Vibration Training

All Shook Up

Vibration training enters a new era

At the end of 2007, the Australasian Leisure Management article ‘Good Vibrations’ gave an explanation of the exercise and health benefits of vibration training and its potential in the fitness and wellness market in Australia and New Zealand.

Developed to optimise the effects of acceleration training™ exercise, vibration training machines work by transferring vibrations to the muscles in the body, causing them to contract in a reflex action. Different parts of the body are put in contact with the platform, and a pose is held for up to 60 seconds, activating multiple muscle groups simultaneously to stretch, tone, strengthen and improve  flexibility. This form of exercise is low impact and gentle, enabling anyone, regardless of age or fitness levels, to benefit without  putting strain on joints or other parts of the body.

Yet in the year and a half since the ‘Good Vibrations’ article, vibration training didn’t have the impact that might have been expected. With a few notable exceptions, vibration training plates did not become a regular feature in fitness clubs while high  streets that increasingly featured Personal Training studios and ‘turnkey’ fitness centres such as Curves, Contours and

Profile

Anytime Fitness, did not start to feature stand alone vibration training studios as had once been predicted.

According to Greg Minefos, Director of Power Plate® Australia, this slow take up of the technology was a result of the market  needing to be educated about the product, “supplying vibration training equipment is not a matter of simply selling an item of  exercise equipment, a new technology such as this requires education.”

And even with installed vibration training plates, operators have often misunderstood the exercise protocols leading to poor  application and misuse. Here Minefos cites seeing an individual exercising on a static plate – having not turned the equipment on!

Slow acceptance of the technology would also seem to have resulted from the market being filled with a bewildering variety of vibration training equipment, with widely different capabilities and prices.

At the same time, market leader and innovator Power Plate® underwent a series of changes with a new owner (it was purchased by  venture capital group J.H. Whitney & Company), relocations, and staff and distributor changes which resulted in mixed messages  being sent to the market.

In Australia, En_Core Fitness Solutions were appointed Power Plate®’s new distributors in April, with principals Minefos and Adam  Smith looking to further develop the potential of Power Plate® and maximise sales opportunities.

For Smith and Minefos, vibration training education is key. As Minefos adds, “the incorrect application of vibration training  equipment can result in the desired benefits not being achieved, and can even be harmful, so guidance is key to taking training to  the next level.”

Until recently, vibration training education of an appropriate level has not been available in Australia but with the establishment of  the Power Plate® Institute of Australia fitness and wellness professionals and the everyday user now have the opportunity to learn  more about Power Plate® technology and its many applications. Courses have been developed in fitness, physiotherapy,   rehabilitation, Pilates, post natal, sports performance, and beauty and wellness in line with the countless applications of the  technology.

As Minefos adds, “the days of vibration training as ‘fad’ have ended and the true benefits of the training are now being realised via  the Institute’s educational courses, which are now running nationwide.”

Acceptance of vibration training has also seen market-leading fitness clubs installing the technology. Fitness First has begun a  roll-out of Power Plate® equipment across its clubs, with two plates now installed in seven clubs, and more to follow.

Virgin Active Health Clubs have also featured Power Plate studio areas in their now open clubs In Melbourne and Sydney. As Andy  Birch, Virgin Active’s National Product Development Manager explains, “Virgin Active are all about offering our members world  class equipment and state-of-the-art solutions (and) the launch of our Power Plate® studios certainly helps to achieve this goal.”

As Greg Minefos concludes, “members at these clubs are experiencing the ‘effective movement’ of vibration training, not just  training a single part of the body but gaining benefit from using a wide range of muscle groups across the whole body.”

For more  information contact 1300 411 495
www.powerplate.com.au