Power-Plate Product Upgrades

Northbrook, IL., March 20 – Following a year of widespread exposure and
increased national and global acceptance of advanced reflex technology (also referred to as “whole body vibration”), Power-Plate North America is introducing several significant upgrades for health clubs and end users. The company’s debut of card-key software compatible with the Next Generation Power-Plate will allow health clubs to improve both sales and management of Power-Plate training session packages. The company also upgraded its popular Next Generation Power-Plate with an air-suspension
system, allowing user’s to maximize the effects of the product regardless of varying body weights. Finally, the Next Generation Power-Plate will no longer be limited to specific frequency (hertz level) and set durations. Users will now be able to input frequency levels and durations to specific preferences in order to meet their unique individual training needs and goals.

“Our goal with this software was to provide clubs with a turn-key solution to maximize the revenue potential of the Next Generation Power-Plate and better manage the general use of the product by members,” said Mark Minter, President, Power-Plate International. “As our product and technology grow in prominence, our top priority is providing a product that not only responds to the training needs of our end users, but also the
revenue-generating goals of the industry, including club owners, therapists and personal trainers.”

The card-key software provides a solution for health clubs looking to better manage member access and use of Next Generation Power-Plates. Through the card-key technology, clubs can program specific session packages onto a Power-Plate session card, redeemable each time members swipe their cards to use the machine. The air-suspension and  functionality upgrades are also significant. Originally, the Next Generation Power-Plate featured preset frequency level settings 30, 35, 40 and 50 hertz (number of vibrations per second) and duration settings of 30, 45 and 60 second sets. The upgraded functionality will now allow users to input specific frequency levels (increments of one hertz) within a range of 25-50 hertz and of variable duration. The adjustable air-suspension system will ensure that the Power-Plate has maximum effect for individuals of varying body weights, and also largely eliminates the residual vibration often felt in the surrounding environment (floors, neighboring walls, etc.) when the Power-Plate is in use.

Power-Plate has enjoyed a year of widespread global exposure through increased use among health clubs and elite training professionals. Increased use by mainstream health clubs and physical therapy clinics, elite athletes and athletic training specialists, as well as a variety of high-profile celebrities has resulted in a host of global media attention.
Reports from the UK press that pop music icon Madonna was training on the Power-Plate in preparation for her current world tour helped create a significant spike in global awareness, generating a host of national and media attention for the Power-Plate from top national magazines and television programs. One notable example is Muscle & Fitness Magazine who named Power-Plate the “Best Technological Innovation for 2005”
in the annual “Best of” special feature in the magazine’s February issue.
Yet another area of significant progress has been in scientific research and strategic partnerships. Currently, research studies utilizing the Next Generation Power-Plate are underway at Ohio State (focus: Fibromyalgia study), Ball State (multiple studies underway), University of Miami (focus: Obesity and Geriatric Wellness) and the Miami Project, a leading organization devoted to advancements in treatment of paralysis
resulting from spinal cord injury. Also worthy of note is Power-Plate’s official partnership with Athlete’s Performance (AP), arguably the most renowned athletic training center in the United States, responsible for annually preparing the top NFL prospects in the country for the NFL combine, as well as a who’s who list of the world’s most recognized
and successful athletes. AP Founder and President Mark Verstegan, arguably the nation’s elite athletic training specialist, was one of the earliest adopters of Power-Plate training and has championed the product ever since.

“We’ve always believed that we had a product and technology that would literally change lives,” said Minter. “It’s certainly rewarding for us to see both industry professionals and consumers on a global level beginning to realize what we’ve known all along about the Power-Plate.”