When I travel by air, I read those catalogs full of trendy, high-end, usually ridiculously overpriced merchandise. I occasionally spot a product that seems interesting, and I decide to keep an eye out for it when it becomes more widely available. E.g., I bought a relative who collects vinyl records one of those integrated turntable/CD-RW drive units a few years after first seeing it in those catalogs. The price had dropped considerably, and my relative enjoys it very much.
One of the most unbelievable claims I have ever heard about a product - ANYWHERE - is something that’s been in those catalogs for a long time now: the ROM exercise machine.
The claim is that a person can get all the benefits of a full-length workout (both cardio and resistance training) in four minutes.
The device itself (viewable in use on a video on the company’s website) looks like a futuristically-styled integrated stair-stepping and rowing machine.
Equally amazing is the price of one of the units: $14,615.
I have no interest in the device for myself: I’m a lifelong weightlifter and runner (until knee problems forced me to switch to other forms of cardio). I’ve never had any problem getting motivated to work out regularly, or finding the time, and I actually enjoy working out. So even if I believed the claims of the ROM, I wouldn’t derive much benefit from the purported time savings.
My interest in asking about it is just… well, I guess I just wonder what the story is. The last time I felt this way about a product was Dr. Bronner’s soap.
I’ve been a gym rat long enough to remember other incredible claims about new technology. Arthur Jones told bodybuilders that two 30-minute workouts per week with his Nautilus machines gave better results than hours of workouts with free weights. That claim was put to rest.
But Nautilus and similar machines can be a useful supplement to free weights. The ROM machine’s claims seem to be all or nothing - either they’ve discovered something about physiology that no one else has, or it’s snake oil.
They’ve been in business for a while now, so they must sell at least a few of the things. (They also offer one-month rentals to skeptical potential customers). I would think a potential customer would have to be someone who has a lot of money, is really pressed for time, and doesn’t like to exercise. I’ll refrain from commenting on their gullibility.
To repeat my question: who knows anything about the amazing “Fast Exercise” machine?