; after surgery and after injuring my knees, which I have an annoying habit of doing by tripping over things.

There are so many examples of results and on a hot, sunny, end of year day, I’m not going to attempt a long list, just a few:

One of my regular, twice weekly customers has gained a lot of strength. She’s mid-50′s and works cleaning large homes. She’s got way more stamina than when she started training with me early in the year.

There’s been many older people start training this year and I’ve had the privilege of watching them gain in strength and mobility. Also surety of balance, lessening the chance of falls.

And also some very young customers, young men mostly, ranging in age from 12- 17. I see changes in these young men within three or four visits. I’m left asking myself how they gain so much so very quickly. One younger client today, I commented on how his very curved and hunched over spine was already straightening up. He was walking “taller” and when I observed him in the mini-plank position his back was held straight.

I have just one customer in a wheelchair and several who do a therapy program where they sit in a chair with their feet on the machine, usually for 3 lots of 3 minutes. These customers tell me how much benefit this simple, no effort therapy is doing for them, improving their circulation and vey mildly stimulating leg and butt muscles and so reducing stiffness and for some getting rid of pain.

This list could go on forever so I’ll add just two more examples: 

My daughter has been training at Vibra-Train all year, three times a week, totally regularly. Her results are astounding. She’s changed from an extremely thin, low bodyweight, low strength, always tired young girl, into a very well toned, mildly muscular, healthy looking young lady. She’s stressing about putting on weight – oh yes, vibration training will do that to you IF your body needs it, but what a difference it’s made to her. She rarely gets sick now whereas before she seemed to always have colds and flu or just plain exhaustion.

And as I said, its been a good year for me personally. Looking back it seems I’ve spent a lot of time complaining, mostly about being “too busy”.  At the end of the year that doesn’t feel like something to complain about.  Busy is good! Mostly it’s been busy at my job at Vibra-Train Auckland City. We’ve seen many new people this year, run various promotions to keep the public knowledgeable and I’ve been actively updating the Vibra-Train Facebook page.  Along with being a very “in demand” trainer , well I didn’t leave enough time for the regular updates this website blog had in past years. I didn’t set up my own business FaceBook page, I didn’t get the look of this website updated – all these, and very much more, have been moved into 2013 calendar.

What I have achieved personally, as well as being the best vibration training instructor in the world, and part managing the world’s first and busiest vibration training studio, I’ve had my lease Vibra-Train machine out being used in a small Personal Training studio. Did I remember to say I get emails daily asking all sorts of questions about Vibration Machines and Vibration Training and I answer these with advice, examples, links and more. I’ve been the “man” behind the camera in a couple of video shoots, now on YouTube (under VibraTrain).

And in my health I’ve become well again. It’s been two years since my last operation and the surgeon was right, it’s taken the whole two years to heal. In the first year I gained a lot of weight, so my already bigger size blosomed almost 20Kg more. I was truely obese, nowhere near as large as the morbidly obese clients I train but, way, way too big; a result of not being able to exercise sufficiently while healing and consoling myself with too much food. I’ve said before, I’m an emotional eater, I eat too much when I’m happy and too much when I’m sad – I don’t believe I’m so different from most women excepting a few who have amazing self control. The good news is I’m back to exercising, doing the full Vibra-Train Safety Program, and being more in control of what I’m eating – I’ve lost 10Kg weight.

And so to a New Year. I’m very excited. There are challenges ahead and busy times. It’s going to be the best year yet!

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Posted in Experiences, Instructor, Other Articles, Vibra-Train, Vibration Training

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The Ridges TV series – Here’s a Challenge to trainer Monty Betham

October 24th, 2012 by Di Heap 4 comments »

Monty Betham is a professional boxer, and was a former rugby league player in New Zealand.  He’s also known in New Zealand for his appearance on the TV program “Dancing with the Stars” back in 2008. Currently he’s a presenter on The Shopping Channel (New Zealand).  He heads the Monty Betham Foundation  “Steps for Life”  program, set up to help youth and families live a healthy lifestyle and specifically “eliminating the many risks associated with obesity”.

Vibra-Train is a New Zealand company with head office and studio in Auckland, and licenced studios throughout New Zealand and abroad, providing Vibration Training and Vibration Therapy to paying customers and offering completely free, regular sessions to people with life threatening conditions including those with morbid obesity.  Lloyd Shaw set up Vibra-Train and specifically designed the machines and safety program with just one purpose in mind, to combat obesity.  As well as being an owner of Vibra-Train Lloyd is a mortician specialising in cases no-one else will handle. He sees much needless death, including so many who die from obesity conditions where they would not have died if there was exercse they really could do. He never tires of telling people of his dream to see New Zealanders forced to exercise, if necessary, and New Zealand free of obesity related deaths.

You’d think both organisations had a lot in common – I say, they do.. but it appears that Monty Betham doesn’t think much of Vibra-Train.

His comment in a recent television program offended me (I’m a hugely passionate Vibra-Train fan and Vibra-train instructor). Then I started hearing more from other people, that he “brushed off” Vibra-Train, calling it rubbish or words somewhat similar. I know Lloyd Shaw emailed Monty about what we were hearing and the reply came, not from Monty but from someone else.

My challenge to Monty is – Front Up Man; come into Vibra-Train one afternoon and let me personally put you through a workout session.  I specialise in making sure the guys who come into the studio get the best session possible and I expect perfect, classic positions on the machines. You’ll do the same workout that regular clients do.  Then let’s see if you have concerns about Vibra-Train being a valid training method.

 

Read on for the background story and if you Know Monty, tell him -  I challenge him to front up.

Last week in New Zealand we watched the final of a Kardashian style TV experiement, “The Ridges”,  that followed socialites Sally Ridge (interior designer, televison personality, ex-wife of Matthew Ridge) and her daughter, Jaime (model, student, former girlfriend of All-Black and Boxer Sonny Bill Williams, and daughter of Matthew Ridge,  a former All-Black, Rugby League Captain, well known in NZ also as a TV Presenter). It was an exciting finish to the series that, just like the mother and daughter stars (and the Kardashians), was eagerly watched each week, or shunned.

Sally (mother) and Jaime (18 year old daughter) are well known New Zealand personalities and, like the Kardashians, you either love or hate them.  They are seen together most of the time , mother and daughter at parties, restaurants, socialising together and have been the topic of many recent magazine articles. Sally seems to thrive on being at the centre of attention – good on her, I say, If you can make money and fame by being in the social spotlight and you enjoy that, do it. She does it well, catching the camera’s eye at so many functions yet manages to, mostly, keep her younger children away from media and runs a regular household away from prying eyes. Jaime is really nice, a hardworking and intelligent university student, part time model, and fanatic about cleanliness and germs (watch one of the TV episodes to see how often the Hand Sanitiser is used).

Both Sally and Jaime have been regular clients at Vibra-Train Auckland City; that is, they are regular for a few months then not seen again until a fashion shoot, a holiday, or exams are over, and then they come back again. Both gained great results from their sessions when they came regularly two or three times a week.  Jamie especially gained muscle strength and toned up really well.

Then came” KFC Grandfather of All Fight Nights”.

A girls fight was to take place this year before the main event and Jaime was invited to go up against the GC star Rosanna Arkle, who said, “It’ll be great. I’ll  knock her out and go get some KFC” (fried chicken). Rosanna kept public interest in the fight by saying she’d wear a bikini, the style voted by the public. Jaime came across as the quieter one, the underdog; the public’s money was definitely on Rosanna.

“The Ridges”  TV series was predominantly about Jaime’s training and build up to the fight. Whilst Sally bought an old rundown house and set about rennovating it, Jaime had to share a room with her mother.  She was obsessed with the general, terrible state of the house and the germs; oh, and the mouse. If you haven’t watched Episode 1, I recommend it. And along with her university work, Jaime set out to get ready for the fight.  Her fight coach Monty Betham, a family friend, worked her very hard (with the television camera in her face a lot of the time). We saw her running up steep, grassy hills, punching hard into punching bags, throwing up from exhaustion and we saw her dieting in the stupidly, dangerous manner of eating and drinking nothing for two days, when she needed to lose a lot of weight in just a short time before weigh-in.

It annoyed me that the TV series showed this starvation diet. I’m hoping Jaime’s obviously distresed state will deter others. Worse was that she was on a weekend away with her mother, up the mountains in Queenstown, a place where you need to be well hydrated; even if you are just sulking and hiding away inside a ski hut.  Sally’s, “Oh my gosh, that’s crazy… it’s pure starvation”  comment but lack of any action must have had many women screaming at their television sets, “do something Sally, don’t just make empty comments”.  Even though Jaime’s an adult I was surprised at Sally’s casual attitude to what looked to be fast becoming a medical emergency. Throughout most of the series Jaime looked pale and got upset and tearful easily; well that’s what the tv cameras showed us and no doubt it was only half of what really happened. Just having the camera in your face for weeks on end, even following you to the bathroom when you are ill, must have been like a very horrible nightmare.

The no surprise ending to the series (as the fight took place in July) showed the fight, where Rosanna comes out punching and flailing her arms everywhere and Jaime takes aim well, defends well, takes out each of the three rounds and wins the fight.

No matter how much you love or hate Jaime or Sally (the mother who thrusts her quieter daughter into the limelight at every opportunity, along with herself, of course), you have to admit Jaime has come a long way.  Maybe her latent sporting genes played a part in helping her respond to heavy training through exhaustion; she trained hard, her coach pushed her and encouraged her and she won.

Congratulations have to go to Monty Beetham. He was charged with getting Jaime fight fit. He did it, she learned technique as well, trained hard and she won. There was lots of praise on twitter after the final episode screened.

So what’s the contention I have with Monty?

In part 2 of “The Ridges” there’s a conversation where Monty and Jaime talk about how he will train her. Jaime says for fitness she’s been doing Yoga and Vibra-Train.  The camera focusses on Monty as he tells us, “when she said her fitness regime consisted of yoga and vibra-train I was very worried”.

Why were you very worried, Monty?

Yoga and Vibra-Train together make up a very good fitness regime. I admit there’s very little cardiovascular work and that would need to be added to make up a balanced program but for flexibility, endurance, and muscle strength Yoya and Vibra-Train together are excellent. I watched Jaime increase in strength, lose fat and tone up during the time she was a regular client at Vibra-Train. In fact, I was one of her instructors.

 

I’m the Senior Instructor at Vibra-Train, Auckland City and I am personally offended when someone bags what I do. More so when they work in the same industry as I do (health and Fitness) and as well as working with the healthy clients and athletes they work with those who are less-abled, overweight and those with the life threatening condition of morbid obesity. This is my passion;  my job is not simply weekly paid employment, it’s what I love to do.

Vibration Training on high energy lineal machines, using an effective Safety Program, is the perfect tool for muscle strength for almost everyone. It’s used also for therapy and rehab purposes. Fat-loss happens as a result of increasing the metabolism and by developing and maintaining muscle strength.  I see lives changed as people grow stronger, fitter and in many instances lose a lot of fat. I count myself amongst those who have gained incredibly from this methof of training.

I’m so over other trainers saying negative things about Vibra-Train and Vibration Training when they have not even been into a studio to check it out. They’ve never even done a 15 minute session!

These trainers are, in my opinion, exceedingly lazy!  They speak against something they know nothing about. And what’s worse, is when a trainer that is good at what they do and well respected speaks out against a training method they know nothing, zilch, zero about.  This can be seriously off-putting to people who are considering trying vibration training for fitness and could, (at worst but quite possible scenario) prevent a seriously obese person approaching Vibra-Train to ask for FREE training to save their life.

So what do you have to say in reply, Monty?

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Posted in Benefits, Experiences, health, Other, Programs, Studio, Vibra-Train, Vibration Training

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