Electrifying Buns Courtesy of the Flex Mini

Although it is fun to take a look back at some of the more popular, amusing, or confusing infomercial products in As Seen On TV history, it is also important to take a look at what is hot now.  Today on Way Back Wednesday, we are going to introduce a new SeenOnTV Express blog feature:  What’s New Wednesday.  What’s New Wednesday will alternate with Way Back Wednesday posts, bringing the blog a mixture of old and new infomercial products.  Although this week kicks off our new What’s New Wednesday series, we could also easily have called today’s feature “Way Backside Wednesday” as we look at the hottest thing in butt-sculpting since Buns of Steel:  The Flex Mini.

The Flex Mini is the latest Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) toning device from the makers of the Flex Belt.  EMS has come a long way since its early days, as described in our post about Dr. Ho’s Muscle Massager.  EMS devices no longer look like something used for shock therapy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, but they are instead safe, effective tools for sculpting and toning the muscles.

The Flex Mini Revolutionizes Butt Workouts

Before the Flex Mini, sculpting, toning, and shaping the gluteal muscles required heavy exercise of the large muscle groups of the lower body.  Squats, stiff legged deadlifts, and lunges were de rigueur for a tight rear view, until various lower body sculpting infomercial products such as the Thigh Glider and 3 Minute Legs offered an easier way.  With the Flex Mini, though, your butt gets an effective workout without the traditional workout.  In fact, you can get intense muscle stimulation while you go about your daily routine.

The Flex Mini is discreet and comfortable.

The Flex Mini is medical grade, yet can be worn comfortably under clothes.  In just thirty minutes with the Flex Mini, the muscles of your butt and the backs of your upper thighs will get targeted stimulation, simulating the contractions of traditional, weight-bearing lower body exercises.  In fact, in a clinical study, 100% of Flex Mini users said the product worked for sculpting and toning the rear.  Furthermore, the Flex Mini is FDA cleared as a Class II medical toning device, proving that EMS for consumer use has truly evolved.

Welcome to the first post of 2011!  We at Way Back Wednesday and Seen on TV Express wish you a very happy, prosperous, and fulfilling new year.

Of course, the new year brings with it a slew of resolutions, including the #1 New Year’s Resolution of all time–to lose weight and get in shape.  Gyms and fitness centers, much like my post-holiday jeans, are bursting at the seams.  Even though the crowds will thin much more quickly than the actual gym patrons themselves, adults of this generation are more fitness conscious than ever before, shaped by a childhood that emphasized activity and exercise.  Whereas America today is plagued by an epidemic of childhood obesity, the 1980′s encouraged fitness among children.  Just check out these gender-specific workout kits seen on TV in the era that first made leg warmers hot.

For the girls was Get in Shape Girl, with five different exercise kits to choose from:

Now, I remember that the Way Back Little Sister had the ribbon gymnastics kit, and she runs actual half-marathons and stuff–for fun–so I’m sure this early introduction to fitness had an impact on her future dedication to staying in shape.

(Note:  I tried a half-marathon once.  It was most assuredly NOT fun.)

For the boys, there is no better way to bulk up than with the help of WWF (pre-WWE) superstar Hulk Hogan:

I must admit, I’m a bit confused as to why Hulk Hogan’s Hulkamania Workout Set was promoted by Mr. Wonderful, Paul Orndorff, rather than the Hulkster himself, but that is a mystery that may never be solved.

What do these workout kits have in common?  Wall posters, cassette tapes, and–most importantly–sweatbands and wristbands!  You simply cannot get a good workout without elasticized terry cloth strapped around your head and arms.  It’s a fact.

Moving on from Kid Fitness – The Flex Belt, Gym Flex, Total Gym and others provide options for Adults

These days, Hulk Hogan has moved from the gym to the kitchen with his Hulk Hogan Ultimate Grill, but those of us who grew up on kiddie workouts can maintain our fitness lifestyles with today’s workout equipment for adults.  That old step from your Jane Fonda step aerobics video has been reinvented as the GymFlex, which converts from a step to a bench to an incline and contains straps, attachments, bars, and handles for a total body strength training workout.  The Total Gym also allows you to strengthen and tone your entire body at home, giving you an effective workout while allowing you to avoid the hoards of New Years Resolutioners that will hog all the treadmills and exercise machines at the local gym.  Finally, the FDA-cleared Flex Belt allows you to maximize your results by toning your abs even when you aren’t actively working out.

Of course, if your workout style is more Mr. Belvedere than Mr. Wonderful, there’s always the Perfect Fit Button and Pajama Jeans to get you through until next year’s New Year’s Resolutions come knocking.

In the Way Back Wednesday Halloween post, I described the electrifying properties of Rejuvenique, and how it uses electronic impulses to stimulate the muscles of the face.  While the appearance of the Rejuvenique facial mask is somewhat disconcerting, its use of electronic impulses for muscle stimulation is a form of beauty and exercise technology that has been around for years and is a continuing method of firming, toning, and relaxing muscles.

A decade ago, electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) was used by the famous Dr. Ho in his namesake Dr. Ho’s Muscle Massager.  This device looks suspiciously like an EMS machine I once endured during a bout of physical therapy (I think I may need to call my HMO about this).  However, most viewers of the Dr. Ho infomercial–at least most male viewers–won’t notice a thing about how the Muscle Massager looks.  See, much like fellow infomercial host Tom Vu, Dr. Ho relied heavily on scantily clad women in need of electronic stimulation.  In fact, male viewers may have been so busy noticing the models that they may not have even realized that one bikini beauty exclaims, after sampling the Muscle Massager, that she no longer needs men:

Now, the use of electronic muscle stimulation can be hazardous to certain groups.  As Dr. Ho states in his disclaimer, these devices are “not to be used by pregnant women, people with pacemakers, or epileptics.”

Or by idiots:

Electronic muscle stimulation (EMS) is a valid technology, however.  Remember, I mentioned earlier that EMS was used in physical therapy, and regardless of my joke about checking with my HMO to see if Dr. Ho is on my preferred provider list, the EMS is one of the reasons I’m not hobbling around like a geriatric at the age of . . . um . . . never mind.

Some modern electronic muscle stimulators that can be seen on TV include several that are used for strengthening and tightening the muscles of the abs.  Absonic, Abtronic, and the Contour Ab Belt have been among the more popular electronic ab stimulators seen on television infomercials.

The latest development in electronic stomach toning medical technology is the Flex Belt.  The FlexBelt ab belt has been clinically tested and proven to stimulate the abdominal muscles up to 150 times per thirty minute session.  Most importantly, the Flex Belt is the only EMS device to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Class II Medical Device to be sold directly to the consumer.  Take that, HMO.

When thinking of infomercial product marketing, several big names come to mind:  Ron Popeil, Billy Mays, Anthony Sullivan, and of course, the legendary Jack LaLanne.  Now in his mid-nineties, Jack LaLanne began his career as a fitness expert, and was among the first to encourage weight lifting for not only men’s health, but for women as well.  A fitness innovator, he created some of the first weight training machines, including the leg extension machine and the Smith machine.

LaLanne was the first to take his fitness programs to television.  Even before the days of selling “as seen on TV products,”  LaLanne was a television fitness guru.  In the following clip from one of his early shows, LaLanne shows how important it is to exercise even your face:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isLJ024EdMA

Since then, a number of products and videos have launched to help people with facial exercise, including the Neckline Slimmer, Facial Flex, Flexaway, and Rejuvenique, which we’ll look at more closely next week.

Jack LaLanne himself didn’t stop with his fitness programs.  LaLanne has authored books, developed nutritional supplements, and marketed two of the top selling infomercial juicers:  The Juice Tiger and Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer.  LaLanne touts the nutritional benefits of juicing, and since he celebrated his 96th birthday last month, I’d say he may be on to something.

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, has become really big news in recent years.  The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has come a long way from its early beginnings when it was misunderstood and compared with bare knuckle, no-holds-barred brawls.  As people begin to understand the true martial arts and wrestling roots of MMA, however, the sport has enjoyed increasing popularity.  This phenomenon spawned MMA-inspired apparel created by Tap Out, RVCA, and Affliction.  Once found only through online MMA specialty shops, you can now find these t-shirts in any mall.  The UFC, once condemned as a brutal sport of barroom brawlers, has launched its highly-trained fighters into household names.  In fact, The SciMark Report indicates that MMA has inspired a new trend in fitness equipment.  Acclaimed mixed martial artists and UFC fighters Randy Couture, Rich Franklin, and Bas Ruten are all currently endorsing infomercial fitness equipment.

So what does all of this have to do with Way Back Wednesday?  As a huge MMA fan, I am really interested in the unprecedented growth of this sport.  With so many MMA standouts selling exercise equipment through television marketing, I started thinking about the beginnings of martial arts as an infomercial fitness phenomenon.

One of the first martial-arts inspired fitness trends seen on TV was Tae Bo, marketed by fitness guru Billy Blanks.  Designed as a blend of Tae Kwon Do, boxing, and aerobics, Tae Bo launched a cardio kickboxing craze.  Even after the success of the initial Tae Bo series in the late 1990′s, Tae Bo continued to evolve, with Billy Blanks expanding the series to include Amped, T3, and Boot Camp videos and DVDs.   Take a look at this clip from the original Tae Bo Basic video:

Now, I’ll admit that I was an owner of this original series, and these exercise videos did, in fact, work really well.  The major drawback was that I felt like I had to constantly avert my eyes from Billy Blanks’s barely covered chest (I think it was cold in that studio) and from his embarrassingly tight, shiny pants.  That’s more information about Billy Blanks than I need.

The martial arts inspiration continued with everyone’s favorite roundhouse kickin’  Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris, and his Total Gym.  Even Tony Horton’s P90x includes a martial arts element through its Kenpo X routine.  As the pure martial arts evolve into the highly popular mixed martial arts, Randy Couture, UFC Hall of Famer and repeat champion in two weight classes, comes on the scene with the Tower 200.  Touted as “The Ultimate Workout,” the Tower 200 attaches itself to the fame of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its most prized fighter.

As MMA continues to grow, I’ll be interested to see how its popularity further impacts fitness trends.

We’re not quite going way back for today’s post, but this little number is too good to pass up.  Lazy people all around the world (myself included) are searching for the perfect way to lose weight and trim their waistlines with absolutely no effort whatsoever.  The geniuses at Perfect Creations have heard the cry of the lethargic and fat, and they have answered with . . . the Hawaii Chair.  You’ve just got to love an infomercial product with the slogan, “You don’t have to exercise.  The Hawaii Chair will do it for you.”   Seen on TV shows such as Ellen, the Hawaii Chair seat swivels around to move your bulk in a hula-like fashion to tighten your waist and make you look like a complete fool:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_amg-Aos4

Is it just me, or did anyone else do a double take when the guy says, “Oooh.  This feels great on my a . . . bs”? 

Now, the product itself and the infomercial are not the only ridiculous things about the Hawaii Chair.  In fact, Hawaii Chair’s website offers even more fun.  You see, it has been quite poorly translated and includes such gems as, “Old men can use the Hawaii Chair easily to help improve the operation of digestive and cardiovascular systems.”  Take heed, Old Men!  According to the website, you can also use the Hawaii Chair to “thaw and loosen redundant fat” on the buttocks, thighs, and waist.  And let me tell you, there is nothing worse than frozen redundant fat. 

Seriously.

Today we bring Way Back Wednesday to you all the way from 1992.  Jane Fonda, aerobics guru extraordinaire, could be seen on tv frequently, promoting her various aerobics videos and workout equipment.  Nearly 20 years ago, she brought us her New Step Aerobic Workout (how’s that for a great title?).  Along with the 45-minute step workout, you received a bench step with a FREE intensity level.  I mean, you could have just received two lousy levels with your order, but they threw one in FREE!  You could step on four inches, six inches, or tumble gracelessly from a height of eight inches:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvjT0d1kqds

Now, personally, I think that the true secret to the effectiveness of the workout lay in the size and thickness of the socks.  I mean, those suckers had to add a good five, ten pounds at least.

In the infomercial, Fonda notes that step aerobics provides less stress on the joints, but through the years, we have discovered that step aerobics is, in fact, jarring on the joints.  As workout philosophy and technology has evolved, trainers have learned ways to maintain the quality of a step workout while eliminating the stress on the bones and joints.  Two notable exercise equipment products include the TreadClimber, made by the fitness geniuses at Bowflex, and the AirClimber, which gives you the benefits of an aerobic step workout, but cushions your step through air-filled bellows beneath the steps.

Ginormous socks are optional, but do you really want to minimize your efforts by wearing normal socks?

This post begins our Way Back Wednesday series, in which we look back at former seen on TV products and infomercials—the good, the bad, the ugly . . . and the downright strange.  From Thighmaster to FlowBee, we’ll look at the products that made us wonder, “What were they thinking?” and we’ll note how far we’ve come.  We’ll wax nostalgic over the commercials that made us laugh and the personalities who brought them into our homes.

We begin our journey down memory lane with one of the iconic fitness products of seen on TV marketing:  the Thighmaster.  Plugged in the early 90’s by Three’s Company actress Suzanne Somers, the Thighmaster promised, “We may not have been born with great legs, but now we can look like we were.”

See the 1991 Thighmaster commercial here:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkxFWVGqUCg

As one watches the commercial, one can’t help but wonder just how shapely surgeon Herbert L. Gould’s thighs must be—after all, he recommends it, and he uses it.

The Thighmaster boasted that it could be used not only for sleek thighs, but also for working the chest and arms.  While the commercial shows the limited practical use of the Thighmaster by current standards, we can look at some of today’s more popular and effective fitness products and see their roots in the Thighmaster.  The UltraFlex, Iso7x, and FlexShaper all take the Thighmaster’s good qualities and expand on them.  Like the Thighmaster, they are lightweight, portable, and easy to use.  They use flexible resistance as a way to tone muscles and burn fat and calories.  However, the UltraFlex, Iso7x, and FlexShaper reflect the evolution of the Thighmaster in their increased range of motion, two-way push/pull resistance, and greater number of available exercises per product.

While the Thighmaster may “feel the burn” of becoming obsolete, Suzanne Somers can take pride in launching a product that gave birth to some of the most effective exercise equipment available today.

I’ve just updated the site with quite a few new diet and fitness products to add to our list of existing products to help you lose weight and get in shape.  If dropping pounds or improving your fitness is one of your New Years Resolutions, now is the time to order the products you want to help you achieve those goals.  Here is some of the hottest selling exercise equipment  we’ve had available on our site:

• Ab Circle
• The Contour Ab Belt
• Slendertone System Abs
• Ab Rocket
• Iso7X

And here’s what’s new:

• UltraRez [RezV1000]
• Transform12
• IsoBo
• BodiPro
• BodiRocker
• Exerspy

Juicing has also been a popular category with diet and fitness consumers over the past several years, and we have a couple of new juicers to offer, including the Sharper Image Super Juicer and the Living Well Healthmaster Fruit and Vegetable Emulsifier.

We’ve just added 2 new pieces of exercise equipment to our listings – the BodiPro and BodiRocker. I believe both of these were released during the summer, but are now starting to get more media time.

The BodiRocker puts a twist on push-ups, literally. The BodiPro appears to offer more of a full body workout in a fairly compact piece of equipment. I expect these will be fairly successful products, especially when the new year rolls around – which is a very hot selling period for fitness equipment for obvious reasons. Other fitness products that have been selling well lately include the Ab Circle, Contour Abs, ISO7X and the Slendertone Ab Belt.