Vmax Trio

Vmax Fitness Trio Review

I recently had an opportunity to visit one of Vmax Fitness’ Vibration Studio to do reviews on their vibration machines as I noticed their Trio machine was remarkably similar to the VT400 by VibraTrim. I waltzed in and had to pretend and make sure I play dumb and not know anything about Whole Body Vibration. The staff was fairly kind and they were more then willing to let me try out their machines. Just to recap, the Trio is a dual vibration machine that uses a 500 W oscillation motor, in addition to a 300 W spiral motor to create a 3D style of vibration that moves in multi-planes. You can also isolate the vibration if you choose to.

The Test

As I stepped onto the platform and went about the 10 minute session, it reminded me exactly of the Vibratrim VT-400. However, it felt different, the Trio’s vibrating base plate was more solid relative to the VT-400.  So I asked one of the staff about the Vmax Trio and how that is any different from a VibraTrim machine–or if they even heard of that brand.  The answer I got back was they were made by the same factory, but the Trio has a reinforced steel frame (an extra steel frame just below the case cover) and uses a different microcontroller system that dictates the frequency or hertz of the system. I let the machine stay on and hopped off the platform, and the staff wanted to turn the machine off.  I told her I wanted to check if it will bounce up and down my kitchen floor at home if I wanted to purchase one.  Now I cranked the machine up to about 35 and the machine is fine, it wasn’t moving. Then I went higher to about 50 and finally 60, at its max speed setting.  It was solid.  I looked at the base and noticed instead of using plastic and metal adjusting levelers like the VT-400, the Trio uses 2 of those, and 3 suction type levelers. The platform does not move or shift when it is in motion even when no one is on the machine. The suction cup feet is a fairly good upgrade in this regard. The staff explained the features of the Vmax Trio and told me the vibration machine is capable of a maximum load of 400 lbs. This explains why I felt it was stronger and how they emphasized it has a reinforced base compared to the Vibratrim VT400 and the newer controller. I was pretty impressed with the upgrades over the VT400.

Control Panel Design

The Vmax Trio has a simple looking control panel. It consists of LEDs and buttons are layed out just below. There is a larger Start/Stop button right in the middle, speed up/speed down on on the left and right side, and six other buttons just below: arrow up / down (time control), DISP, P (Program), and T (time). The time can be adjusted when you are in the manual mode or preset programs between 1-20 minutes. The P button allows you to modify the user programs. In order to access it, you need to have a USB key that goes into the left side of the Trio. The staff also advised us the programs can be modified on the computer and it is easiest that way if you decide to modify it to tailor to your needs. The DISP button doesn’t do all too much as it puts the machine to sleep and shuts off the LEDs. Controlling the oscillation vibration is a matter of pressing the big up and down buttons on the left, and the spiral vibration using the big up and down buttons on the right. The machine also has speed control buttons on the handle bars so you don’t have to lift a finger if you decide you want to adjust the speed. The area where you change the change on the handle bar also allows you to monitor your heart rate. One complaint on the panel is that it is a fingerprint magnet. You’ll probably want to keep a towel nearby to wipe off the prints.

A special feature about the Vmax Trio is the USB stick that comes with the machine (mentioned earlier above) and the software that allows you to make your own preprogrammed exercise routines. You are allowed to pre-program upto 6 personal exercise routines to use with the machine. It gets a little confusing when trying to do it on the Trio as we saw the staff go through a mix of button presses to adjust it so when we asked about it, she showed me the software from her computer. It looks quite intimidating at first, but it is just a matter of setting the different speed steps over 10 minutes or 20 minutes. It actually gets fairly easy to use after you experiment with it.

Final Thoughts

Between the VT400 and the Trio, the Trio comes out ahead with better specifications compared to the VT400. The machines virtually look alike, but the reinforced metal platform and adjustable suction levelers are good upgrades to have. Control of the two units are awfully familiar from what we remembered and is not difficult to use the machines. The Trio is pretty sleek looking with a fairly generously sized platform of 27″ width by 20″ deep and is quite comfortable however way you choose to stand on it. The full metal construction makes the machine fairly sturdy and it weighs about 130 lbs. The Trio is fairly sleek looking and makes a great looking equipment if you decide to leave it in the living room. For residential users, this machine is great and will hold up with daily uses for multiple users. For professional use, I’d suggest going with a machine that is rated more for commercial settings.