Media release
The biggest innovation in barbell technology for decades is being unveiled by Les Mills at the IHRSA 2012 Trade Show next week in Los Angeles.
The Les Mills SMARTBAR™ is a revolutionary barbell weights system that gets faster results for users. With a patented design, this is a one-of-a-kind barbell using a new ‘gator’ fastening mechanism for speedy weight transitions. Club owners will have their first ever chance to test out the SMARTBAR™ at IHRSA.
“The barbell weights system hasn’t changed much at all over the last ten years,” says Vaughan Schwass, CEO of Les Mills Enterprises at Les Mills International. “Our research showed that most people found fastening and changing weight plates during exercise pretty slow and cumbersome, so we’ve kept user-testing at the front of our design process and have completely reinvented traditional barbell design.
“The SMARTBAR™ has a cutting-edge ergonomic design and an exclusive ‘gator’ fastening mechanism with retractable teeth. These combine to speed up plate transitions and help people maximize their workout and get faster results,” says Schwass. The Les Mills SMARTBAR™ holds as many as three 22lb (10kg) weight plates in place at each end and the ergonomic handles on the SMARTBAR™ plates allow users to work their target muscles harder, for longer, before their wrist and finger muscles reach fatigue. Since the plate handles allow users to hold two plates in one hand, they can increase weight sooner, in smaller steps, and get stronger, faster.
“Our trials have shown that whether they’re in a BODYPUMP® class or doing other weights exercises, members and instructors love the feel and effectiveness of the Les Mills SMARTBAR™,” says Schwass. “It’s another reason for members to enjoy their workout, keep coming back and get the results they want.”
Club wear and tear was front of mind during the design and production process. The Les Mills SMARTBAR™ has undergone rigorous testing based on typical usage at some of the busiest group exercise studios in the world. The metal bar is made of carbon steel and each gator is engineered from Zytel, a 33% glass-fibre-reinforced nylon for maximum strength. It is also over-moulded with a non-marking thermoplastic elastomer to provide superior impact strength.
The Les Mills SMARTBAR™ will be at the Les Mills booth (#2310) at IHRSA for the duration of the show and is officially launching at an open event at the Les Mills booth at 1.00pm on Thursday March 15, 2012. Additionally, SMARTBAR™ will be used in live demonstrations at the Les Mills booth throughout IHRSA to celebrate the 20th anniversary of BODYPUMP® – the world’s original and most popular weights class.
For more information, and to watch a 45 second video, visit www.lesmills.com/smartbar.
ENDS.
For more information and high-resolution images:
Nikitin Sallee
Media Relations USA, Les Mills International
MediaUSA@lesmills.com
ph: +1 213 268 3754
www.lesmills.com
Les Mills SMARTBAR™ International Patent Pending App. No: PCT/NZ2011/171