Great article  on history.  Thanks Lloyd.

Enjoyed the article about the history of the industry that people need to know.  Keep these types of articles coming.

John Weatherly

Thanks guys. That all makes sense and matches up to my experiences so far. I know I will be asking more questions in the future if facing any sales pitch.

Hi Ian.  I would echo this.  I had a studio with Hypergravities , the biggest retail models available, and most people did see good results, but probably started to plateau after a few months.  Once we moved to VibraTrains our regular customers saw renewed increase in muscle growth and really noticed the difference in the machines effect.

  Customers that could hold a 2 minute supersquat on a Hypergravity really struggled with even a minute on the Vibra Trains at first.  We have also not reached any sense of a plateau as yet and cant see that happening. 

Ian, I am an Instructor working for Vibra-Train and before that a long-term customer so I can tell you of some Real-Life changes that people get using Vibra-Train brand machines.  These changes are for everyone regardless of age, starting fitness level, or body type as long as the person puts in the effort to train regularly and works with the instructor to ensure they maintain perfect position during the program.

The Vibra-Train difference is Muscle-Build!  Our customers get increased fitness, strength and conditioning, lose body fat (if that’s what their body needs as that self regulates somewhat), lose inches in measurements especially waist for women, better hormonal balance; again this is great for women, and more.  Some of these benefits can be gained from using other brands of vibration machines (in vastly varying degrees depending on the quality of machine and program) BUT

Muscle-Build is the Vibra-Train difference.  For women they build small, firm muscle that helps support their bones and, of course ,it looks great too.  Guys build up; firstly they notice increased size in quad muscles from perfectly held squat positions then upper body strength and muscle build.  They lose abdominal fat and cut up.

These results are visual but more importantly totally proven by B.C.A Machine (Body Composition Analyser, medical grade).  I encourage customers do this test when they first start vibration training and then after three months so they see proven results printed out.

I’ve even had endurance athletes complain about what they consider to be too much muscle build, eg, obvious change in quads.  We can work around this easily by training them on our regular force 2 machines and keeping them off the Sports level 5. 

Where else do you hear guys complain that they are getting more muscle and more power than they want?

... my apologies if this post seems rather like an advert. Im telling of what I see on a daily basis. Other companies are welcome to tell of their machines, program, and results ...

To Lloyd, I have read most of your work but did not really understand it until I had felt a few machines. Even though I have not managed to try one of yours yet I can imagine how they feel.  My question what is the real life difference in results you get, not just theory wise, in the different machine types. 

Just checking that my reasoning as to why we dont do it holds up. 

One of our local studios has been using weights and dumbbells with customers whilst on their machines.  These exercises include customers lying on their backs on the machines and lifting weights, doing squats and lunges holding weights and various others.  One of our customers who tried it had a headache for 4 days, after lying on his back on the machine and lifting weights with his arms.

 Inevitably though we are now getting the questions..." My friend lifts weights on the machines, will be able to?".   We are saying to our customers that the our machines exert such a force on the body that weights are not necessary, they will tend to be added to boost a less powerful machine's performance.  We would defy anyone to not be challenged to the point of total fatigue on our machines with no need for weights.  (We have Vibra-Trains BTW)  Also weights will throw the body out of perfect alignment which will add strain to knees, back and neck. Lying on one's back on the machine is most definitely a bad idea particularly when combined with weight lifting.

I just wondered whether people would agree or suggest times when using weights would be a good idea.  

Thanks Lloyd.  Once again your reasoning and experience make sense to me.

John Weatherly

A couple more studies in the Oct 23 JSCR on vibraiton.  DaSilva et al. looked at rest periods with vibration protocols while Ronestad found 50Hz a better fq for increasing 1RM strength.  Abstracts can be read at www.nlm.nih.gov,, click on PubMed, and type in "vibration training" as search terms.

John Weatherly

The JSCR study on the vibration bar is interesting like Lloyd mentioned about the fq.  The vibrating db GalileoVibraflex have uses lower fq I believe.

John Weatherly

Link doesn’t work.  Try this

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19834351?dopt=Abstract

Mike I here you, been tough keeping things going here as well but we are very passionate about what we do and take the training and supervision very seriously and it has paid off.  It came down to our business plan and Lloyd has mentioned this as well.  With a personal service business you had better take a serious look at time to profitability and know that it will take more than a few months to build loyalty and repeat business, we adjusted our plan from 2 to 3 years out although we may hit profitability a little sooner it still takes a decent period of time.

Brad, I would take Lloyd up on his offer.  FYI we use Vibrogym Pros just like Mike had before he got VibraTrain and yes I am very envious..but with the safety program, supervision and a personal committment even Vibrogym Pros have done a very good job.

Several more studies having to do with vibration were in the Oct issue of JSCR.  The abstracts can be read at www.nlm.nih.gov, click on PubMed, and type in "vibration exercise" as search words.

John Weatherly

P.S.  For some reason, I am not able to type in my last name to appear at the top on my post.  This is why I typed it following my post.

So what happened to Brad?

Typical, comes on the site all rip, shit and bust accusing people of all sorts of things then just disappears again!

Looks like brad will take another six months b4 he responds......

Brad

If you are upset about past events you can pick up a phone and discuss this or come into Vibra-Train’s City Studio and talk with Lloyd.  You were not singled out in any way but you seem to have taken on all the listed statements.

Come in and have a session on the machines.  Watch customers and observe if they are left alone after 3 visits.  It doesn’t happen.  All training is supervised.  You could say I’ve developed “eyes in the back of my head” but, as well as visual cues, the machines make distinct sounds that alert me to a customer being out of position.  Perhaps it’s just a Vibra-Train phenomena but I hear the vibration sound change.   When I was a regular customer I would think Lloyd was ignoring me until he yelled across the room his “Get down lower” or other strongly worded instruction and I never knew how he did it; now I know!   Visit Botany or any other studio and then comment on what degree of supervision you see and are given. 

If you were told of possible problems long ago your integrity should have led you to call Lloyd and let him know.

My opinion: If your customers followed you to Peak Pilates only and stopped vibration training they have missed out on strength and fitness gains and you were negligent in not telling them to continue with vibration or another form of resistance work.

Brad.

Is it true that all the studios that were associated with your successful business friends are now closed? I have used vibrogyms for the last 3 and a half years with Vibra-trains safety program and have found them very successful. 

Is it also true that your so called business associates are all no longer involved in the industry? I have been through many ups and downs in this industry, but due to PASSION i am still here and so is Lloyd. Where are they???