The Phenomenal Growth of the Vibration Training Industry
Let me start out this article by admitting something. I was wrong… way off the mark… not even close.
This is going to come as a shock to those in the health industry that think by sticking their head under a rock and proclaiming Vibration Training “can’t work”, or somehow it will go away. Sorry but you are also very wrong.
I will explain.
Back in 2001 when I first looked into this technology there were really only 3 units you could purchase. All 3 were hard to get hold of and information on how they worked was even harder to get - if not impossible. Most of it being just being dumbed down marketing material.
By 2004 we had about 8-10 units available to the public. One factory had moved from Holland to China but most still built in Europe with 1 or 2 in the U.S. Information to the public was still tight, but since then I have done my best to fill the gap.
Now consider this. For every unit released companies have to go through a series of moves called Research and Development (R&D).
Here’s the basics…
- Design.
- Feasibility Study (ascertain the likelihood of the project’s success).
- Funding.
- Prototype Development.
- Prototype Testing (includes breakage rates along with scientific or medical tests depending on target market.
- Funding and Cost Feasibility Study along with projected profits forwarded to”Financial Backers”.
If approved…
- Production of machine (factory or assembly line).
- Distribution agreements.
- Release of product followed by marketing and education.
This will usually take up to 2 years and can cost tens of millions of dollars - just to produce the first line. Most companies do not expect to make a profit until the 3rd year of sales.
I had calculated that approximately 15 companies worldwide would have by 2007 taken the risk and actually released a product.
I recently updated my folder of products and it officially has now gone over 140 !!!
Companies like Dunlop, Honda and some longstanding medical companies have invested hugely in this technology. Some in more than one model. Granted a lot are only filling the “profit for sales” slot and may not want to be involved in the industry long term. However they have all done their maths and come to the same conclusion; it not only works - but it is going to be worth the investment.
Lets make that statement clearer. They are going to MAKE it worth the investment.
My prediction is when all these companies marketing budgets converge, you are going to hear and see a campaign like nothing before. Yes they will be blowing their own horns, but the world will hear it.
Even from under a rock.
52 Comments
- MikeyB
August 19th, 2007Hey Jason,
This is exactly the type of person that needs to use the ACC website I posted last week.
Sign up to that mate it will give you everything you need for cardio. This way you can get yourself down to a Vibration Training studio do you strength training.
This site will also give you some great nutrition tips
(i told you it would come in handy Di)about 70% of fat burning comes down to your diet.
The rest is all about exercise.Cardio for long periods is more effective for fat burning but the reason you want to do resistance training (WBV) aswell is that when you have more lean muscle mass you burn more calories while exercising. You also get more muscle damage from resistance training so you burn fat while recovering at home on the couch aswell.
So jump on the website get a Cardio & Nutrition plan from it and get into a Vibration Studio and you will be sorted.
Good Luck
- Di Heap
August 19th, 2007Progress report - I said I would post these and I did one on May 9 so it’s time for my next one.
As previously my biggest gain from WBV has been pain reduction to near zero. From continual, low-grade pain in my left side and reflected nerve pain down leg to just minor weakness with pain only after sitting for long periods. Also feeling great - definitely stronger in upper body and I wasn’t weak there to start with. A bonus gain has been posture control as I walk more upright now without having to correct myself.
Just started going to the gym and my initial assessment showed that I am very strong using weights and also I am strict about correct posture and movement when using gym machines - something I learned while using vibration machines!
I was measured at Vibra-Train on the Body Composition Analysis Machine today. I am overweight though not as much as previously. After a weight increase from overeating during a time of emotional upsets a few months ago and then inactivity from injury (again) I have still lost weight and it’s all been fat as my muscle mass and muscle % remain above normal (no muscle loss just fat weight lost). My (estimated) bone mass has increased slightly (as expected when using WBV). It was already good so an increase is even better. My balance and my nutrition status are normal and my muscle type is proportionate though overweight.
My overall fitness score (based on age, sex and all the measurements that the machine takes) has moved up two points since May so now it is labeled Good (up from Average) and my BMR has increased.
All of these improvements are directly attributable to Vibration Training. I have ups and downs in life, weight (slightly), exercise undertaken and down times with injury just the same as everyone else does, yet I have shown small improvements in every measurement over 8 months of WBV (enough time to rebuild my whole body).
Obviously I am very happy (even though you didn’t say much in comment, Lloyd). I’ve just compared my results to two previous tests and I’m buzzing! Weightloss has been all fat and I am much fitter! (even though I do quite a lot of cardio which although good, breaks down muscle)
Thanks Lloyd for your program and machines.
I recommend Whole Body Vibration to everyone. Overall fitness is really important to enjoyment of life.
It is starting already…
Someones hard work being stolen.
Someone in N.Z. and Australia is using the name VibraTone ( company reg, Mike Hair on 7/12/05 ) , setting up studios in the same colour and with the same machines . The person responsable made claim via e-mail and to me personally it was a mistake and the situation would be rectified ASAP months ago.
This has not happened so action will be taken by the I.V.T.R.B. to warn the consumer.
- Ritchie Haldane
October 30th, 2007A Marketing Discussion Related To Setting Up And Running A Vibration Training Studio – An Owner/operators Experience After 20 Months In The Vibration Training Industry In New Zealand.
My business partner and I opened our own studio under the banner of the world’s largest vibration training studio network.
From the outset we were inundated with marketing advice. Friends gave advice. Other studio owners gave advice. Our parent company gave us advice. Sales reps of local newspaper publications came into contact, and naturally shared their professional advice.
We decided to take a cautious approach to marketing which in hindsight was to our credit. Thus we did some marketing at the beginning to let established vibration training users know we existed. Letting customers know we existed was especially important considering we are located down the end of a quiet strip.
Our initial marketing consisted of the following:
1. An article organized by the local business association which got published in a third party locally delivered publication. Our perceived effect of this was positive and brought in customers who previously went to our groups head office studio as well as those that were willing to give it a try. Plus it was free.
2. Monthly advertisments in the same publication as the above article, for six months. This was an independent deal struck with the publication sales team and included another article similar to the above one at any stage of the six months, this time to be done by them. The cost was $1800 over the 6 months. The advertisements seemed to do very little on our behalf and after 4 months I wished I could get out of the deal. The article did however, give another small spike to our numbers.
3. A flyer designed, printed a company who outsourced the work for delivery. Twenty thousand were printed, the cost was approximately $2,400. Despite being well designed, printed to a high standard it did not seem to add a huge effect and not a large amount of customers cited it as a reason for coming in. It appears that the pamphlet deliverers didn’t do their job very well which certainly contributed to the lack of effect. This delivery issue is a problem which often rears it ugly head.
In summary of the effects of the above, while we accept that advertising works best as a cumulative marketing plan, the yield was pretty low for what was spent. And it didn’t bring in many long term customers. The articles worked the best, the actual adverts and pamphlets had little or no perceived return.
The best advice received was from our parent company. This was, to grow with our clientele, not to force a market to just happen. We have subsequently have learnt that those responding to advertising didn’t tend to be long term customers, or they tend to come and go. Perhaps if we were selling a tangible product instead of a service where people have to do an intense workout, then advertising would be more essential.
Surely New Zealand has the most competitive vibration training industry in the world. In addition, it does not have anything approaching critical mass, nor a society renown for high disposable income. And of course, vibration training isn’t cheap to continue with.
Nearly all of our best customers came in through word-of-mouth advertsisings. And they stayed with our business for the fact we do our utmost to deliver a high level of service and provide the best gear available in the world. (At time of writing we have 6 metal machines, 2 fair quality therapy/anti-cell massage units and four proprietary built steel machines at around the 200kg of steel mark).
We are (or were once) surrounded by competition. But 3 out of 5 of those close competitors are gone, with unspectacular anecdotal reports coming through about the other two competitors remaining. We know this year in New Zealand, which the vibration training industry is going through its normalization process. Our local competitors are all going out of business for reasons you can read about on the internet if you do your research. Meanwhile our receipts have grown, and this is thanks to our regulars keeping regular, getting results, and their friends eventually coming in too.
In closing it is worth saying that the program we utilize is excellent. Our vibration devices are built like tanks and capable of delivering a fantastic workout. But these factors are useless without a reputation. And that’s something that every branch has to earn for itself. ‘Branding’ can’t give you it. ‘Marketing’ can’t give it. Not even great knowledge can give you it. Only your customers can, and they will only do it, if you create it for yourself.
- Jason Griffiths
July 14th, 2008My name is Jason Griffiths and three weeks ago, I began training under Lloyd Shaw, to become the first totally blind Vibration Training instructor .
I am 36 years of age, and have been involved in competitive sports all my life.
It wasn’t until just recently that I had heard vibration training so when Vibra-Train contacted me through the institute I was somewhat intrigued and slightly skeptical. When I tried it for the first time many of my questions were answered , especially the muscle fatigue. which is something I am familiar with. Oh yes, “It works”!Since I haven’t had vision since the age of three, I knew my carrier options would be somewhat limited , mainly to call center work which for someone like me who loves people and physical activity is hell.. Working in the fitness industry has always been appealing, but not practical mainly due to safety reasons. As Lloyd is teaching me static training, where each person does not move during exercise, safety is no longer a factor.
In order to know if a person is holding the correct position, I am being taught to lightly touch critical areas e.g. (feet, shoulders) to ensure each exercise is performed correctly and the person gets the full benefit from the workout. Lots of little tricks help you keep the person in the perfect position.
Lloyd is teaching me that my heightened awareness of distance is an advantage for me and the person I am training.
As I’d hardly heard of vibration training until two months ago, I am reading allot and slowly putting it all into practice., I spend 2 days a week at the studio with Lloyd and I am being encouraged to have bigger plans.Each week I’ll update my training situation
To me there is no better feeling than helping other people better themselves.
Here is Jason being interviewed after a soccer match.
Notice he uses his full real name , clearly states his connection to the industry and we can validate his existance.
This is a brave thing to do and shows us he will stand by his statements.
No shadowy fake identities allowed at Vibra-Train.
- Jason Griffiths
July 30th, 2008A week ago, I went from training on a number two machine, to a number three machine. I wanted to share my observations not only as an athlete, but also as an up an coming vibratrain instructor. Firstly I noticed fatigue set in earlier (due to the higher intensity of a number three machine) but I also noticed after completing the programme, how different my muscles felt. You may say “state the obvious” but I was curious to experience this particular moment. It did feel like a heavier work out, and in saying that, I did fail in three poses to begin with. Now a week later I’m beginning to handle it. Some other smaller differences I noticed were as follows. Increased perspiration, needed more liquid intake, was more prone to feeling hungry after completing the programme, and generally felt I’d done a harder work out. Fatigue not only set in earlier in each pose, but was also at a higher intensity. IE it felt my body recovered quicker after training on a number two machine, as opposed to a number three machine. Before changing to a number three machine, Lloyd did say I would notice the difference, and to me the difference was not immediate. However when fatigue set in, after each pose, and most definitely after completing the programme.
I have to say something about a situation that actually astounds me in today’s society…
Jason Griffiths is a blind guy I am training up to be a Vibration Training instructor , but here is the problem , even though allot of my customers think its ” great what you are doing Lloyd” they shy away from being trained by him.
I asked some of them why , the same people who have made positive comments on me hiring him in the first place , only to be told…
” I feel a bit uncomfortable “?
They feel a bit uncomfortable ? This guy catches a train by himself , walks to my studio from the station ( 20min walk ) through the center of town , today he fell over and hurt his head , he carried on and still came in. And they feel uncomfortable ?
Makes me so %$&#@@& angry.
Anyway if anyone wants to help me train up Jason , just by being available to be taken through the safety program by him , the sessions will be free. He works most Tues and Thurs afternoons. Please call me on 021 309939 to confirm.
I met Jason today and I’ve got to say, “Girls, we’ve got another good-looking Vibration Training Instructor!”
If Lloyd doesn’t hurry up and give us another “Poster Boy” picture for our walls (ooops, I mean Vibration Studio Walls) I’m going to suggest that Jason become “Poster Boy” instead.
I was trained by Jason today and yes, I am able to train myself but he picked up on small “out of position” stances that I’d become complacent with and not noticed. The first two minutes seemed “different” as Jason has to touch (shoulder, back, arms, legs, feet) a lot more than other Instructors but I soon got used to that and it didn’t bother me at all. I think when Jason becomes even more confident (and he’s good already) he’ll instruct more by speach and less by touch but touch will always be his way to ensure people are in the correct position on the machines. He’ll soon sense when people aren’t quite right in position as he has heightened awareness.
I believe Jason will make a great trainer for sighted as well as blind people and probably a better trainer than many sighted trainers as he has to pay attention to detail all the time and isn’t distracted.
I think using Jason is a fantastic idea. You say your customers are uncomfortable Lloyd, is that because Jason is blind or because he uses touch to make sure they are in position?
Heck send them down to me then they will no what touch really is…. not in a dodgy way but the only way some people learn is by a hands on approach as they are to stupid to follow instructions. I even have a stick that i use to beat my hard of learning clients with, they love it…..:)- Dan
September 12th, 2008Awesome, absolutely awesome Lloyd. The touch thing has taken us sometime to adjust to as well but I find that as mike says some people just don’t seem to be able to understand or get the poses correct without some hands on adjustments. Never had anyone complain as we always advise prior to putting our hands on anyone but in the end the clients appreciate the correction as they feel the effect of the training so much more when correct postures are held.
August 18th, 2007
Thank you All
I’ll try your advices and will keep you informed