Hypoxi Training

Have you heard of Hypoxi training, the high-end exercise training that’s said to be used by stars including Madonna, Cheryl Cole and Robbie Williams to shape up and tone? Thread sent Julie Roulston along to Hypoxi…

Have you heard of Hypoxi training, the high-end exercise training that’s said to be used by stars including Madonna, Cheryl Cole and Robbie Williams to shape up and tone? Thread sent Julie Roulston along to Hypoxi to check it out for herself…

Pictured: Auckland and Wellington Hypoxi owner, Tracey Jamieson NZRN with the S120 trainer.

Weight loss systems? I feel the same about them as I do about vitamin tablets – can’t hurt, might help. So I was happy to put my hand up to trial Hypoxi for Thread, says Julie Roulston.

In a nutshell, Hypoxi uses pressure and artificial ‘cupping’ to stimulate blood flow to areas from which it is often hard to lose weight – combined with gentle exercise.

You need to commit to a 12 session programme if you wish to achieve similarly impressive results to those documented – an average of 20cm lost across key measurement points on the body including waist, stomach and thighs. Ideally you should do three sessions a week, and here’s the key thing – you must be ‘in the weight loss’ zone – that is, watching what you eat very carefully, to guarantee results. Oh, and not consume any carbs for 4-6 hours post session. Ok, that’s all quite manageable.

At my first session Jana, the delightful nutritionist who helps owner Tracey run the Auckland clinic, briefed me very thoroughly on the system, weighed me, measured me at numerous points, and took photos of me in my undies. The latter is not compulsory but it could be very rewarding at the end of the 12 session programme, to compare images.

At the start of each session I spent 20 minutes on a massage-type bed, in the Hypoxi Dermology Suit (HDS). This is the outwardly wacky bit: you climb into a sort of wetsuit/spacesuit hybrid and lie on a bed. All the air is sucked out of the suit and for twenty all-too-short minutes, 400 integrated pressure chambers apply a gentle suction followed by a soft compression. As pleasant as a massage. I have had lower back issues for many months, and found this treatment very soothing.

Then, you cycle gently in an upright position while negative pressure stimulates blood supply to the tissue around the hips, buttocks and thighs. Then compression accelerates the transport of blood to the muscles being exercised. This machine is particularly prescribed for people who carry a lot of fluid.

Or – oh joy! You get to exercise lying down on the L250. As with the S120 you cycle gently; but on the L250 only negative pressure is applied.

You can watch girly DVDs or listen to music – I chose the latter and used each 30 minute cycling session to catch up on my email on my phone.

The positives:

I attended all 12 sessions and when I had to change a time, I made sure I gave the required 24h notice
I did not eat carbs for 4 hours after each session. This meant I reintroduced tuna and cottage cheese to my diet. Surprisingly easy, except boy did I crave a trim flat white in the morning after each session (milk is a no-no).
By attending the sessions I ensured that I cycled for 30 mins, 3 times a week.
I loved the ‘me’ time (did some really good creative thinking and snoozing in the HDS) and seeing Tracey and Jana.
I really believe Hypoxi helped my poor sore back.

The negatives:

I did not adjust my every day diet, so I was not ‘in the weight loss zone’
On reflection I don’t think I drank enough water
I didn’t feel I had time to go to the gym and do Hypoxi, so I didn’t go to the gym in the time I was doing the trial.

The outcome:

I lost 18cm overall including 4.5 cm from my stomach and 4cm from my hips.

My assessment: this is not a budget system so you would need to be very committed to targeted weight loss and/or time poor and/or loathe other cheaper forms of exercise to get the value. However, a bride to be or a similar very special occasion would definitely warrant it. And I can’t tell you enough, how pleasant the experience is and what warm, helpful people Tracey and Jana are to work with.

Below: Tracey Jamieson at her Hypoxi reception.

For more info see www.hypoxi.com.au

Julie Roulston, 24 May 2013