Testimonials

"Operating a world-class training studio requires us to stay on the cutting edge and to continually challenge our clients. Fortunately, Fitterfirst makes it easy for us to introduce our clients regularly to the most innovative and effective products on the market to condition the entire body and to develop balance, posture and overall fitness."
Alex and Sherri McMillan
2006 IDEA Fitness Directors of the Year &
2006 ACE Fitness Educators of the Year - 1st Runner Up
Northwest Personal Training & Fitness Education

"When I saw your booth across from mine ar the Home Hardware Show I was intrigued by your products. A day of flying from Florida to Toronto and then the rental car ride to St. Jacobs left my bad back in absolutely miserable condition. I have three marginal vertebrae in my lower back and when my posture goes out from sitting for long periods I am literally down for the count. I was hurting so bad that the thought of three days on my feet at the show was driving me to the pain killers I always carry. I hobbled over and TJ gave me a demonstration of the wobble/balance board. Now the miracle. I got on the board, put my chin up and balanced my posture with TJ's help. The pressure on my inner core to maintain my balance made my back "pop" three times. I got off the board about two minutes later and I was "pain free." Believe me this is pain that usually takes some serious medication to dull. Well I jumped on that board every morning of the show and went 9 hours a day pain free. My posture was straight and I felt extremely fit. Trust me...this product is going to be a regular part of my daily routine in the future. Thanks for everything!"
Jim Szabo

"I am 71 years old and have had a hip replacement. During my rehab/physio, I spent many hours on your Pro Fitter. My mind and body must have retained a "burned in" memory of the motion because when I returned to skiing, it was as if I had not been away for those two years. On my first runs down the mountain, I became aware of the balance and reflexes that quickly returned that allowed me to have complete confidence and ski free of apprehension. Most of NY state ski centers allow people over 70 to ski free of charge. The same applies to some areas in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. At Titus Mountain NY, there is a group of us from eastern Ontario, west Quebec and northern NY that use this ski area as well as Whiteface at Lake Placid. There is always a lot of talk about how much dedication and effort and time it takes for people our age to stay at a level of fitness in order to enjoy this great sport."
Tom Wilson

"Cobblestone mats are simply an indoor version of what has been around for hundreds of years which is reflexology paths. They are setting the field on fire because they have brought attention to the concept that pressure to the feet is quite important for health. Your roller applies pressure to the feet as well. So it is really how you select the type of pressure to apply. Pressure is pressure. But the delivery system is different. Your roller is a good delivery system. It does more than a surface stimulation and allows one to stimulate the deeper proprioceptors. The ORI procedure for the cobblestone walking study start out with participants rolling their feet prior to walking on the mats. I think that the mat walking stimulates the proprioceptors that are quite deep. I use all kinds of stimulation to effect the proprioceptors as I feel quite a difference from both roller and cobblestone walking. Variety is the spice of life. Variety of stimulation to the proprioceptors is quite important in our book.
Kevin Kunz

Reflexology: Health at Your Fingertips

"I recently had the opportunity to ride your Trikke 8 exercise/training machine/vehicle. I apologize, but I am struggling to find words to explain what the heck it is in the first place. In any case, if you can get past the awkward stares and confused looks from strangers, it is a remarkable training tool. I was amazed to find how close the Trikke is to skiing. The Trikke uses subtle movements and balance techniques to build forward momentum the same way skiers do to deal with gravity and inertia. The Trikke allowed me to practice dealing with forces to improve stance and balance, which is arguably the most difficult and most important skill for skiers. It also helps with timing and coordination to efficiently maintain momentum. In summary, the Trikke was the closest thing I have ever tried to actual skiing in my life. As far as I am concerned, it is the best ski simulator produced. In addition to being a great teaching tool for skiing, the Trikke also offered a great workout. It not only targeted muscle groups that are used in skiing, but also showed a degree of upper body training as well that could be intensified through activities such as hill climbing. Lots of activities will give you an intense workout, however, for skiing, I know of no better product to help your body understand the forces and learn the stance and balance skills that you need to become a strong skier. I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to try your product."
Kirk Duffee, CSIA III, CASI I

"You will be happy to know that I enjoy my DuraBall so much that I take it on the road with me. I much prefer sitting on it in the hotel room when I have to do work from the hotel, rather than the hotel furniture. Pumping up the ball at each new location is a gllod light workout for my arms. The kids love the balls, and they have intriduced a whole new dynamic for our family time. The younger children are a little more attentive, and we are actually able to have intelligent discussions when we all meet together."
Todd B. Davis, M.Sc., CISSP - Mobile, AL

"When I saw your booth across from mine at the Home Hardware Show I was intrigued by your products. A day of flying from Florida to Toronto and then the rental car ride to St. Jacobs left my bad back in absolutely miserable condition. I have three marginal vertebrae in my lower back and when my posture goes out from sitting for long periods I am literally down for the count. I was hurting so bad that the thought of three days on my feet at the show was driving me to the pain killers I always carry. I hobbled over and TJ gave me a demonstration of the wobble/balance board. Now the miracle. I got on the board, put my chin up and balanced my posture with TJ's help. The pressure on my inner core to maintain my balance made my back "pop" three times. I got off the board about two minutes later and I was "pain free." Believe me this is pain that usually takes some serious medication to dull. Well I jumped on that board every morning of the show and went 9 hours a day pain free. My posture was straight and I felt extremely fit. Trust me...this product is going to be a regular part of my daily routine in the future. Thanks for everything!"
Jim Szabo - Shalimar, FL

"The DuraBall PRO gives me total security while doing heavy Ball Squats. I have sat on the DuraBall PRO with over 800 lbs. on my back plus my 300 lbs. of body weight with total confidence. I will use no other ball."
Mike Smith - Professional Highland Athlete, 5 time U.S. Caber Champion

"Wow! I am thrilled at the results I got from my Fitter... it gave me a fun alternative to my daily aerobic workout on the stair climber and treadmill. As soon as I hit the slopes in Colorado-I was in 'ski shape'."
Amy Cramer - New York, New York

"All of the athletes and the coaches appreciated the ProFitter. We used the equipment during every dry-land circuit and as a result we challenged the athlete's balance and strength at a higher level. The athletes also enjoyed the training and learned more about their personal strengths and weaknesses."
Lisa Downing (Head Coach) - National Development Team Canadian Ski Association - Freestyle

"I am aged 60 and fortunate to have been retired for the past 8 years. My job for some 37 years was mainly desk bound or driving to meetings. When I retired I adopted a more healthy regime and in recent years have been running twice a week, swimming 5 times a week and biking once a week. I also do some weight training at the gym. As a result my weight reduced from 240lbs to 200lbs. Some 8 weeks ago whilst interval training on the track I damaged a cartilage just below right knee. On 24 March I had a knee arthroscopy and the damaged pieces of cartilage were removed. Within two days of operation I was having physic sessions at the hospital and from only a 100 degree knee bend I now have full ROM. The physic introduced me to the Pro Fitter. What a great machine. As a result I have now purchased a new machine from the hospital."
Keith Robinson - Oxford, England

More user Testimonials...

What Media Experts are Saying

"Balance Drills for the Sake of Safety"
by Liz Neporent, New York Times, January 12, 1999
"Like anything else, balance is a skill," said John Blievernicht, President of Sports Health C.A.R.E. Inc., a Chicago medical rehabilitation clinic. "And like any other skill, you’ve got to constantly practice it to preserve it."
"After awhile, (balance) exercises awaken reflexes and teach body awareness and control on a subconscious level," he said. "This can translate into lasting improvements in posture and overall quality of movement," Mr. Blievernicht added, "regardless of age".
"Athletes looking to improve performance, people recovering from injuries, and anyone with postural problems should also consider working on balance and body awareness," said Rita Halpern, Director of Physical Therapy at Plus One Physical Therapy in New York.

“Balance Board Training: A Unique Way to Improve Your Running”
by Walt Reynolds, C.S.C.S. – Running Research, December 1998
Balance Board training has been used for decades by sports-medicine specialists to rehabilitate and treat a wide range of injuries to the foot, ankle, shin, calf, knee, hip and trunk. These injuries include plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, Achilles tendonitis, Achilles-tendon ruptures (post surgery), shin splints, calf strains, ACL tears and ruptures, hamstring maladies, and low-back problems. Boards are also utilized frequently by patients who have undergone hip-replacement surgery, as well as by individuals who have gone under the knife to repair a troublesome back. Even though balance boards have historically been used primarily in a therapeutic setting, they have recently become more popular with serious, non-injured athletes. As balance boards have squeezed their way into the training arena, the line between balance-board rehabilitation therapy and balance board training has become increasingly fuzzy, as therapists and coaches have begun to borrow techniques and methods from each other. Among athletes who use boards, the current thinking is, “If they are good for rehabilitation from injury, they are probably good for prevention of injury, too, and thus might help me train more consistently.” Among physical therapists and other sports-medicine specialists, the thought is, “If athletes are using balance boards in certain ways, those techniques should also be good for patients who need to restore functional strength.”

“How to Get Amazing Grace”
by Ingfei Chen, Health Magazine, March 1999
Edward Laskowski, a rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic, asked ten healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 37 to practice balancing on a wobble board … for 15 minutes a day. Another ten subjects did nothing. After eight weeks, the wobblers showed a clear advantage when standing on a platform rigged to suddenly drop away under one foot, a test that simulates a sprain. Remarkably, their ankle muscles had begun to fire in a different order, one that would brace the joint should they misjudge a stair or catch the side of a curb, says Laskowski.

“Training to Prevent ACL Injuries”
Sandy Wolofsky, Ski Press
Burke Mountain Academy is a long-established, highly regarded high school for ski racers in Vermont. On average, the 70 student athletes suffered 3.5 ACL tears per year. Bill Knowles, Head Athletic Trainer, decided to tackle the problem head-on. Last year, he doubled the amount of athleticism and proprioception (the awareness of your body in space) training in the program. In practice that meant:

He beefed up balance, co-ordination, and agility training.
His philosophy became: “Train movement, not muscle.” which means he threw out the static weight machines. Good-bye Nautilus. “To prevent injuries,” says Knowles, “you want to increase the control speed in which the muscle reacts, and the order that it fires. This is done through balance, co-ordination and agility gained through specific exercises of muscles in motion.”

Last year, the first since incorporating his program, the school had zero ACL injuries.

“Balance the Foundation of Fitness”
by Suzanne Nottingham, Fitness Magazine, March 1999
All physical activity requires varying degrees of balance or equilibrium – an internal blueprint of dynamic reactions comprised of involuntary sensations and impulses that keep us upright. Balance is a simple concept that, with a little training, can improve any person’s fitness level and health.
The goal is to train the client to challenge balance, sense imbalance, react quickly and recover quickly from imbalance via subtle physical adjustments. (Even those in great shape will find these tasks to be challenging until the body becomes efficient at making balancing adjustments.)