Follow-Ups to Answer from Expert Todd Bublitz, RCEP

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Mike Rael wrote at 2006-06-28 18:58:13
Hi folks:)

  First off, I appreciate Todd's direct look at the studies cited by the ROM folks. I confess to a feeling of fear when confronted with such studies, so I tend to avoid looking at them--this despite the fact that I am well qualified to understand them!

  As I understand it, the ROM machine is based upon the principle that if you stimulate many different types of muscles at the same time, you get many different effects at the same time, including aerobic effects.

  The closest I can relate to this from my own experience is when using the Leslie Sansone walking tapes. When I just walk during her exercise sessions, nothing happens to my heart rate. If, however, I raise my hands and do the various different stretching and moving exercises while walking that Sansone recommends, then my heart rate rises immediately. I should add that after a minutes of Sansone's work, my heart rate rises to what I get when exercycling at my gym over, about 15 minutes!

  To me, that seems to blend in with the ROM machine's basic hypothesis: that using different types of muscles can influence the rate of oxygen expenditure.

  As I see it, the problem with the ROM machine studies is that, for the most part, they did not involve using the ROM machine, as Todd notes.

  I do know that there are a number of exercise physiologists, as well as life extension enthusiasts, who talk about the superiority of short duration, high intensity workouts to the longer moderate intensity workouts promoted by the AHA. I'm thinking of Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw who wrote "Life Extension" some years back. It seems to me like it's an issue of you pick your experts and you get your results. While I tend to lean more with the AHA people, not knowing enough to really decide for myself this issue, If one takes, say, L-ornithine before high intensity exercise on an empty stomach, it's interesting to see how the level of growth hormone is stimulated and to speculate how that affects long-term metablism.

  For me, the issue is readily settled. I intend to go to the ROM showroom--it's in North Hollywood, California, a stone's throw from where I live--and check out how the darned thing affects me, in every aspect I can think of, aerobically, nonaerobically, hormonally, you name it--for the 2 separate days needed. Only then would I decide whether or not to rent the thing for a month and see for myself the effects on my general ability to get around and do things.

  best wishes always,

Mike

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Rich wrote at 2007-05-04 23:07:18
I am a 60 year old guy who can leg press 500 pounds and bench 200 pounds. I train on an ellyptical 6 days a week.However I limp around the gym. My initial impressions are (I have tried the ROM twice) are that as you get older the stretching becomes as or more important than strength. After my two workouts, at a gym in Catonsvile MD., I was able to move better, That is a big deal for an older person. I think the stretching aspect of the ROM machine may be its most important asset. I am still evaluating the machine, and am looking for evaluations. I am very impressed by the machine.

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Fran wrote at 2007-10-23 16:24:59
I've been an avid exerciser for 30 years. During that 30 years, my workouts have changed somewhat...i.e. going from circuit training to aerobic training with free weights, to aerobic training with a combination of free weights and machines. Throughout these 30 years, I have trained every day for an average of 1 1/2 to 2 hours every single day...7 days per week. My most recent routine was doing cardio work for an hour and 10-15 minutes 4 days per week, complemented by 40-45 minutes of cardio work and weight training on the other 3 days. I am no fitness newbie, and even though I'm not a competitive athlete, my training is probably very comparable to one.



The point here is that I've logged in a LOT of time in the gym.



I first heard about the ROM in May from someone who is a fitness trainer. She had heard about it from another fitness trainer that swears by it. When she told me you could get a complete cardio, weight, and stretching workout in 4 minutes, I thought "Right. And I'm the Queen of England." But she showed me the website for the ROM, and I began reading about it. I got the free DVD and watched that. Then I went to all these various fitness blogs (like this one), and found one thing in common: the naysayers were exactly what the ROM people said: "so-called 'experts' who had never tried the machine." All the people who HAD tried the machine pretty much sang the praises of the ROM. So, I ultimately decided to try it for myself.



I did the 30 day trial, and here's what happened:



My first couple workouts, while tough, did not convince me of the effectiveness of the machine over traditional exercise. But then, as I became more accustomed to the way the machine works, and I REALLY started to kick butt during the four-minute workouts, I became a believer! There's nothing like the way that thing leaves you breathless and makes your heart pound!



But I didn't want to just depend on the fact that I 1) felt more energized after the workout and ALL DAY LONG, 2) that I seemed to be less winded doing ANYTHING, i.e. whether it was running up a flight of stairs or walking with my dogs up hills, or 3) that I began to see muscle tone that 30 years of weightlifting had not accomplished (especially my abs...after 30 years of TONS of abdominal work, nothing has given more more muscle definition than the 4 minute ROM workout!)



So, even though all of that was great, I wanted to really make sure if this ROM was doing what it was supposed to.





Here's what I did, and here's what happened:



After 8 weeks on the machine, only working out on the ROM 4 minutes a day and doing NOTHING ELSE, I decide to perform a benchmark test. So I could compare apples to apples.



But I didn't stop there. I actually did MORE of a workout than I used to do:



I did aerobic work on my non-motorized treadmill, my ski machine (yes, I still have one!), my elliptical, and my motorized treadmill for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes. THEN I did various sets of both upper body and lower body weight work. Normally, I would do around 40-45 minutes of cardio followed by weight work. So, not only was I at a DISADVANTAGE doing MORE cardio before the benchmark sets of weights, but I had also done the lower body ROM routine only around 2 hours before all of this, so my leg muscles were already fatigued!



The results were ASTONISHING: not only did my cardio routine seem easier (with even more and faster speed spurts mixed in), but, during the weight benchmark portion, using the same weight amounts I used to use on all sets, I was able to perform more reps on EVERY SINGLE movement, which entailed every main muscle group! Some differences were awe-inspiring, for example, tricep pushdowns went from 10 reps to 27 reps! Abs went from 35 reps to 50 reps...all using the same amount of weight as before! Bench increased by 1 rep (still quite an accomplishment for me), military presses not only increased by a few reps but I was also able to get a fuller range of motion, starting from a lower position!



When I saw the real results from using the ROM machine, I knew that long workouts are definitely a thing of the past.



When I started the ROM, I thought "If this machine can keep me as fit as I am now, I'll be REALLY happy. If I even LOSE a TAD of fitness, that'd probably be okay too, because what can you expect in 4 minutes?" But to have actually INCREASED my fitness levels across the board, that was totally unexpected, and simply, the icing on the cake!



If you enjoy working out, the ROM is not for you. But if you're like me, and you work out because of the way it makes you feel afterwards, and you really hate the actual act of working out, this machine will change your life.



Not only that, It has paid for itself for me. It saves me at least 1 1/2 hours of time each and every day, which translates to 1 1/2 hours more work I can produce, which means I'm making $150 more every day. So, by my calculations, the ROM will have paid for itself in 100 days. AND saved me money, because for now, I don't have to HIRE someone to help me with my workload because I have more time!



I still hate working out. But instead of hating 104 minutes per day, I only hate 4 minutes per day, and then I feel great all day long afterward.



By the way, in case you're wondering: I don't work for ROM, I don't know anyone there, I am not in ANY way affiliated to the company. I'm just SO thankful for their machine! I wish I'd known about it years ago.  

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UUodoy wrote at 2008-01-09 23:48:41
Ummm...Hello?  I'm a mechanical engineer and for $15000 will build you a custom exercise machine that will do everything that the ROM will do.  What's more, if you think that weighing 400 pounds makes it worth the money then how about 2000 pounds.  I make mine from old '74 Buicks so they can withstand rough and, I'm sure, constant use. Mine can be used for less than 4 min. per day with the same results.  In fact, if it isn't used at all the results are still there...a real time saver!



Orrrr...You could spend about $1000 on a good bicycle( I prefer the recumbent type) and ride it every day.  Since it's fun and pleasant there is no reason to limit the usage time. I go out for a 30 min spin, get lost in the enjoyment and fresh air only find a couple of hours has elapsed.  Four min workout...who needs it.  Spend the time not the money and enjoy the experience. The workout comes free and unnoticed

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Heymister1 wrote at 2012-03-21 00:44:04
I take that this guy has NEVER even tried the machine, go figure. How would one know that something doesnt work without giving it a try.  

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