Ever since humans discovered the concept of symmetry and saw Da Vinci’s perfect man, a human with everything in the correct proportion achieving perfect symmetry, humans have been on a mission to make themselves better looking and simply more aesthetic. Humans started working out, came up with different kinds of fitness routines, invented makeup, and started taking fake silicone and botox injections as plastics were created. Humans reached the point where they could literally mold themselves and achieve the face and body they desire. The latest addition to this craze to look good, feel good, and reverse aging is Total Body Enhancement.
Brought to the masses by Planet Fitness, Total body enhancement resembles a tanning booth. Instead of using UV rays, it uses infrared rays to benefit humans that many people deem too good to be true. New technologies brought before the mass consumer are always met with speculation as not everyone believes that such things are possible. Well, after being used by various black card members at Planet Fitness, people are forced to concede that there is some truth to the proposed benefits this machine and technology can have when used by humans, and at the very least, this warrants a further study in the total body enhancement program, the machine they use, the effects it has and the pros and cons if any that need to be kept in mind while using this machine.
Inspired by tanning booths and phenomena called Photobiomodulation, where the effect of different types of light on plants, animals, and the earth, in general, was observed, suggesting that these properties of light give it more purpose than just being a means of being able to see things easier in the sunlight. This gave rise to the total body enhancement program started by the reputed fitness chain, Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness is well known worldwide for its acceptance and atmosphere, which does not judge anyone who comes into the gym and supports everyone with free training and other facilities that become available for free once you upgrade your gym membership to a higher tier.
Those with the black card gym membership could avail of this service, which consisted of a booth that closely resembled a tanning salon from the outside. On getting in, red infrared lights were turned on and targeted the whole body. Using low-level red light, this machine can tackle several skin issues such as acne, wrinkles, scars, and other skin conditions. Scientists first came across this technology while trying to figure out how to make plants grow in space. During this research process, they figured out that high-intensity red light can stimulate the plant cells.
This warranted further research, and scientists figure that since it can bring about change in plant cells, this light, if strong enough, could also help humans with muscle and wound recovery. The science behind this technology explains that red low light wavelengths enter the skin and stimulate blood flow and collagen. This, in turn, boosts tissue recovery and aids muscle rejuvenation. Another more scientific name for this total-body enhancement is Low Light Therapy. This total enhancement machine is originally called the Beauty Angel RVT 30
Total Body Enhancement
So the machine at Planet Fitness that claims to enhance your whole body, either making you ready for a more intense workout or help you recover and relax your muscles after a long workout, does have scientific backing to its claims. The total body enhancement machine is also unique because it has a vibrating plate at the bottom where you are supposed to stand, and this plate sends vibrations throughout the body. This helps generate energy within the body and stimulates the various muscle groups, either getting them ready for the workout or helping them reach post-workout. This vibrating plate also helps do cardio and burns some calories during the body enhancement session as well.
There is also optional music that can be high energy to pump you up for a workout after the session or some relaxing music to help you relax after the session. This machine is the latest addition to Planet Fitness, and though it saw some speculation at first, the machine has since then won over the black card members who have since then started using it regularly. However, there is a learning curve, and not everyone can jump in and do long sessions of low light therapy.
You need to get used to the low light levels, the constant bright red glow from the lights, the vibrating plate which gives physiological stimulation to muscle groups throughout the body, and just spending so much time there for beginners can make them feel trapped and a bit claustrophobic. This is why several modes in the machine range from beginner to pro so that people can slowly get used to the machine before upping the setting and then eventually reaping the machine’s benefits.
Benefits of Total Body Enhancement
During initial experiments using low light therapy, scientists discovered an increase in energy-producing mitochondria and Adenosine Triphosphate, which meant healthier activity on a cellular level. Since everything from the cells, which are the building blocks of our body, gets affected, There has to be a significant impact on the physical body from the outside and inside.
Reverses the Effect of Aging
Total Body Enhancement is meant to reverse the signs of aging. Since infrared light can pass through the skin, it can impact the whole body without coming across any barriers. This low-level light technique has been common knowledge among salons and beauty parlors, and one can often see such red light therapy services offered by salons. This red infrared light boosts collagen production and can be used to treat bruises, wounds, and conditions such as wrinkles, stretch marks and is known to enhance the complexion and reduce the negative impact of irritants skin.
Reduces Pain
The Total Body Enhancement Machine is a different mode that can either activate or relax your body and muscle groups. The machine does this by starting to shake the plate that makes up the total body enhancement machine floor. Since the machine is small and upright, you have to stand in the middle of the capsule. There are straps overhead, which you can grab with your hands to stabilize yourself till you get used to the vibrations.
The machine vibrates and shakes the plate at different intensities and in different ways to target specific muscle groups such as your legs, back, and glutes. NASA did a study on cancer patients further proved this claim as it found that up to 96% of the sample reported a reduction in the pain caused by their respective cancer treatments. This also shows the scope of this machine and technology beyond the fitness field and into the medicinal field as it can be potentially used to alleviate chronic neck and back pain.
Reduces the effect of carpal tunnel syndrome
Another claim of this machine is that it helps reduce the effect of carpal tunnel syndrome. Initially, a syndrome that mainly targeted keyboard or piano players similar to the violinist’s neck since keyboardists and pianists used their fingers the most for multiple hours a day, making very specific, intricate, and at times strenuous movements to bring their musical piece to life. However, as more and more people work from home and take up jobs, making them sit in front of computers for large portions of the day, typing away all day, carpal tunnel syndrome has become more common as a result. With the help of low light therapy and the vibrashake features, this machine claims to help those with these syndromes. While there are reports that this machine does cause a reduction in pain weather, it can reduce it to such an impact so that the user can positively impact his or her life, with this machine is yet to be seen.
Speeds up wound healing
With its infrared light and vibrashake features, the Total Body Enhancement machine can help users with pain management and wounds. After it was introduced at planet fitness, people who have started using the total body enhancement machine have noticed scars and wounds that were years old start fading away and, in some cases, after prolonged use of the machine, completely disappear. The total body enhancement machine speeds up activity on a cellular level, which also boosts the body’s regeneration capacity and can induce wound healing slowly when it comes to injuries such as burns, infections, skin grafts, and amputations. These effects, as mentioned, are not short term but take time and are rather long term.
Helps Joint Health
The total body enhancement machine also assists with improving the joint health of the entire body. As the low light can penetrate the skin due to its low wavelength, it can also reach the bones and joints all across the body and promote healing on a cellular level. It increases collagen production and reduces inflammation in joints as well after prolonged use of the machine. Gym users have reported a significant decrease in muscle fatigue and pain in their joints. They can do more intense workouts for longer periods of time after using the total body enhancement machine before each workout.
Tones the body after consistent use
After constant repeated use, their constant repeated use, the t, has had reports of people experiencing weight loss in a much lesser period of time than expected. Since the body experiences multiple vibrations and shakes while using the machine, it accurately simulates a complete workout. Evidence of this fact is that almost all users have reported being sore the next day the same way they would feel if they had done a full-body workout instead of using the machine.
Reduces Stress
Like any other workout or physical activity, the total body enhancement machine works out your body to the extent that it triggers the release of happiness-inducing chemicals such as serotonin, leading to the users feeling a high after using the machine. This, combined with the red light benefits, low-wave light low light therapy, helps cause a significant reduction in stress levels after using the machine with the lights and the vibrating plate option.
Cons of Total Body Enhancement
Exclusivity
While this technology, in theory, has been around for a while. Planet Fitness was the first mover, in the beginning, this to the masses in the fitness space. This gives Planet Fitness exclusivity when it comes to where this machine can be found and used by people in and around the area. The convenience makes it easy for planet fitness to get customers to inquire about this machine. If that’s not exclusive enough, the total body enhancement system can only be used by black card membership holders.
This is the most premium membership the gym offers and can cost up to 250 dollars per year. This means that you must be sure you want to try this machine and then buy a full-year membership to access it. This ties you to the gym since the machine is there and since you need to get a premium membership, making you a long-time customer for the gym chain.
Sleep Problems
Just like how different people have different allergies, different metabolism rates, and different reactions to various kinds of foods such as milk and cheese and the difference in reaction when consumed by a normal person vs. a lactose intolerant person, the total body enhancement machine and its effects are also processed differently by various people. While some people can stimulate their cells and muscles the right amount before or after a workout, others’ bodies tend to be more efficient at letting the low wavelength level infrared light do its job and may end up overstimulating their cells.
This leads to a longer cool downtime as the body takes longer to return to normal and release the cells’ excess energy to calm them down. This can result in insomnia and other related sleep problems. This, however, can still be fixed by adjusting the time you spend in the booth, either reducing or increasing it if you don’t feel any effects at all. Another solution is to change up when you use it. Instead of using it post-workout in the evening, you can use it before the workout itself in the evening, shift the training time together in the morning, get the treatment, and do a workout then itself before starting your day. The excess energy boost, in that case, should be beneficial rather than a hindrance.
Rapid Drop in Blood Pressure
Some first time users may experience this as they try out the machine for the first time. The Total Body Enhancement machine’s vibrations and bright lights may cause blood pressure to drop as the body tries to adjust to the machine’s strong vibrations. To make this experience less stressful at first, it is recommended that you either start that vibrating plate on a lot setting and work your way up from there or not use the vibrating plate at all at the beginning of the session as you get used to the light and then move on and use it for a bit towards the end letting your body slowly acclimatize to the vibrations of the total body enhancement machine.
Nausea and Vertigo
Another feeling most first users can experience when using the vibrating plate and the total body enhancement machine’s lights are nausea and vertigo. As the machine has bright red lights and can produce strong vibrations when needed from the plate on the floor, the environment can be overwhelming for people who have never done anything like this before. While users of tanning beds might be accustomed to the bright lights, the vibrations are enough to throw you off and make you feel like you will throw up.
Once again, the best solution to counter this is to take it slowly and step by step work your way up by just starting with the infrared lights and then towards the end introducing the vibrations allowing your body to get used to the environment slowly. Since the machine has a control panel inside, you can control the strength of the vibrations and the lights’ intensity to keep going up until you start feeling uncomfortable and come down as needed.
Mood Swings
This machine causes cells’ stimulation, and the body releases endorphins, which usually cause the person to feel awake, energized, and ready to go. However, some users who are new to the machine have reported mood swings and anxiety after using the machine; If you are diagnosed with anxiety or other mental illnesses, you need to take it easy and stop using the machine at the slightest sign discomfort. There is no need to rush, and you can take things slowly, increasing the intensity only when you feel ready to or when you feel your body has become used to that environment and can move up a level.
Other Methods to Get Similar Benefits
While the total body enhancement machine is a modern technology being introduced to the market, it’s not like we could not get these benefits from other sources before the machine was introduced. Nutritional and protein supplements, caffeinated pre-workouts, and cardio and weight training combined give the same benefits of a total body enhancement session. These old methods are tried and tested, and though they require more work, they can also be good substitutes if you feel like you are not ready to experience the total body enhancement machine or for some reason are not inclined to do so, which is fair since it cannot appeal to everyone at the same time.
Are Tanning Beds and Total Body Enhancement Similar
While tanning beds and the total body enhancement machine do look similar, they operate on completely different principles and use different light sources. While tanning beds make use of UV lights to darken the skin and give a cosmetic edge to the user, total body enhancement machines use red low wavelength infrared lights that, instead of interacting with the skin passes right through it and influences acting on the cellular level and has more internal effects than external. Tanning beds are quite harmful since they use UV rays directly from the sun and are harmful to the skin in normal environments without sufficient protection.
The ozone layer around the earth keeps most harmful UV rays out, so by recreating them in a tanning bed at such proximity, while it is sure to give you a tan, it can also lead to skin cancer and other skin-related disorders and diseases. On the other hand, the total body enhancement machine uses infrared light on the opposite end of the spectrum compared to UV rays. The red light infrared light is of a low wavelength and can literally pass through the body. It influences a biochemical effect, leading to the strengthening of mitochondria, which is the cell’s powerhouse, and produces Adenosine Triphosphate, which gives energy and is crucial for proper cell functioning.
So unlike UV light, which causes more damage the more you expose yourself to it, infrared light does more good for you the longer you do the therapy. However, you can’t just stand there and overkill using the machine by standing in it for hours on end, so the maximum session length at planet fitness is 12 minutes.
Conclusion
Total Body Enhancement machines at planet fitness can serve as a pre-workout or as a post-workout by either waking up or relaxing your body. Such new technology is always met with speculation at first, but it is only on adopting and trying it for yourself that you will be able to notice and tell if the machine has done any good for you or not. So if you have a black card membership or are willing to get one at Planet Fitness, get out there and see for yourself what the wonders of Low Light Therapy are really like.
