Secret Training System of Pro Athletes and Olympians Coming to the Masses

Posted on May 15, 2007 by

VERT™ Fitness to Franchise in Major U.S. Sports Markets with 21st Century Workout Technology

SANTA MONICA, CA – An exclusive fitness center tucked away in the hills of Santa Monica, California, attributed by Olympic Medalists Lenny Krayzelburg, Holly McPeak and professional athletes like Shaquille O’Neal, as the secret weapon to their athletic prowess, announced today it is franchising its brand to major U.S. sports cities for use by the general public – much to the dismay of the star athletes who would rather keep it under wraps from their competitors.

“I refuse to talk to anyone about VERT because it’s my personal training secret.” -Shaquille O’Neal, (Men’s Fitness Magazine)

VERT, or velocity enhanced resistance training, embraced by some of the nation’s most respected NBA, NFL and Olympic athletes, is set to power the $15.9 billion U.S. health club industry with a highly-advanced system of computer-controlled exercise equipment that allows athletes to train at the same speeds they perform. With current VERT Fitness Centers established in Santa Monica and Hermosa Beach, California, and in Jericho, Long Island, New York, the company’s initial growth strategy is to sell up to six franchises by the end of this year in cities which have a professional sports team, such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Chicago and New York.

“Since pro athletes are our traditional clients, it’s only natural that we would want to leverage this fact to grow our brand,” said Ed Torkelson, founder and president of VERT Worldwide, Inc. “Elite athletes have used VERT to jump higher, hit harder, run faster and throw farther. VERT trains the nervous system to contract muscles fast. The faster the muscles contract, the faster the particular limb moves. The faster the limb moves, the better that person can functionally perform,” he said.

Longer term, VERT Worldwide, Inc. plans to sell up to 10 VERT Fitness Centers during the next four years in each of the top 32 U.S. markets where a professional sports team is located. The VERT system has become the preferred workout method for premiere athletes because it eliminates inertia associated with weights and allows for high-speed training of the type two fast twitch muscle fibers. Using computer technology, VERT analyzes the speed, position and resistance of muscles 16,000 times per second throughout the entire range of motion.

"The VERT system is absolutely unique in its ability to build fast-twitch muscle strength,” according to Clifford Tabin, M.D., professor at Harvard Medical School and director of the Tabin Research Lab (focused on fast and slow twitch muscle development).

Pro athletes require not just power, but speed to be most effective. Torkelson uses the following formula to explain the reasoning behind VERT: Strength = Force x Distance. Power = Force x Distance divided by Time. In other words, if two people can bench press 200 pounds they have the same strength, but if one can do it in half the time he is more powerful.

By unleashing VERT to the masses, people of all ages and levels of fitness will have the opportunity to achieve the same level of peak performance results as pro athletes, without the risk of muscle injury and committing the huge chunks of time that weight training requires, Torkelson said.

With the system, trainers can train up to six clients at once while still charging a competitive personal training rate. All of VERT’s equipment records and archives client information and provides instant feedback on each set of exercise performed.

VERT offers two complementary businesses to franchisees: a fitness facility and a physical therapy practice, providing the opportunity for dual revenue streams. Both are housed in a 5,000-square foot VERT Peak Fitness Center with equipment and programs that utilize a combination of proprietary computer-controlled exercise machines, advanced isokinetic exercises and trainer-supervised appointment-only workouts. Smaller VERT studios, at 2,500 square feet, are available to potential franchisees that would prefer to offer the workout component without physical therapy services.

The average startup cost to open a VERT Center ranges from $150,000 to $350,000, which includes training and ongoing support. VERT Centers can be located in upscale strip centers, office buildings, medical centers or health clubs.

Sports medicine expert Walter Theis, M.D., VERT’s national director of sports medicine, calls VERT “an intellectual approach to exercise.” 

“Since the computer never gives you more than you can handle, and each workout is designed and supervised by a professional trainer, it’s the perfect workout for ages 12 to 80 regardless of ability or athleticism,” Dr. Theis said.

About VERT Worldwide, Inc.

Established in 1999, VERT Worldwide is proprietor of what is arguably the most advanced system of fitness training equipment available today. The company plans to open 320 VERT Fitness Centers across the United States by 2012.