Have you ever gotten up in the morning, thought about working out, and passed? If you have you're not alone (imagine that), like most people, our days are full and taking the time to perform some mind numbing, dull, backbreaking workout simply is not ranked high on the agenda.
What is one to do? Go for a Walk? Hit the Gym? Yoga? Most exercise while being incredibly dull, miss a lot of different muscle groups or lack cardio or some other necessary point that one should (but rarely do) work on. If you want to hit all the points such as cardio, endurance, muscle training, cross fit, balance stamina and endurance, you will usually have to do multiple different exercises. This takes time and that equates to high costs. If you figure out your limited amount of free time, or time to spend with the kids or other high value such as your hourly wage, you will find your time is valuable.
So back to the question what is one to do? Well, you can get out on a trail, do some swimming, or find a machine that does all this in one fell swoop. Factor in driving time, prep, changing your clothes, ensuring you have a pack with all the necessities, ya, not likely unless it some form of planned event. How many times a week are you going to do this?
A new machine that hit the scene back in 2012 called the TotalWave Fitness exercise machine, lays claim, that not only does it hit all the points, it is actually fun (ya right, how likely is that?) How can this be? Well according to one of the world's top water sports athletes, Laird Hamilton it is possible.
The total wave was modeled after board sports (snowboard, wakeboards, surfing, skating, skiing etc…), and is very interactive. Much like swinging was addictive for most of us this machine takes advantage of that simplistic nature, with a twist. You are not barreling down some mountain, fighting some rough road, or battling it out with water turbulence.
Why was it created
The TotalWave was created to train board sport athletes/enthusiasts during the off seasons. Most professional snowboarders, do not transition to water sports during the off season, there is risk of being injured, and putting their career in jeopardy. They either follow the snow or have a lot of down time and this can affect their stamina, balance, technique and endurance while not working on their sport.
Enter the TotalWave, it virtually eliminates the need to follow the snow, or sun depending on your sport. While it can’t help with the trick techniques, it can however, give a full body, cardio, endurance workout targeting nearly all muscle in the human machine and can be used by nearly anyone (even as post op knee and hip replacements as it is low impact). Bonus,it takes up the same amount of room as that treadmill this is often used as a clothes rack.
Simple Yet effective
The TotalWave, uses a deck on rollers with a U shaped track. It creates a rocking motion that simulates board sports (or a swing, remember how much fun they have always been), with the resistance and force unlike any other machine on the market. The TotalWave requires no, electricity and has only four moving wheels, limiting the points of failure.
The deck is rigorously reinforced with tubular steel at multiple points (failure is not an option) It is built from high quality steel and is very rigid in design, reinforced in points where most equipment might fail. It is basically a deck that goes from side to side like a swing, but, on rails. Who doesn’t like the swing or roller coaster affect?
The motion creates force via work, resistance, energy, etc… Third grade science right? Absolutely, but, who knew adults would be going back to class and using such a simple yet effective piece of equipment, to tone their body, increase their endurance, get a cardio workout, build muscle, and develop better balance? Well obviously someone knew, his name is Robert (Bobby) Jackson, a once avid Jet Skier.
How the Total Wave came to be
Jackson was looking for a novel way to keep his endurance during the off season, while working and targeting muscles necessary for his favorite sports activities. He really enjoyed boarding and was looking to build something fun workout on. After looking for items that scratched the itch, he came up empty handed. There were plenty of machines are the market, but, none of them met his needs. So he decided to build something that fit his needs, like time requirements, target muscle groups, cardio, the works.
Bobby and a friend tried various combinations of board types before delivering the TotalWave. One rendition had foot straps like a wakeboard. At one point the board twisted and pivoted at the foot straps, and yet another rendition the board itself twisted with spring retention's. However, this was too complicated and prone to a failure at one point. They were looking for simple yet effective. They finally decided what would give them the most gain, with the least amount of complications.
The final product did not have a board that twisted, nor did it have foot straps, yet all the criteria had been met. Instead the user is able to move their feet freely around the board, much like a surfboard or skateboard. This allowed the user to move freely and vary their exercises. The twisting board was not necessary as the body twisted as the board ramped up the sides. Bobby, has some additional ideas, but, feels they are not necessary and they would only serve to change the experience not make it better.
Accessories
Bobby recognized that he could not incorporate everything that modern gym components have in them today. First most gym systems have computers, however, they are limited or limited the functionality that the users need. They add complicated accessories, that had additional requirements such as power, or limited software in programming. Additionally by adding this equipment they either needed to be upgraded, maintained, or they became antiquated pieces of equipment.
Bobby believed this was troubling. I would agree as my aging Nordic Track cycle is shackled with a high end computer, with some fancy outputs, yet, its not functional for the times of pocket computers or anything else. Its is much easier to slap on a heart rate monitor, pump it to my favorite smart device and choose the application I want to use. This makes the system much more modular then adding the ultra expensive aging devices.
Additionally, by BYOD (bring your own device) I am not using the same sweaty computer and devices the last person used. I can take the data with me and I can upgrade or change software anytime I desire. How is that for functionality? Who is not shackled to their phone these days? How often do you go to the gym and leave your phone in your bag? I bet not many!
Bobby, has added a smart phone holder, a tablet holder and cup holder to his personal TotalWave Fitness Exercise equipment. It allows him much more freedom to experiment with the application of his choosing and he has his devices close should he need to use them. Maybe listen to some audio and even add a Bluetooth headset if he so desires. These holders can usually be purchased online, in a bike shop/sports shop or even your nearest super store.
If we really wanted to get extravagant, he could pop on some 3d goggles and watch a video, YouTube, Surf video are whatever his mind could conjure up. However, the TotalWave requires a level of interactivity and usually does not need a distraction. If you get board, try going hands free, it adds a whole new level of concentration to the game. Who needs videos (or games) when you have the TotalWave?
TotalWave Sells itself
The TotalWave was such a success that Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reece chose to sponsor the machine itself. They made numerous videos demoing the machine and creating media for it. However, the machine itself failed to take off in the marketplace as not all the needed sales channels were set into motion. Rarely does a person get on this machine and say they didn't like it. Clients and testimonials have stated that they couldn't get enough. Whats more, people recovering from accidents and surgery have used this machine and they have loved it.
However, the machine, just simply did not get out to the intended audience. We could speculate all day on what went wrong, but, we can only look at lessons learned from what we know. Which is that we simply didn't know about this machine.
The TotalWave that almost wasn’t
The TotalWave failed to see sales in the marketplace, despite of good media, sponsors and presentation. The company, merged with a backer and had all the right elements for success. However, it was missing some key ingredients. The machine was basically being sold old school, using good old fashion sales ingenuity, (door to door or rather door to fitness shop).
Unfortunately in today’s marketplace it requires good internet marketing and a good shopping cart to make things sell in large numbers. Given the lackluster sales, the backers decided it was best to cut their losses and close up shop.
However, Bobby Jackson was not so willing to quit and give up on his wonderful brainchild. Bobby wanted to introduce it to the world and give everyone the enjoyment of such a simple yet completely well rounded (pun intended) machine. He decided that he would buy out the shares of the old company and create a new company designed around modern sales techniques.
The TotalWave Fitness Machine in 2017 is making a new appearance, with the same great look and engineering of the original, nothing has been changed (except the logo on the board, which changed during the second MFG with the old company).
Moving into the future
Bobby, has put all the right stuff in all the right places, to ensure that the machines sell quickly. With a small inventory on hand a working on new manufacturing partners, Bobby is working on going prime time with this machine. He intends to visit large events (in person) demonstrating this wonderful machine. Jackson has stated that nearly every Athletic club that has demonstrated a unit wound up purchasing. So he is now utilizing Marketplace online sales, Home website @TotalWaveFitness, demonstrating the unit at live events, and ensuring the world knows about this interesting piece of equipment.
It is his hope that he can build enough of these to make them affordable for everyone. He does have a program where gym customers can make a request to the gym itself for a demonstration model. This allows more people to become acquainted with the machine offline, while perusing the online avenues as well. It is Jackson’s desire to put fun back into fitness.
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