Posts Tagged ‘Safety Program’

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The Vibration Training Safety Program

March 28th, 2010

It’s essential to use the right program with your vibration machine.  In Vibra-Train studios we use the Vibra-Train Safety Program.  This program is also used in many other brands of studios worldwide.   It gives a full body workout in a very safe and effective way and it’s simple to follow with full step by step instructions.  The program is specifically designed for use with lineal (upright) vibration machines but it can be used (adapted slightly) with pivotal machines also.

If you have a home machine this is a great program to use.  Really you can’t go wrong if you make the effort to follow the step by step instructions and never take shortcuts when getting into position.

I’ve written this short post after reading a blog by a PowerPlate P.R. person who recommends some positions that I consider unsafe depending, of course, on how high force the machine is that’s being used. On PowerPlate they can get away with it as the machines are medium force but please be aware and always use a mat if any body part other then the feet is in contact with the machine platform.

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Does Vibration Training really work?

March 4th, 2010

Checking the statistics for my website this is the term most searched for.  So I could simply answer, YES,  it really does work  but that doesn’t really answer the question does it?

Does Vibration Training work for _ _ _ _ ? You, the reader, need to insert the missing word here.

I’m so passionate about Vibration Training and what I see on a daily basis as an Instructor that I’m inclined to say YES, YES, whatever missing word you insert, Vibration Training works  BUT, in reality, I’m not so naiive.  I’ve even heard a lady ask if doing Vibration Training will cure her body of cancer.  She seemed to think that the vibrations might re-set her body onto a healing path.  Alas, no, while her theory sounds good there are some things that Vibration Training cannot do or if it does we are not willing to take the risks involved to find out.  Vibration Training is not recommended for people with active cancer as it improves blood circulation throughout the whole body and while that carries nutrients it also possibly increases the risk of spread of disease.

Vibration Training is also not recommended for people with pacemakers.  This is in line with keeping away from electro-magnetic currents.  I know the machines I work with at Vibra-Train have sheilded motors, nevertheless this is an industry safeguard so we simply don’t these people to use the machines.  And we don’t allow women who are pregnant to use the machines, not that we have any evidence that it’s dangerous but we simply don’t know.

So, leaving aside these known contra-indications and all the short-term reasons not to train (like influenza, recent surgery, recent broken bones) I can confidently say, Vibration Training is great, it works!

But again, it works for what?

Firstly what do you want to achieve? Is it gentle stimulation of a previously injured body part?  Is it muscle strength and power?  Is it speed or endurance to help with your next sports event? Is it general fitness and feeling good?  Do you want to bulk up yet strip off fat?  Are you a busy mother wanting to simply lose a few pounds of weight and increase your sense of well being?

Your results are determined by various factors -  including the type and quality of the machines you use and the program of positions you use on the machines.  I recommend the Vibra-Train Safety Program for use with lineal (upright) machines in studios and at home.  It can be difficult to do some of the poses if you are using a small, low to the ground home model but as far as possible you can follow the program and I am happy to help with any questions.  An essential accessory for home (and studio) machines is a rubber mat to place onto the machine platform to protect hands, elbows, and sometimes even the feet from the rough or bubbly surface that machines have and to assist with grip and placement.  To choose the right machine type or brand and when deciding to buy a home machine or to use a specific vibration studio or possibly a machine in your local gym or health studio I advise people to get all the information they can get before committing your money.  Read the relevant articles on my website and others and ask lots of questions of salespeople, then check their answers against what you already know and as trite as it sounds, use common sense.  If the claims are beyond belief, they are most likely, untrue.

Then it’s up to you – Follow the safety program three times a week or maybe twice if you already have an intensive weights program that you use.  Eat sensibly without going into excesses of dieting or supplementation.  Your results will be exciting, make sure you track them by a diary entry or a short note in a notebook.

Yes, Vibration Training works – It works very well. Making it work is up to you, the reader, by choosing the right equipment for your needs, following an excellent whole body vibration training program, and being dedicated to your workout sessions.  You can even get away with pizza for dinner occaisionally.

Links: Vibra-Train Safety Program, Vibration-Training-Advice

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Posted in Experiences, Programs, Vibration Training, Women

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Position Position Position

February 8th, 2010

A reminder to all users of Vibration Machines - Being in Perfect Position on the machines for the whole time period is ESSENTIAL to achieving great results.

In fact you could be wasting both your time and your money if you settle for anything less.  The very people who grumble that “it’s too hard to keep in position” are the same ones also grumble when they don’t see the results they are expecting.

No, it’s not “too hard”, but it is “hard” and that hard work pays off with excellent results.  I don’t know of anyone who can’t do the Vibra-Train Safety Program correctly (we are able to assist those with disabilities of course).

Trainers need to take note: It is not cruel or mean to insist that your clients do the workout program exactly.  They are paying to work-out hard and to get great results!  In Vibra-Train studios we remind customers that the sign over the door says Vibra-Train not Vibra-Massage.

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New Year – Back to Vibration Training Part 2

January 19th, 2010

Who are our Customers?

Happy People JumpingOver the Christmas weeks the Vibra-Train studio where I work remained open each day with  short hours in the morning and afternoon so customers were able to continue their training  sessions.  Many took advantage of this and have continued through into the New Year.  Others went on holiday or had time off their training to be with family.  This group included many mothers as Christmas/New Year coincides with 5-6 weeks of junior school holidays in New Zealand.  Some of these moms have returned to the studio now; some bringing their children along and I’ve found them all to be very well behaved; the children that is, the moms don’t always do as they are told!

Most of our customers who work in local businesses and come to train in their lunchhour have returned along with those who train before or after work and students who come on  their way to university.  I’ve heard many grumbles that “it’s hard” but the grumbles are usually accompanied with laughter as customers know the first few sessions back show some de-training after only two or three weeks off.

New customers this year already include just about every age group and sector of society.  I’ve noticed an increase in athletes and sports people who have chosen Vibration Training as one of their training methods.  Some new customers are not new to Vibration Training but have moved house and now live in our area.  Most are familiar with our safety program as they’ve been regular at other Vibra-Train studios or studios that follow the Vibra-Train program.

Just a few customers from other vibration studios have needed extra instruction to learn the Vibra-Train Safety Program.  These customers find their body and minds at first rejecting the new ways but they always have opportunity to ask questions, to learn why we do the positions as we do and it takes only two visits before they start seeing the benefits.  One older couple who are very fit and were experienced with vibration training are now so happy, almost ecstatic with the benefits they’re getting from a slight change to the program they’d beeen using.

All customers are being thoroughly watched over this month.  Even though training is always supervised long-term, regular customers can get slightly out of position as they strive to workout harder while their body responds by trying to cheat and make it easier to hold the positions.  Little tweaks to get back into perfect position mean better results.

It’s been a fun start to what’s going to be an amazing year.

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Posted in Benefits, Studio, Vibra-Train, Vibration Training

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Is your Workout still Working?

November 6th, 2009

Vibration Training, on high quality, high force machines, is quite different from other exercise in that it never gets easier.  Quite the opposite, as I tell new customers, the more you relax and maintain the perfect position for each of the poses the more the effect that the vibrations have.

bullet basic squatIt doesn’t get easier but it does become “comfortable”.  Customers who come in to Vibra-Train’s Auckland City Studio regularly, two or three times a week, sometimes find that they can work through the program fairly easily and they are  getting great benefits but mentally they crave for a change or a challenge.  Other customers continue week after week and get ongoing results; with moans and groans about how hard the program is.  These aren’t looking for a change or challenge but they get it anyway.

Customers of other brands of machines and those with home machines often find that they plateau; they barely maintain their fitness gains and no longer make any real progress.  This is a problem and not always as easily solved.

So, is your vibration workout still working as well as you want?  How can you take it to the next level?

For Vibra-Train customers, we encourage them to “mix it up a bit”.  That is, we direct them to do the program on a different machine to the one they “always” use.   As we have distinctly different models of machine within the same levels we can tell a customer to use a different model of machine.  They will be working at the same vibration force level but their body is “shocked” by having to respond to a machine with a slightly different “feel”.  This simple change can bring about increases in fitness and muscle strength.

If a customer is proficient in keeping perfect position throughout the program including the two minute Super-Squat and wants to advance we can move them up to the Force Level 3 Machine or above that to the Sports Level 5 platform.

Another option for customers wanting to extend their training (and again they must be able to hold perfect position) is to extend the time for some positions from 60 seconds to 120 seconds/2 minutes.  There is no inbetween; it’s straight up to double time!  This can be done firstly in position 1, the Basic Squat and later in other positions.

http://www.dreamstime.com

This increase in time can also be a way that users of other brands of machine and home users might be able to push through a plateau and get further benefits but it is also dependant on the force and quality of the machine being used.

More is Not the answer to all things in Vibration Training and we know that more often “Less is More” – - that is, customers get better fitness and muscle build using a short (10-15 minutes), intense (60 second positions) program on a high force lineal platform (Vibra-Train is the best), three times a week rather than a longer time (30min), short period of 30 second poses, or dynamic movement positions on other machines.

I’ve had new customers come into the studio where I work and tell me of the programs they’ve done at other vibration studios where the machines are lower force than the ones we have.  Some are, at first, incredulous that they will get a really good workout when they see our short, intense program but, as I always promise them, they leave quite exhausted and return a few days later very happy at their change of provider.

I do wonder, if the results they were getting elsewhere were so good, why did they even try us?

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Good Business means letting customers do what they want – NOT!

October 15th, 2009

It’s been an interesting morning here at the Vibra-Train studio where I work.   I started the day excited in anticipation of the many early morning customers I expected but alas, it’s raining and the “before work”, 7am rush didn’t quite happen.  Instead customers have come in steadily throughout the morning and the studio has been full and happily busy.

Regular customers become “addicted” to the sessions; the rain doesn’t stop them. One of the best points about our fast, effective, 10-15 minute workout; it can be easily fitted into a busy routine.  Newer people sometimes take extra days off but then come back saying they missed their workout and felt sluggish through the day and, of course, rain sees more cars on the road, slows the traffic and people find themselves short on time before work.

This morning has been a little difficult for me as an instructor.  I’ve been very strict on one customer ensuring he gets into and remains in perfect position on the machines.  A discussion with another customer to clarify aspects of her special-needs program left her annoyed and feeling that I was being unhelpful.  She will talk with my boss and I have his full backing.

Good pre-workout food

Good pre-workout food

A customer came in at 8am for her second session and I asked if she’d had breakfast.  She told me no but she’d had lots of water and taken tablets to enhance fat metabolism.  There’s a strict rule here -” no food = no workout” – and there’s good reason for this.  The short, sharp, 60-second positions on the machine uses up blood sugars very quickly with no time for the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose and send it into the blood.  I explained to her again the reasons she must eat before her workout then with rain pouring down and knowing she’d made the effort to come in I let her do just the first few positions and the anti-cellulite massage but not the whole program.  We have a cafe a few shops away but this customer needed to get to work whereas some people are very happy at my suggestion they go off for a coffee and muffin and then return for their workout session.

Add in regular instruction of customers and supervising those who know the program well; many phone calls with questions from people who want to come in for their first, free, trial visit, explaining to them that they MUST eat before their session; ensuring customers of neighbouring businesses don’t use our carparks (on a wet day customers need them rather than having to walk up from roadway parking spaces) and all the regular tasks that make up my job.

This is the sort of work day I enjoy; not the small difficulties although I have learnt to be very strict as customers are paying for a quality program and it’s my place to ensure they get it, but the happy busy-ness of a full studio and seeing customers getting amazing results.

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Monkey Business

October 1st, 2009

monkeyIt’s been said that a monkey could be trained to be a Vibration Training Instructor.  So does that mean instructors don’t ever have to think?

Not at all!  The statement that a monkey could be taught to instruct reflects the simplicity of the 1-2-3-4 steps that are necessary to get into each position on the machine.

Push Up:

  1. Kneel in front of unit.
  2. Place hands on outside edge of mat.
  3. Drop pelvis so a straight line is made between knees and shoulders.
  4. When machine starts, drop body halfway towards plate.  Make sure hands are in line with chest, not shoulders.
  5. Look down towards knees (very important) as looking up even for a second can cause stress to neck area.
  6. Hold pose and relax for duration of exercise.

The Instructor’s job begins before the customer ever gets near the machine.  For a newcomer there’s the pre-training health screen to be filled in and discussed, then a quick introduction to vibration training before the customer begins their session.  Regular customers get a greeting and a quick catch up if they haven’t been in for a while.

It’s very important that customers tell the instructor of any injuries or health concerns they have so the instructor can be vigilant in watching over them in poses that might impact on those areas; if necessary correcting them or even moving them to an alternate version of the position, or to another machine.   An example of this is using a machine with side handle bars for support when a customer has a knee injury; when using the Safety Program the position, known as “Ski the Slopes” (the position resembles a skier going downhill) replaces the regular “Super Squat”.  Using side handle bars allows the customer with knee injury to maintain perfect position and get full benefit from training.  With a perfect 110° vibration training squat they are helping their knees to heal and their core to strengthen.

So could a trained monkey work as a vibration training instructor? Just to assist most customers into correct position, the answer would have to be, yes!

One big difference between a trained monkey and a good instructor is the ability to ensure customers with special needs get the attention they need and so get all the benefits of vibration training or therapy without risk.  I doubt a monkey is able to do this.  In the future will we see studios with just one human instructor and a staff of intelligent androids?

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www.vibration-training-advice.com

September 28th, 2009

Remember to visit the industry’s new Vibration Training Advice Website:

www.vibration-training-advice.com

There’s articles for consumers, about studios, types of machines and exercise positions. Also lots of vibration training advice about buying a machine for home use, and a section dedicated to Instructors and Studio owners.

There’s also a discussion forum where questions can be asked to clarify what’s written in the articles or for special information needed.

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Posted in Benefits, Brands, Experiences, Industry, Lineal, Marketing, Pivotal, Programs, Vibration Training, Women

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Older Women and Vibration Machines with Side Handle Bars

August 14th, 2009

It feels like spring in New Zealand as the air temperature has risen and we’ve had blue skies this week.  Alas, it’s only August and there’s more cold and wet weather ahead before we get to enjoy the long balmy days of summer.

This week has seen an lot of newcomers coming into the studio for their first free trial visit and some of these have been older women.  These women tell me their reasons for coming in; improved mobility, fat-loss, fitness and general well-being.  Some say they want to ensure their bones remain strong and prevent osteoporosis.  It’s exciting to get these women into the studio as they are usually not sports oriented but have lived active lives and now having slowed down a little they recognise the need to rebuild fitness or they simply want to keep the muscle strength they already have.

Ski The Slopes Vibra-TrainI feel privileged to work for Vibra-Train as we have a vibration platform that’s perfect for these women to use.  It’s called the Vibra (or Vibra-Train) and as well as the platform having upward vibration it has vibrating  side handlebars.  This machine’s handlebars were specifically designed for people who find it difficult to hold a 110 degree angled squat position.  By holding the side handlebars users are able to push down with their arms to take some pressure off the quad muscles (the thighs) while  more easily holding their body in the correct squat position.  » Read more: Older Women and Vibration Machines with Side Handle Bars

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I know it all now – yeah right!

July 1st, 2009

dreamstimefree_698447In New Zealand we have a saying – It’s “Yeah Right!” It means “No, I do not agree!” and it’s used in a humorous or satirical manner.   A favourite of mine is when students tell their teachers, “I’ve been studying all summer”.  The repy is, “Yeah Right!”  Or when your partner says, “of course I’ll clean up the flat” when you know he’s going to be watching the match on TV all afternoon.  We laugh and say, “Yeah Right!”  New Zealand’s Tui Breweries has run a very sucessful billboard campaign using the “Yeah Right” slogan.

So, of course, the title of this article is a joke!

I’ve been reminded this week of how little I actually know; how much there still is to learn.  I’ve learnt how to put customers through the Safety Program correctly, making sure they get into perfect position and correct as necessary so they stay in position and get all the benefits the training gives.  I’ve updated the knowledge needed to assess a new customers needs based on their answers to medical and injury questions on the Health Screen they complete when they first come into the studio.  I’ve worked with customers to achieve great results ranging from fat-loss and fitness gains to injury recovery, core strength and more.

Yet each day I come across a situation I am tested in.  A customer with knee pain, a customer who feels faint during the program, children who find it difficult to play quietly and instead try to run about the studio; these are the simple conditions I deal with each day.  The more difficult ones like medical conditions that might affect how a customer copes with the vibration training program or how they are affected afterwards, things like auto-immune conditions, then I am able to ask for help from Lloyd Shaw, who is my boss and the owner and developer of the Vibra-Train brand of machines.  All the Vibra-Train studios have the same access to help and even other brands of vibration machine owners call from all around the world to get advice in specific situations.

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