Rumor has it that Power Plate North America is filing for bankruptcy.  There are two major fitness equipment shows here.  IHRSA and Health and Fitness Business. They showed up to IHRSA in March but not to Health and Fitness business last month.  That is the first time I have not seen them there.  Some of their dealers say that they are restructuring. Has any one else heard about this.  They are owned by a larger investment company   http://www.whitney.com/investments.html.  I am sort of shocked that the bigger company would let them sink. I know that they spent millions on marketing but I figured they had done millions in sales as well.  The Doctor Mercola site alone sold at least a thousand machines.  Can anyone confirm this or is it just a rumor.   

Vibration Therapy – results of a Study of a Single Session on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and gait performance in patients with chronic stroke

I don’t have access to the full study so I don’t know what machine brand or type was used or what the single session consisted of - but the abstract conclusion says: “These results suggest that a single session of whole body vibration training can reduce ankle plantarflexion spasticity in chronic stroke patients, thereby potentially increasing ambulatory capacity”.

There’s nothing new here, it’s the sort of results we see every week in people with gait and other problems.  And of course a study is only as good as the parameters set

BUT I’m happy to see the academic world catching up with what’s already happening.

Note: this study is using Vibration Therapy – just one use of Vibration Machines

¨       For people who want to get back into sport and be injury free. 

¨       Balancing up your body and being able to walk and jog again pain free. 

¨       When people put on weight and are very heavy they want to loose weight but need help to get started.

¨       Strength and power for athletes

With Vibration training you don’t need to run or jump but squat, lunge, dips, and press-up in beginner styles to use your large muscle groups to burn energy/fat.

On dodgy or basically useless research .....     

I am a Vibra Train loyalist.. I used Vibra Train to prepare for both national and international highjump events,  2005 to 2007. Under Lloyds supervision I used his machines with a special compression program to increase my strenght and power without gaining weight. When I went to the Melbourne Common Wealth Games Lloyd sent a machine to the venue for me to use. I was a bronze medalist in my early 30s and in the best shape of my life.

Now as an ex athlete working full time, I pop in at least 2 times a week to maintain a toned athletic body. Lloyds program is short and intense, your out of the studio within 30minutes. You get amazing results without spending hours in the gym.

I recommend Vibra Train to all my friends and athletes.

A quick Google search "Powerplate International" brings up a page titled  WHY WE ARE THE LEADER

Very wishful thinking on the part of  New Zealand PowerPlate website

Leaders keep their brand operational especially when it's very existence is to benefit people's health and fitness. Yet where are PP studios in NZ. Where are all the people who are getting benefits from Poweraplate training in NZ. GONE Closed Down. 

Meanwhile VibraTrain keeps on growing every day. And as well as having paying customers, at way less price than PowerPlate, VibraTrain gives free sessions to the most needy in our community. I'm proud to be part of this. Apologises to Lloyd if this sounds like bragging but each day brings new challenges and new people into the studio where I work. It's very exciting and very rewarding And I don't mean money. 

I have a muscle wasting disease.  I read in the muscular dystophy magazine that Loyd Shaw was kindly offering to give free workouts to people like me.  I have been going 2 to 3 times a week for the last two and a half years and have gained muscle strength.  When I started I could only complete a 20second squat but now I am doing the full program plus a few extra exercises to help my particular problems, such as weakness in my neck.  I feel that Monty should come and see for himself before he makes any judgements.  Come and see. Give it a try.  I feel much better now, that is for sure.

Thanks Loyd I do really appreciate what you have done for me.

Well I’m issuing a challenge to Monty Betham to come into Vibra-Train Auckland City and do a full regular session.  Are you up to it, Monty?

I watched “The Ridges” first episode where it was said that Monty was dismayed to hear that Jaime was doing Yoga and Vibra-Train for fitness and since then I’ve heard from several people that Monty dismisses Vibra-Train.

As a Vibra-Train instructor I see all sorts of people from the really unfit, morbidly obese (and those with disabilities) right through to people who are Olympic standard (some medal winners) and they all get a REAL workout and REAL results at Vibra-Train. 

I’ve previously worked in a gym and brought to Vibra-Train other gym instructors and personal trainers, including those who had laughed and held the pig-headed opinion that no one could get fit from using a vibration machine. They soon changed their minds – one session was all it took.

I want to see the expression on your face, Monty, after a 2 minute SuperSquat. Come on, don’t be a meathead and make unqualified statements, come in a prove yourself!

Hi I too like Debbie have been training in Muay Thai. I stopped competing a couple of years ago due to work and family committments. In the past I have trained to international level. I am a former NZ champion. Since stopping my kickboxing and gym training I started to fell quite tired and lethargic. I found it hard to get the motivation to go to the gym or do other exercise that I use to love to do.  I went with Debbie to vibratrain and liked it as there is no excuse for not doing10mins exercise. I was concerned about my lack of fitness and not wanting to exercise. With vibratraining I have started to feel healthier and gain some strength to even do the odd kickboxing class again. With a busy lifestyle and working all day with special needs kids it is a good way to get stronger fitter and healthier a bit quicker without having to spend hours at the gym. It seems to help rehabilitate old injuries too. I would strongly recommend trying vibratrain. 

Wonderful to hear how VibraTrain has helped Debbie Malam after serious injuries.  The time efficiency, as she mentioned in her post, is important for many as it will help with adherence.

John T. Weatherly

As a Vibra-Train studio owner I am very disappointed to say the least to hear that a well known celebrity and former professional athlete Monty Betham  is actively criticising Lloyd Shaws work to help fight obesity and other health problems in New Zealand. I have been involved with Lloyd Shaw for over 8 years, in that time i have been astounded at his drive, persistence and dedication to giving up his time and money to achieve this. Much of the work he does in this area is done for free, and I cannot understand why anyone who truly has the health and welfare of other people at heart would do this? Surely the end result is the most important thing here? I can only question Monty Bentham’s real motivation if this is true.  

Vibratrain Supporter...

I am new to Vibratrain, have been doing Vibratrain now for the last two months.  I come from a strong Muay Thai,Thai Boxing background, having concentrated on the fitness side of the sport as well as the competition for well into 20 years now.

A few years ago, I sufferred a serious injury, breaking my leg, ankle and foot, which meant having to go through 3 surgeries, having 11 screws, two rods and one plate put into my leg ankle and foot  to stabilise it.  This meant I lost 40 percent flexibility and lost basic movement.   

As a result of lack of exercise, poor diet and injury, I plonked on a lot of weight, and my tone quickly faded.  

Since doing Vibratrain for this short period of time, I have gained back flexability, strength and tone... I have lost 4kg without much effort at all..... my ankle does not ache or swell and I am noticing my body shape change.  

I could easily find an excuse not to go to the gym and workout for an hour, or an hour and a half.. but there is no excuse for not having time to participate in a 10 minute or 12minute workout on the Vibratrain machine.

If there is a skeptic out there, I would recommend trying Vibratrain before making a judgement on it....  Results are what matters, if i had the choice to take up working out in a gym for an hour to an hour and a half every second day, and Vibratrain....   Vibratrain would win HANDS DOWN.....  I highly recommend for all to give it a go.  

Lloyd I want to thank you for your advice regarding the vibration machines.  I live in the States about 100 miles from Philadelphia.  Upon your recommendation, I purchased a Nitrofit Deluxe for my clinic.  It has been in service now for 21 months with no problems.  I know there even have been a few instances that my staff has put patients on it that exceed the weight limit.

I also bought a BodyShaker Pro and have it in service for 15 months.  The BodyShaker arrived with a damaged adjustable foot.  Martin replaced the part at no charge.  About a year into use, the rubber isolators were also bottoming out.  I think mainly because I put a patient on it that exceeded the weight limit, way over the weight limit.  He just found out that he is over 500 pounds.  Nonetheless, Martin also sent me a replacement set of rubber isolators at no charge.  In my view, BodyShaker far surpassed my expectations of standing by their product.

After about 1 year of working out on the machines I was tested on a high-end body composition analyzer, I had 15% more muscle mass than average for my sex, weight, and age.

The two machines have been a very useful adjuct to my chiropractic practice.

I would also like to thank Philippa Church for her guidance she has given me before I purchased the BodyShaker.

I would definitely recommend these two products.

To clarify the post below:  A few nuts is NOT a meal

Reminder to Instructors – If you are training people on High Energy Lineal Machines, such as Vibra-Train and BodyShaker, it is essential – Rule Number 1 – that your clients eat before they train.

Note:  Eat means – a complete meal around an hour before the session OR foods that rapidly raise the blood sugar such as a banana, even a few squares of chocolate just before training.

Ask  your clients “what did you eat?”  – not  “have you had something to eat?”

Refusal to eat adequately = no training session.  Be very strict on this.

At Vibra-Train studios you will be praised, never reprimanded, if you send a customer away because they haven’t eaten.  Many studios have cafes nearby so it’s the customer’s choice to get some food and come back later, or not.

Not eating before training can mean a client becomes hypoglycaemic during or after the session.  This can mean just a little lightheaded and needing rest, some people totally pass out and this happens without warning.  Also consider that many people jump into their car and head off to work or home immediately after their session; if their blood sugar is still dropping they could suddenly feel very unwell.

Even after eating well some people feel a little dizzy during or after training; especially after their first session which can be a lot more intense than expected.   Keep some glucose sweets or barley sugars behind the front desk and offer these. They are also useful during the session for people who have felt unwell previously or whom you believe have not eaten adequately.

Lloyd,

Is it ok if I do vibration training workout 4 or 5 days straight and then rest 2 or 3 days straight?

Thank you in advance.

Probably around 5 years ago now I was speaking on the phone with a professor at the U of Oklahoma who had sent me a review article on vibration studies.  I thanked the professor for emailing me the article but then told him the article did not differentiate between the different platforms used in the studies.  The professor said "so the type of plaform or vibration device could influence the results."  He agreed with me but it was the way he said it that made it almost "laughable" to me.  Just think - these "expert researchers" in their "peer-reviewed" review article grouped all the studies together - no matter which or what type of platform was used.  It is just bizarre.  And besides that many of the studies included in the "review article" did not even test the platforms to see if they performed as advertised under loads before doing the "research."  And these folks are PhD "research scientists" and it gets published as a review on the topic of vibration in a "peer-reviewed" journal.

John T. Weatherly

The platforms obviously make a huge difference.  I just saw a study by Elmantaser et al. published in the Sept 2012 J. Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact that was 16 weeks long and used men with an average of 33 years of age as subjects.  The study looked at Galileo vs Juvent and the Galileo group showed significant increases in GH, decreases in cortisol and bone resorption.  This is one of the very few studies I have seen comparing platforms directly.

John T. Weatherly
 

I put up this vid  2 years ago.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpBDfPno7fc&list=UUdr50aEfipyQmlfzBouM7jg&index=12&feature=plcp

Lots of visits from engineers and my competition, but so far nothing .

How am I to release my new machines, if no one has copied my old ones yet.