What about the elderly? Do I really have to do a push-up?
Can obese person use a vibration machine? It’s hard exercise, right?
What about health problems like M.S, Diabetes, Asthma, and High Blood Pressure?
The phone rings at the Vibra-Train studio and these are among the questions asked. It seems amazing that people with the conditions I’ve listed can do hard; strength building exercise on a Vibration Platform so how is it possible?
Firstly, people with disabilities: It depends on what brand or type of machine they have access to and they must be diligent to make sure the vibration training/vibration therapy they get is going to be safe and effective. Lloyd Shaw, the owner and designer of Vibra-Train is always happy to be emailed or called for advice. I am also happy to take emails and if I don’t know the answer to your question, I will find out and always get back to you. I’ve trained people with varying disabilities, including missing limbs, and those with medical conditions and it’s exciting to see the good results we get.
Older people come into the Vibra-Train studio where I work and they use the machine that has side handlebars so that they are well supported in the squat positions. This machine is a little lower to the ground than the other machines so it’s also easier to step onto and again to step off. It’s important to move slowly and carefully around the machines including when kneeling and getting up again.
And the push-up? Yes older people can do the push-up position. It’s not as scary as it sounds as there’s no up and down movements but simply holding a push-up position while the machine does the work. If customers, of any age, are uncomfortable kneeling we have an alternative standing push-up position, again, using the platform that has side handlebars.
Pivotal Vibration Machines…
Many of these can be bought for home use; can be a useful aid for older people but it’s essential to check out machine reviews first though to ensure you are buying a suitable, premium quality product. This type of vibration, which has a see-saw movement, helps with mobility and reduces lower back pain by gently (beware: only if it’s a high quality machine) relaxing the pelvic region including the hips and lower back.
Obese people can most definitely use a vibration machine. The Vibra-Train brand was designed for you! This brand of machine has bio-mechanical markers (exact and obvious places to put feet, hands, knees etc) and while these markers are for everyone, they make it so much easier for bigger people to get into perfect position and to hold that position for the 60 seconds required. Other machine brands can also be used, of course. I recommend asking questions about the machine and to ensure you get an instructor who is competent to help you.
Contra-indications…
There are very few contra-indications to vibration training; the primary ones being pregnancy, having an active cancer condition, and having a heart pace-maker. Other health concerns including diabetes and high blood pressure are not contra-indications but it’s important to be honest on your first visit, filling out the Introduction and Health questionnaire accurately so that the Instructor is aware of your medical condition and can give any special instructions needed. Injuries are rarely a problem and when noted on the questionnaire allow the Instructor to pay special attention to that area ensuring you get excellent training that also aids in recovery of the injury.
A FINAL CAUTIONARY NOTE: With any exercise facility be it a gym, fitness club, or vibration training studio you must be sure that the equipment provided, the program of exercise positions, and the instruction given is excellent in quality and designed for the purpose of giving you, the customer, an ongoing work-out experience that gives great results and does no harm. The proficiency of the Instructor is essential to ensuring you get a great first experience and ongoing supervised training. Ask lots of questions.
It wasn’t enough for my son and me though. Flying in with an early morning arrival time we picked up a pre-booked rental car and headed for the mountains. Hoping to ski at Mt Hutt we were a little disappointed when looking up snow conditions on my son’s new Google phone we read that Mt Hutt was closed due to inclement weather. Porter Heights was open so hoping it would remain so we drove on.
Kea, New Zealand alpine parrot, were interesting to watch. They are curious, intelligent birds who have almost no fear of humans so they sit on your car pecking at edges of paintwork or rubber, or demolishing your windscreen wipers right before your eyes. I was told they have a habit of rolling stones down the iron roof of mountain huts and so keeping trampers awake at nights.
I’ve only had one woman tell me she has increased libido since she came to 
When asked about weight-loss I prefer to say that vibration training has great toning effects. It’s intense though short sessions cause the body to use up large amounts of energy. It definitely feels like exercise and leaves the user tired but with a great, after-exercise “buzz”. After about 3 weeks (maybe 10 sessions) women see results; the bathroom mirror becomes a friend rather than enemy as a sideways glance shows shape changes. I’ve had customers complain that their expensive designer jeans no longer fit well yet the scales aren’t showing any major weightloss yet. For me, that’s the most exciting time; being able to say that a customer has gained muscle and so has gained strength, improved their overall fitness, looks brighter, feels better and the list goes on.