I’ve written before about Teneka Hyndman. She’s a multi-award winner at BodyBuilding shows in New Zealand and is currently in U.S.A. from where she’s just told us she won first place in the “Open Physique” class at the 2010 INBA Natural Universe competition. She’s soon off to Reno to take part in the “Natural Olympia”.
Teneka uses the high-energy lineral vibration machines at Vibra-Train as part of her extensive training program so it was very disappointing to see her endorse a low speed pivotal vibration platform, the Gymform VibroMax and take part in an infomercial just to earn a few dollars. The informercial is still current on New Zealand television and I cringe when I see it. I get phone calls at work and private emails asking me where to buy this machine and I want to simply say, “don’t!” but to be fair it does have some valid uses – it gently increases circulation and tickles the body; that’s about it! It doesn’t make users build muscle, gain amazing fitness and look like the models that are shown on the machines. All television advertorial exageration aside the presentation in this infomercial is very sad as it targets the very people who need help to gain fitness and often to lose large amounts of fat (weight-loss) but the only thing that’s going to get slimmer is their wallet. The same, identical machine, with a different brand name stamp on it, can be bought on auction sites and in clearance stores for less than 25% of the TV price.
When she did the advertorial, initially as a stand in for another fitness model who couldn’t make it that day, Teneka realised right away that the machine she was being filmed on and endorsing, as per the script, was totally different to the Vibra-Train ones she trains on three times a week. She tried at first to justify to herself and to others that maybe, just maybe, all vibration machines did the same job but she knew from the feel of the machine that this wasn’t true.
Now she’s come out and tells it like it really is:
Check it out here: http: Infomercial-fitness-instructor-spills-the-beans
A good place to get info is 
I wrote of how this auction seller of new cheaply made, low energy, pivotal machines advertised them in a manner that made them sound equal to high force Studio platforms and even said, ” don’t waste your money going to a studio”. They say that for benefits equal to working out for an hour at the gym all you need to do is STAND on the machine while you watch TV or listen to music”. Then you’ll get increased circulation (that’s partially true), increased metabolism and burn more calories both during your time on the machine and after. Well that last part is a big stretch, I can’t say it’s totally untrue but really? increased metabolism after standing (that’s standing not performing any exercise positions) on a machine that moves you up and down, slightly see-saw style about 12 times a second? Maybe if you weigh over 400 pounds it might be a helpful start to movement.
We all know that advertisements contain hyperbole and infomercials are rarely to be believed but I’ve been told that this advertorial looks credible; being promoted by an obviously fit, slim, competition winning, personal trainer. In fact the whole advert is deceptive and it’s format lacks any integrity. It is aimed at people who need to lose weight and gain fitness and says this is possible by simply standing upright on the machine while watching television.
Sydney
Already this year we are seeing great results. This morning’s clients included a young triathlete who at first could not hold position on the level 2 machines and was particularly poor at the upper body poses ( tricep dip and push-up) but has grown in strength and holds perfect position for the whole 60-120 seconds and is now able to hold his body weight in a 60 second pull-up using the vibrating handlebars of the Vibra -Train machine.