We often talk about the different machine types and brands available and the Vibra-Train difference.

I worked on Sunday, and two new customers had specific back injuries that required me to make decisions about their ability to follow the standard safety program.  I have the option of giving them fully assisted (side vibrating handlebars) squats so that their lower back, hips, knees and ankles have even more support and allowing them work through the whole program; or, if necessary, they can do only the side handlebar assisted squats, that’s if their medical condition or severity of injury suggests they will be unable to do the regular program.

I have to make the choice.  I’ve gained experience in this and I can always refer back to Lloyd Shaw, the owner of Vibra-Train if I am really unsure but he expects me to be competent in this by now.  Sometimes I wait and and then decide  from how well they handle Position 1 – The Basic Squat – getting them to use the side handlebars instead of front ones, but even before that very first first position, I’ll be thinking and deciding as they’ve filled in a questionaire and we’ll have discussed their health or injury concerns.

Confidence is the thing -  I can make the right decisions for these customers.  I can decide if they can follow a Training program or is they need to start with Vibration Therapy.  It’s really not hard to decide!  I err on the side of caution but I don’t want to send a customer away disappointed because they could have done more.

So, yesterday’s customers – one had a severe lower back problem and had expected to have surgery but was declined by our national accident insurance system.  Despite her injury being the result of an accident there was an element of degenerative plus overuse issues.  She was hoping her private medical insurance would help pay for the needed surgery and told me she was currently unable to lift up and carry her 18 month old toddler.  It was quickly obvious that she was not able to work through the full program so she did a simple set of side handlebar assisted squats and will come back in few days to tell us how she felt afterwards and then we may increase what she does – She did Vibration Therapy.

The other customer with lower back and knee pain arrived later in the day.  Her injuries resulted from years of working in childcare squatting on the floor while she played with children and picking them up from the ground.  I thought she would be able to do the full Safety Program using the side handlebars for support in the squat positions.  Then as my boss walked into the studio I decided to ask his advice.  Lloyd (my boss) took over and put the customer through the program and I observed.  She did the full program – Vibration Training. I noticed she was putting her body weight onto her toes not balanced onto heels and toes.  This was what was causing her back and knee pain as it was the way she regularly squatted down when playing with young children.  Lloyd pointed this out to her and told her how much she would benefit from the Vibra-Train Safety Program; with an instructor supervising her sessions she would quickly learn to keep her heels down and take the pressure off her knees, also keeping her back neutral and relaxed.

I love it when I see Vibration Training giving such benefits that will change a young person’s life so dramatically. I’m excited to be able to watch this new customer’s progress.

I also enjoy travel – usually this is just a quick weekend away; an “escape” from home and work and all the stresses of daily life.  A two or three day weekend out of town is excellent for relaxation, for trying new activities, going to a show, or sightseeing.

Last weekend I was in Sydney where I went to a show, “West Side Story”, and did some shopping.  It wasn’t really a rest travelling from Auckland early Saturday and back Sunday night but it was a very much needed break.

So where do Vibration Machines feature in my short weekends away?

There’s the increased fitness and strength to power me through up to 24 hours from when I get up at 3am until I get to bed in Sydney the following night.  With a two hour time difference and lots to do and see I can be active for a very long time with my only rests being the waiting time at Auckland International Airport and onboard the aircraft for three hours.  Once I arrive it’s all go!

The Vibration Training benefit I appreciate the most when I travel is that of increased circulation. I try to train immediately before I travel, at least the afternoon before.  Then I can sit for long periods of time without discomfort in my legs and my risk of d.v.t. is decreased.  I try to stand up at least once during a 3 1/2 hour flight but having a window seat can prevent this; it’s easier to stay put than clamber over two other people to stand.

If I have travelled over three hours by car or aircraft my first stop apon arrival is the local Vibra-Train or VibroGym Vibration Training Studio.  There I work through the Safety Program which again gets my blood circulation stimulated and my mind alert and ready to go (Shopping !)

Unfortunately The Vibra-Train studio in Sydney is too far out of town to visit on a weekend trip and there’s no alternative.  I hope that one day we’ll see High-Force, Lineal Vibration Machines available for use at Airports with Instructors to guide travellers through the session.  Premium Speed Pivotal machines would also be useful as they can be used to mimic the natural walking gait and relieve the backache that comes with long periods of immobility.

So here’s a business idea that someone might want to run with – a Vibration Training Studio within an airport complex – There’s certainly enough people about to make it commercially viable if the owners do the setup right and provide suitably experienced Instructors to work with customers.

It’s no good criticising a person who is obese, that solves nothing!  How they got that way isn’t the issue. We do need to look at the causes and move to prevention but for those already obese, they need help to lose fat and regain control over their lives.

Last night I watched a New Zealand TV documentary about the need to provide stomach stapling operations.  They have a high sucess rate and are life-saving for manyof the people who have them.  The program profiled some of the people who are unable to get this operation because they live in parts of New Zealand where the district health board does not provide it and no matter how much they plead neighbouring health boards will not agree to help them.  This “sucks!”; to use a local slang term. These people are not able to get the potentially life saving help they need.

Well I have some good news for people who need help to lose fat; all who are overweight, clinically obese (as I was just a few years ago), and those who have become morbidly obese – Vibration Training can help. It’s really effective as a start to exercise and then ongoing to provide strength and fitness.  Depending on the quality and type of machine used results vary and I recommend that people try to get into a specialised studio but not every area has Vibration Training studios.  Home machines though can be great as a start if you buy the right one and there’s lots of help and information available.

A good place to get info is www.vibration-training-advice.com There are many articles for consumers and also more detailed ones for those in the fitness or health industries and anyone who wants to understand more. There’s also a forum where questions can be asked so that info in the articles can be explained if needed.

Of course, my website also has many simple, short articles that provide entry level information.

Vibration Training is safe and effective for overweight and obese people.  It is however essential to get the help of a trainer who works with these machines or to learn about the positions and safety before using the machine at home.  Never be afraid to ask for help and don’t just rely on the page of instructions that may come with the machine you might buy.

For upright vibration/lineal machines the Vibra-Train Safety Program is the standard.  If the program is too difficult or a simpler start is wanted, the user can do an assisted squat, holding onto whatever handlebars the machine has, and simply repeat that position a number of times. It’s all about getting started, increasing blood flow and mobility.

For pivotal/see-saw motion machines there’s no standard program; the user can simply stand on the machine, perform a slight or deeper squat or other positions that they are able to hold.

Read the websites, ask for help and get started. Some Vibration Studios even offer sponsored or subsidised sessions for people with morbid obesity or other life-threatening conditions.  The first step can be just a phone call.

It’s been around two years since I’ve taken a weekday, morning trip to the local shopping mall, St Lukes, very close to Auckland City.  My mall visits are usually done late afternoon, evening or weekends but as I am off work for a few weeks I took the opportunity to visit the mall earlier in the day.

St Lukes was one of New Zealand’s first “all in one-place”  shopping centers and is alike to all the others, offering an overwhelming number of fashion clothing shops, cosmetic and personal needs stores, a few appliance and specialty stores and a food supermarket. And, of course, an abundance of cafe’s, small restaurants, and fast food outlets.  There’s plenty of choice with foods ranging from fries, cream buns, and iced cupcakes to sushi or healthy kebabs, egg based dishes or steak and salad on flat bread. There’s whipped cream topped hot chocolate (a very yummy occaisional treat) through to trim lates and freshly made fruit juices.

There’s a buzz at the mall and a pervasive sense of wanting to buy “stuff”. I’m reminded of a childrens Veggie Tales movie about the “Stuff Mart” and how we are entreated to buy “stuff” no matter if we need it or not.  In fact, even my home is filled with a lot of unecessary “stuff” and I’m not easily swayed by advertising.

But back to the reason for this post: There are so may FAT people at the mall.

Don’t take offense; it’s a statement of fact, not judgement BUT I wanted to grab a lot of them and shake some sense into them, not that it would have helped; there’s plenty of education and help available.

What I noticed was families; gran, mother and children; and friends together eating huge iced, creamed buns, sweet cakes and slices, the worst brands of burgers and fries, along with fizzy drinks. The people sitting at these cafes were noticeable by their size, they were obese!

I know I’ll get told I am being unfair on those who chose to have a treat that day but walking past those fast-food outlets and cafe’s I had lunch at Coffee Club where healthier, yummy choices are available. I ordered freshly made  pizza and drank my previously bought miso soup. Pizza is high in calories but it’s toppings were chicken, feta, tomato, olives, a little bacon and minimal pizza cheese; healthy foods with excellent nutrient value, unlike the carbs and sugar laden, nutrient deficient foods I saw so many people eating.

I’m left wondering how we can educate and help people when they choose against all recommendations.

I find it easy to overeat and that’s mostly on “good” foods and so, for me, diet (what I eat, not what I don’t) and exercise is very important.

Walking, swimming, playing ball with children or the dog are all excellent, fun choices for cardiac health and general fitness.  Using hand weights (or assisted weight machines) or  Vibration Training on high quality machines, in a vibration studio, fitness or beauty centre, or at home, is the other part of the fitness equation helping to build muscle and strength which then uses up more calories to maintain.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive.  Simple exercise isn’t expensive.

Choosing to eat right and exercise – too hard for some.

There’s a short abstract plus a link to the full (purchase) version of the study.  I haven’t got the full version yet but the results are mind boggling – in a very good way!

Vibration Training on high force lineal or, as in the study, on medium force lineal Vibration Machines is very effective in achieving fat loss.  Dietary help was also given to participants in the study and I’m sure everyone agrees, what we eat greatly affects our health and weight.  We need the right nutrients to build muscle and to assist in burning fat during and after exercise.

What’s even more exciting than the statement “Vibration Training reduces Fat” is that visceral (or belly) fat reduced the most in the Vibration Training plus Diet group compared with the Fitness plus Diet group.

I wrote an article about this study in May, 2009 when the first press release was out:

Public release, 8th May, 2009, by the European Association for the Study of Obesity, an association established in 1986 and now with 2500 health professionals from 29 member countries, on the results of a controlled study performed at the Artesis University College and the University of Antwerp in Belgium states: vibration exercise machines may help you lose weight and trim the particularly harmful belly fat from the organs. Participants of the study who were part of the vibration training group lost 11% of their body weight and retained their loss at 10.5% after 12 months. They lost an amazing 47 square centimeters of visceral fat maintaining that loss at the final follow up.

The answer is No, we don’t allow pregnant ladies to train at Vibra-Train.  We also don’t recommend using your home machine, of any type or brand, while pregnant.

There’s no definitive reason for this and no long-term studies on any possible risks  to the mother and baby of  controlled whole body vibration exposure with exercise during pregnancy – it’s not something most people would be happy to test so our information comes from exposure to vibration in industrial settings, workplaces etc. where the vibration exposure often exceeds guidelines and has been indicated to be of possible risk.  We just can’t compare industrial vibration to the fully controlled vibration used with exercise but we must list pregnancy as a contra-indication to vibration training and vibration therapy as we simply don’t know what risks or problems it could possibly cause.

A question is sometimes asked by customers who plan to become pregnant. They ask if it’s okay to keep using the vibration machines.  The answer is, Yes, in fact it is recommended to continue with exercise to increase your strength and fitness.  Just stop as soon as pregnancy is confirmed. We have had customers not know they were pregnant for a few months and they had no detrimental effects but we do insist you stop training, right away, when you know.  We do not allow you to continue.

My goal was to increase my strength and overall well-being before the winter cold and rain hits New Zealand.  Also to lose some fat, maybe some weight.  I’ve got good muscle mass, not that I’ll complain if I build more – it supports the bones and also increases one’s metabolic rate = more fat calories burnt each day.

I’m using the Vibra-Train Safety Program, the one I know so well and instruct customers in every day.  I’ve been precise about position and obeyed the rules by always following the step-by-step instructions for getting into perfect position.  Then maintaining that “perfect position” for the 60 seconds of each pose – for me that’s the hard part.

Every time I train I’m strict on myself,  just as I am on customers, to ensure a safe and effective workout but if I slow down and are very precise I find areas where I can improve.  There’s the times I transfer weight onto my toes (cheating to get away from the burning feeling in the quads) whilst doing squat positions on the machine.  This is, I know, a natural response to it being hard work (your body pulls away from situations that hurt) but it stops me getting the best muscle response which is by targetting the girth of the muscle. I’ve been correcting myself, it’s a situation where “stress” (in the quad muscles and in my perception of pain) is there to give a good result.  Remember that stress is not bad, it’s how we respond to it that creates positive or negative results.

It’s taken me just two weeks, that’s six sessions, to feel stronger and that I could push myself even harder.  It’s not that I haven’t trained for a long time but I’d taken two weeks off then had another two weeks where I’d trained only once a week as I felt unwell otherwise.  We do not allow people to use the machines while they have active infection.  Also it’s been a long, hot summer, perfect for relaxing and beach walks and too hot for serious exercise.

I’m now at the end of week 3 and I’m doing great.  I’ve increased my vibra-training to two days on and one day off, a pattern that is okay for two weeks only as it overloads the muscles to serious fatigue.  Any longer and there’s the risk of overtraining and muscle breakdown instead of building.

Vibration Training is a form of resistance training so to balance that I’ve added in some extra cardio work, more than my usual walk home or along the seaside,  I’ve been using a stationary exercise bike and a treadmill.  Twenty minutes of incline walking at a comfortable pace on most days.

So, to my results:  We have a Body Composition Analyser in the Vibra-Train studio so after just three weeks I re-tested and yes, I have lost some weight.  More importantly I’ve lost fat and more important than that is that I’m feeling great, that is except for one annoying point; my new jeans are loose and are almost falling down.  My (also new) black work trousers are loose also. Can someone please buy me a belt?

I couldn’t say it better so click through if you are serious about losing some fat.

A tip for any Dumbass (and all you sensible types too): Vibration Training on high quality machines can be the easiest, fastest way to kick-start an exercise habit.  Of course I say “easy” in a rather “tongue in cheek” way as we all know that no real exercise is easy and the studio group that I recommend is Vibra-Train.

Note the name Vibra-Train, not Vibra-Massage.  It’s all good, really, anyone can do it, larger size is what this brand was originally designed for so you’ve got nothing to lose; well nothing except some fat (and you get strong, small, well formed muscles that support your bones and help you burn even more fat).

The Surgeon General, American Heart Foundation and those in other parts of the world, and many places like The American College of Sports Medicine have stepped in and given recommendations for exercise training, currently this is 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on all, or most, days of the week.  They promote active lifestyles and regular physical activity through advertising campaigns, newspaper articles and in schools and colleges. Despite this more than 60% of American adults are not regularly active and 40% are not active at all. (1999 report). Many who start sports or exercise programs do not continue past the first few weeks.   I used to see this when I working in a gym. People would sign up to a six month or year’s membership and then after a few weeks would ask for the ways (clearly stated on the forms they signed) to get out of the agreement.  They would say coming to the gym takes up too much time or it’s too hard and they simply don’t like it.  Sometimes  they were just being lazy but whatever the reason they were not going to continue, even if that meant paying a fee to break their contract early or having to continue paying and not attend.

Regular readers of my blog will know what I am going to say next but there’s no way I can not say it; Vibration Training is an excellent way to improve fitness, strength and overall health, almost everyone can do it, it’s time sparing, it’s hard work (why would you want it any other way?) and it’s just the most amazing, fun thing to do.  Girlfriends come into the studio and work out togther and have lots of laughs, some girl time-out (chatting), get to listen to the boss’s 80’s techno dance music (along with modern and older tracks as well), get told exactly what to do and how to act around the machines (this might sound harsh but it’s essential for an effective, safe workout) and while having all this fun they work out hard and gain so much.

Size, shape, age, and current level of fitness do not matter.  We get people who are dangerously obese (and that’s exactly the ones the Vibra-Train brand was initially set up for), those who are very fit athletes and just about everyone inbetween, including unfit and overweight teenagers.  For some it’s a very intense, personal training time, for others fun and hard work mixed together.  Either way, we get great results and adding in some walking, swimming or dancing gives a full balanced workout that exceeds recommendations.  For some Vibration Training is all that’s needed as their lifestyle gives enough movement for cardio benefits or they are unable to do other exercise.

The interesting thing is what happened to my body during the three weeks I stopped vibration training.

Yesterday I was using the B.C.A. (Body Composition Analyser) machine to get current body measurements for a customer and I decided to use the machine myself.  I saw right away that I’d lost just over 1kg in weight which in most people is not worth noting but as my weight had remained stable from early December through Christmas and to my previous B.C.A. test three weeks ago I was pleased.

Looking over the full printed results of my test I lost my joy completely.  Sure, I had lost over 1kg in weight but I had lost a full 2kg in muscle.  And I had gained 1kg in fat.

Without the B.C.A. machine my change in weight, even as little as 1kg when I struggle with weightloss, would seem to be a victory BUT knowing that three weeks of almost no vibration training had caused 2kg of muscle loss is upsetting.  The corresponding fat gain during a time I wasn’t eating much due to sickness even more upsetting.

The value of the B.C.A. machine showed more when looking at other results: My B.M.I had dropped slightly (looks good but is it?) It’s an outdated measurement that also didn’t show the correct picture as my Resting Metabolic Rate (B.M.R.) had dropped also.  That means that although I am now slightly less overweight I am not burning as many calories each day.

It’s not a good result at all!  A small Weight Loss that is actually a Time Bomb for Weight Gain of the worst sort – FAT.

Worse still, as I am mid-aged female, I would continue to lose muscle mass and bone density if I don’t go back to a resistance exercise program, be that Vibration Training or a weights program soon.  Today I am back into the Vibra-Train Safety Program and I’ll increase my protein intake so that I’ll soon gain back what I’ve lost.

I encourage all women to work-out using a high quality lineal (upright) Vibration Machine if available or at least buy some free-weights and a book similar to this “Strong Women Stay Young”.  Next time I am unable to use a vibration machine I’ll be looking in the back of the cupboard for my box of free-weights.