Posts Tagged ‘Users’

It’s Just Not Working!

November 20th, 2009

It’s just not working anymore!  This is what a regular customer told me last week when she came in for her vibration training session.

Starting six months ago, soon after I began working for Vibra-Train, this customer initially had exciting results.  She had a specific goal; fat-loss and toning, with increased overall strength and she found that vibration training, specifically using Vibra-Train lineal machines, really worked for her.  I looked forward to her studio visits and helping her train hard.

We’d chat about nutrition somedays and I often had to encourage her to eat more, not less, and help her understand that weightloss would not occur in a starvation situation, there being a huge difference in how the human body copes with calorie deficit compared with real calorie deficiency which was what she was doing and so causing her body to protect itself  by laying down fat stores rather than releasing fat to be used as part of her workout energy source.  All too often her energy “batteries” were empty.  But as we progressed this customer, who I’ll call Sue, gained strength, lost fat and a few dress sizes.  She told me how she was wearing designer jeans that she’d kept due to their cost but hadn’t been able to fit for three years.

A vacation with lots of eating-out and the long, hard winter in New Zealand bumped up Sue’s weight a little and she was expecting vibration training, which she’d kept on with three times a week except during her vacation time, to deal with it and get her back on-track and slimmed down for summer.  She wanted a body that would look amazing on the beach and she’d was working well toward it, restricting her calorie intake and occaisionally taking a walk.

dreamstimefree_10053288_questionSo what was going wrong ???

Sue had progressed so well in her ability to do the program that she did it alone while I instructed less able or newer customers.  She was supervised though, as are all our customers, and I corrected her positions occaisionally.  I also noticed that she’d dropped down to the level 2 machines whereas

» Read more: It’s Just Not Working!

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?

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?

What do I need to do to get the Best Results Possible?

August 5th, 2009

Customers have varying expectations for results from their vibration training sessions.  Some want generally improved fitness so they have the stamina and strength for everyday life.  Others use vibration training as an essential part of their sports or fitness training program.  Still others want to see fat-loss and maybe to have a bikini body by next summer.  And there are other motivations as well.

dreamstime_8762818 Upward ArrowRegardless of the reasons for coming to Vibra-Train there’s a secondary motive that makes a difference to results attained.  That motive is basically how much the person is prepared to push themselves (how much effort they will make) and how compliant they are to instructions.

As I’ve written in previous articles getting into and remaining in Perfect Position is non-negotiable.  We have ways to make it simpler for customers who really have difficulty and for those who just wont do it right, they also have to take those options.  The alternative positions, if you can call them that » Read more: What do I need to do to get the Best Results Possible?

How Soon will I see Results

August 5th, 2009

Abstract 3D Hourglass

This is a comonly asked question.  In fact it’s often one of the first questions people ask when they come for their first Vibra-Train session.

The answer depends on a few factors.

The first and main determining factor is the machine that will be used.  Then next is the program.  But let’s step back a little; It’s important to ask the customer what results they want to see.  Only then can I give an honest answer.  A very overweight guy who wants to see a six-pack by next week is simply dreaming!  Likewise the runner who’s worn her body down with overtraining and wants to regain fitness before her next event, two weeks hence.  She will see some improvement but there’s no miracle cure.

Now back to the machine being used. For muscle growth to take place the customer must use a high energy, lineal machine.  Other results are possible » Read more: How Soon will I see Results

Exercise before Breakfast? Cardio? Resistance? Vibration Training?

July 17th, 2009

Should I eat before I work-out?

It’s quite a common question and some books and websites encourage people to exercise before eating breakfast with the reasoning that their bodies will find the fuel needed from fat stores and so encourage toning and weightloss.

The problem with this is that the fat within cells is not a readily available fuel.  If no food has been eaten plasma glucose is rapidly used up and the body then moves to its secondary fuel source, glycogen, stored in the liver and muscles.  The process of coverting triclycerides from fat takes longer.

There’s strong opinion on both sides about going for a morning walk or easy run before eating because, basically, as long as you take it slowly you might be okay but when it comes to resistance exercise and vibration training there’s no argument about it –

You Must Eat before your session!

Vibration Training causes you to burn up loads of energy within each 60 second position on the machine.  Muscle contraction of this magnitude, using 100% of muscle fibres, needs fuel and it’s all too easy to become hypoglycaemic in an instant at any time during the program.  Some people feel a little dizzy or nauseous, others cope with the program with no apparent difficulty and then having thoroughly depleted their body’s supply of blood glucose symptoms hit them hard and fast with insufficient oxygen reaching the brain and they pass out.

heart sausages for lovely breakfastThis morning my first two customers at 6.30am were mother and son.  For the son on his fourth session he knew the rules – eat before coming in – but he hadn’t conveyed this to his mother and I made the mistake of forgetting to ask.

The mother was healthy and strong and had no trouble working through the program until she dropped straight into hypoglycaemia and fainted.  Even the sports drink I had on hand was insufficient to stop the brain fog she continued to experience afterwards.

It’s my responsibility as an instructor to ensure customers have eaten adequately before their session and today I failed in this – a lesson I hope I have now learnt well!


We’re in this together!

March 7th, 2009

The Vibration Training Industry is dis-jointed.  Brands and Studios set their business goals and work  hard to achieve a positive balance sheet at the end of the financial year and to further their business, keeping current customers happy and engaging new ones.  Some work to further public understanding and acceptance of Vibration Training, with or without strong advertising to “buy my brand”.  Some have the added job of designing new units and getting them into the market.  All good but what I see is that most do this alone.

Alone and opposing other Vibration Training companies often means turning a blind eye to the negatives that abound, » Read more: We’re in this together!

To my friends and family

January 22nd, 2009

Thanks for looking at my new site setup.  I’ve appreciated the feedback. It’s been suggested by some that I drop the Vibration Training theme and simply use the website as a blog, like an online diary, as many do.  That’s not going to happen.

My website and registered trademark VibePlus are specifically for promoting Vibration Training – it’s benefits as an exercise form for fitness and good health.  Also some related interests at times – nutrition, sports, other forms of exercise.  Comments about other subjects will be few but I will be posting articles about my own experience of Vibration Training – as a user of Vibration Machines and a sometimes Instructor.

Over two years I’ve proven how incredible the benefits of regular Vibration Training, using a safety program, can be and I’ve learnt a lot from that experience (and some study and lots of questioning) that I’m now able to share with others.  Teaching about and Instructing in Vibration Training is what I enjoy most.