New, hi-tech equipment for Balance Lifestyle Fitness Club
By Walter Ang
July 28, 2009
Manila Bulletin
Balance Lifestyle Fitness Club, in its quest to provide members with the latest and most efficient exercise equipment and technology, recently purchased a complete line of Technogym equipment.
Technogym was the exclusive supplier of 1,000 exercise machines for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be supplying the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Its equipment is used by the Ferrari Formula 1 racing team. Celebrities like Slyvester Stallone and George Clooney have their own Technogym equipment.
Balance has the Excite line to provide users with cardio workouts. This line includes treadmills that have heart rate monitors, iPod compatibility, and video screens. There are also Cardio Wave step machines that allow users to stride from side to side, enabling more workout positions to change the level of involved muscles like the glutes, stabiliser muscles of the backbone, and lower limbs.
Among all the equipment, however, the standout is the Kinesis One. The machine looks like a mere collection of cables suspended from a metal frame at first glance, but it is actually one of the most versatile in terms of providing a well-rounded, zero-impact workout for all levels of fitness and ability, whether for balance, strength, or flexibility.
There are cables with handles strung horizontally above the head and near the feet with another set suspended vertically for the user to hold on to. The cables are mounted on a 360-degree rotating pulley system which enables movement (and providing weight resistance) in almost any possible movement direction of the human body.
Unlike most weight-resistance machines that provide a singular route of motion (either up and down or side to side or front to back), the Kinesis One allows for freedom of movement that is much closer to how people actually use their bodies.
Users can push, pull, row, and swing or do combinations of these actions in one movement. There is an almost child-like appeal in being able to pull and push the cables. Specific muscles (chest, back, abs, glutes and quadriceps) are exercised in the standard movements whereas the combined movements work several different muscles synergistically at the same time.
It has two weight stacks, one for each cable, which allows the user to set different weight resistance for each arm or side of the body. It allows for variable resistance depending on the range and angle of the movement. Aluminum alloy arms support the cables and allow the cables to slide through during outward and return movements, providing smooth action for the user.
If these technical facts do not sway gym-goers to try out this new machine, then perhaps some celebrity glamour will help: Madonna even has the personal version of the Kinesis machine in a limited-edition gold-leaf design inspired by ancient Florentine craftsmanship.
The machines are used in the different up-to-date training programs provided by Balance's staff and backed up by the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
There are several Balance Signature Workouts which includes fat-loss programs and sport-specific programs such as their Golf Performance Enhancement, focusing on often-neglected aspects such as muscle strength and flexibility. They also have a Corrective Exercise program that helps rid the body of muscle and joint aches and pains and helps correct postural defects by correcting imbalances in muscle strength.
Bodybuilders can choose from the Leonidas Workout, a regimen inspired by the movie "300" that will result in a Spartan-like body, or the Atlas Workout, a program for achieving muscle-tone and build without resorting to use of steroids. Customized workouts are possible upon consultation with their trainers.
Balance also offers different aerobic classes such as Pilates, yoga, aero-step, extreme cardio, dance classes and tai chi.
The club also has a jacuzzi, steam and sauna room in both the men's and ladies' locker rooms. There are even toiletries so members won't need to pack vanity kits when they visit the gym. Members have access to the Discovery Suites pool and the entire gym is Wi-Fi enabled. What's more, it's right beside the Terra Wellness Spa, so a relaxing massage or spa treatment after a workout is only a few steps away.
Balance Lifestyle Fitness Club is at 4/F Discovery Suites, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.
Also published online:
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/213001/new-hitech-equipment-balance-lifestyle-fitness-club