My Weblog

People’s Pharmacies distribute HeartFlex

I heard Mr.Bill Swail, owner of The People’s Pharmacies, discuss his holistic approach to improving health on Austin radio stations KJCE 1370 and KLGO 98.5 / 99.3. After listening to his weekly Saturday shows “Let’s Get Healthy” and “The Good News Health Show”, I was convinced that the People’s Pharmacies were the perfect venues for introducing the HeartFlex to folks in our own hometown.

I contacted Mr. Swail and he invited me and my assistant, Beverly Gandy, to an Austin, Texas Rotary Club luncheon which he was hosting. We were given the opportunity to demonstrate the HeartFlex to the Rotarians. They were very enthusiastic about the HeartFlex and its many health benefits. At the luncheon Mr. Swail decided to carry the HeartFlex in all of his Austin pharmacy locations.

People’s Pharmacy refers to itself as “Austin’s Favorite Wellness & Compounding Pharmacy”. Each pharmacy has a wellness manager, nutritionists, naturopaths and homeopaths who work in concert with the resident pharmacists. This collaborative holistic approach creates a synergy that makes People’s Pharmacies special and very beneficial for their patients. Their specialists are promoting the HeartFlex and recommending it as an alternative therapy because of its many attributes which include; lowering blood sugar levels, upper body strength training, physical rehabilitation, and increased circulation.

We are extremely gratified that People’s Pharmacy, which is known for its personal attention, naturopathology approach, and wellness promotion concerning total body healing has chosen our HeartFlex to add to their product line of holistic wellness tools. HeartFlex is now available at all People's Pharmacy locations in Austin, Texas.

For a Safer More Enjoyable Motorcycle Ride

Using HeartFlex on a regular basis is a great way to improve the safety and pleasure of a motorcycle ride.

"Using HeartFlex has strengthened my wrists and forearms which allows me to go on longer rides, and makes them more enjoyable! I keep it on the couch and use it while I'm watching TV."
--James F., Austin citizen and long time motorcycle enthusiast

Make the HeartFlex one of your motorcycle accessories. Keep it “handy” and use it to warm up and build maximum strength at the controls.

Whether you are riding a crotch rocket, a Harley Hog, a custom Thumper, Trike, dirt bike, even a scooter - any type of motorcycle with a hand controlled throttle - check out our lightweight handheld HeartFlex.

Use Heartflex at home or take it on the road with you to warm up and improve your hand, wrist, and forearm strength before your ride. Maximizing strength and endurance at the controls improves motorcycle safety and makes your ride much more enjoyable.

There are no shortages of motorcycle rallies here in Austin. Some of our annual events include the John Paul Mitchell sponsored Peace, Love, and Happiness Rally, the Annual Rot Rally, and The Republic of Texas Ride. Please come for a ride in Austin, Texas the home of HeartFlex.

George Allen "Pat" Summerall endorses HeartFlex

HeartFlex is truly honored to have George Allen “Pat” Summerall endorse our product. He is a former American football player and well known television sportscaster who has worked at CBS, FOX, and for a short time at ESPN.

He is known for his NFL announcing work with John Madden that lasted 22 years. He has broadcast on CBS and FOX’s NFL. In 1999 he was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame.

His pre college football was played at Columbia High School, where he made All State in football and basketball. He also acquired varsity letters in baseball and tennis.

His college football career at the University of Arkansas was from 1949 - 1951 where he was a place kicker, defensive, and tight end.

The Detroit Lions drafted him in 1952. He was traded to the Chicago Cardinals and played with them from 1953 - 1957. He then went to the New York Giants from 1958 - 1961. In 1959 he scored a perfect 100% extra point kicking; thirty for thirty.

In total he spent ten years as a professional football player in the National Football League.

After retiring from football he became the paramount football broadcaster for the CBS network from 1962 until 2003. He branched out and has broadcast professional golf and tennis (including the Masters and US Open), and the 1974 NBA Finals.

Again, we at HeartFlex are truly honored and humbled to have Pat Summerall endorse our product.

New Concepts are Difficult to Describe

So a new device is invented (HeartFlex) that does something nothing else ever has. How long does it take to define its function so that it can be easily differentiated and understood? A couple of hours, days, weeks, months, years - maybe never.

Last morning around 3:40 AM the revelation came. HeartFlex is the first and only hand held treadmill. So what does this mean? What is the difference, concerning lower body exercise, between a treadmill and a leg press machine? A leg press machine (leg curls & etc. included) are designed to build large muscles. Like upper body weight machines they are designed to rip and tear muscles so that they will be gourged with white blood cells. Then, after waiting for a short amount of time (about 24 hours) the blood cells form scar tissue. Then the process is repeated, ripping and tearing muscles - waiting for them to grow bigger and bigger. So, body building was invented. Nothing wrong with huge muscles that look freakish - if that is what you desire.

Let’s consider what the premier athletes of our times look like. They don’t look like Marvel comic super heroes. They aren’t so covered with muscles that they can’t touch the backs of their heads. They aren’t so overly muscled that they can’t walk and move with catlike agility. Jackie Chan, Lance Armstrong, and Tiger Woods don’t look “comic book like.” They look toned and trim. They use their muscles to perform and excel. They have developed functional muscles by working out over time.

Also, study the Greek statues of athletes and you will see “balanced” musculature and form. Bodies that were built to perform and excel.

Treadmills build dense, long muscles of the lower body and at the same time they improve stamina and endurance; dynamic balance and coordination.

Have you ever seen a body builder that is proficient at swimming, gymnastics, or the martial arts? - NO.

Have you visited a nursing home lately? If you have did you see a “huge” body builder type there? - NO. Why? Because they don’t survive. Huge muscle bulk strains the heart and cardiovascular systems and doesn’t allow for good circulation and good health.

HeartFlex is the first and only hand held upper body treadmill. It builds strong, dense, functional muscle tissue at the same time as it stimulates circulation and increases oxygen uptake by improving cardio vascular conditioning. It was designed to be fun and easy to use. And if a person is serious about fitness and health they realize that there is no “magic pill” that can increase functionality of musculature. It takes time and dedication to build muscles that work.

Lower body treadmills are designed to accommodate the movement of legs in a single plane. By that, I mean a single direction. They don’t build functionality in side kicks and twisting motions of the legs. HeartFlex targets and trains functional upper body muscles in a multitude of angles and vectors. It builds hand, arm, forearm, elbow, shoulder, chest, and back strength. There has never been an upper body exercise device that has the adaptability and proficiency of HeartFlex.

HeartFlex combines multiple repetitions with easy resistance and builds upper body muscles that are extremely strong and full of endurance. So, do you want to be big and bulky or toned and healthy? Do you want to look freakish? Size might matter but functional fitness and health trumps freaky every time.

Martial Arts Applications for HeartFlex from France

Our French distributor, Jean Makpevode, is a third degree black belt in the art of Tae Kwon Do. I didn’t know this when he originally contacted me and expressed the desire to be our French distributor. To visit his website go to www.heartflex.fr.

HeartFlex is particularly useful for the martial arts because it:

Improves Hand Speed
HeartFlex utilizes the same principals as a boxer’s speed bag by combining easy resistance with multiple repetitions.

Builds Arm Structure
HeartFlex targets and strengthens the wrist and forearm muscles so that they act as one cohesive unit. Stabilizing these muscles delivers a much more powerful punch or block and helps to protect against carpal injuries.

Makes You Punch Like a Demon
Blazing hand speed coupled with arm strength maximizes the effectiveness of your punching power.

Jean teaches fitness classes in Paris where he takes his students and walks the neighborhoods while using HeartFlex.

He has developed a group cardio workout in conjunction with the ReeBok Step. To watch him demonstrate this workout go to his website www.heartflex.fr or visit YouTube and search under HeartFlex.

Senior fitness benefits from using HeartFlex

Helping folks lower their golf scores and hit more kill shots in racquet sports is a worthy goal in itself. However, one of my passions is utilizing the HeartFlex to improve quality of life issues and I am very pleased that it has applications for improving Senior Fitness.

HeartFlex uses a proprietary technology which is totally benign. It does not rely upon heavy weights, dangerous springs, or rubber bands which can fall or snap back and cause injury. We have noticed that less conditioned folks are easily intimidated by most exercise products.

Though HeartFlex was not originally intended for seniors it has been found to restore functionality and strength in seniors and the deconditioned.

* * * *

We received the following letter from Bonnie Livingston, a trainer at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, South Hills:

"My classes love the addition of the HeartFlex! So far I am using them at an assisted living facility where the population is less conditioned than the Silver Sneakers but I know they would love the addition if we can get it approved by Healthcare Dimensions. I intend to show it to the Silver Sneakers representatives the next time they are in town. I will keep you posted".

* * * *

HeartFlex also gave us a surprise when my friend Art, a diabetic, took some HeartFlex units to his diabetes clinic. We discovered that it has the ability to lower blood sugar levels.

"To whom it may concern:
Re: Heartflex exercise device
"This device has been used in several classes at The Diabetes Center. It is easy to demonstrate, and patients find it simple to use. It is lightweight and easy to maneuver. It would also travel well. It may be used in a standing or sitting position and can be effective for patients at varying degrees of fitness. We have observed drops in blood sugar from 10 to 60 points after only 5 minutes of activity."
Sincerely,"

Denise Riesman RD,CDE
Beverly Krohn MS,RN,CDE

* * * *

We also found the HeartFlex is effective regardless of age.
Alberta (Bert) C., 72 years young,
"I like it, its fun to play with. It gives you something to do with your hands. I've never enjoyed exercise, but this is fun!"

Alice F., 77 years young,
Alice, who walks 1 1/2 miles per day, said about using HeartFlex, "This is fun! This keeps your mind off things. I would use it in my apartment every day. Excellent!"

Waterford Retirement Community - Houston, Texas

* * * *

So far we have found that HeartFlex is easy enough for anyone to use but strong enough to serve professional athletes. Again, we have found that HeartFlex provides benefits regardless of age or fitness level. My personal hope is that HeartFlex will assist seniors in maintaining and/or restoring their independence and dignity by giving them the functional strength necessary for a full and independent lifestyle.

Leading to the production of HeartFlex

Talk about serendipity. I was working on another invention and was looking for some user positional tubing to make a functioning prototype. I drove north to Temple, Texas and met with an engineer at Templas Plastics, Inc. He mentioned that there was a product that was being used by machinists that might work for my prototype. When machining is being done the tools (saws, drill bits, & etc.) are expensive and the machine operators want them to last as long as possible. When cutting with the tools excessive friction overheats them and causes their cutting edges to become dull. To make them stay sharper and last longer the cutting surfaces are drenched in what is called a “cutting solution.” This liquid solution bathes the tools cutting surfaces cooling them and lubricating their cutting edges. There are user positionable conduits with nozzles on their ends that allow the machinist to direct the cutting solution exactly where they want it. These conduits are composed of hollowed out ball and socket joints that are snapped together. The hollowed out interiors line up and form a channel for the cutting solution to pass through.

The fellow from Templas Plastics directed me to a shop where I purchased some sections of these ball and socket conduits.

I was sitting in front of the TV playing with them and I noticed that they supplied a resistance when they were moved. I got a good forearm and wrist workout just sitting them playing with them. However, I noticed several drawbacks to the conduit that I was using. First, it was noisy – it squeaked every time it was manipulated. Second, it didn’t stay together very well – it pulled apart into smaller sections easily. And they wore out, that is they lost their resistance, after only a short amount of time.

What I had discovered was a possible product that would supply “consistent resistance” over a range of motion. I went to my patent Attorney, Joe Long, and he did a patent search to see if the idea had been protected with a US patent. The search appeared to be clean and so we filed a patent application on the concept. Then we waited until the patent office issued our patent.

So, to make the HeartFlex, the task was to produce a product that would be quiet, stay together, and function over time. This quest took many twists and turns but finally, after about a year I found a company who could produce what was needed. The plastic for the ball and socket joints is very modern and expensive and is a special order. The molds that make the ball and socket joints are protected by two patents and have a special design which helps the assembled pieces stay together.

The next situation was how to design the collars that the conduit attached to. The design was pretty easy. I am trained as a professional architect and my background really helped me conceptualize the shape of the part. One of my previous inventions had also introduced me to a company, Concurrent Design, here in Austin, which performs CadCam (computer assisted design). During this time I interviewed many different plastic molding fabricators and settled on Stellar Plastics, located in San Marcos, Texas. Working with the assistance and knowledge of the plastic fabricator was invaluable. We developed a single part that would connect to both the male and female ends of the conduit. This saved considerable money in the tooling because we needed only a single mold. The tooling (this is what the mold that shapes the piece is called) was around $24,000. By only having to make one tool it saved double that expense.

Next was figuring out how to affix the collars and conduit together. This proved to be very difficult. The conduit had self-lubricating material blended into its material. Nothing stuck to it, and I mean nothing. I even sent some of the material to Plexus, which is the largest manufacturer of adhesives in the world. They tried all of their different glues. Some of the glues even had acid in them that would “craze” the plastic first and then bond it. These didn’t work either. We finally settled on a specialized machine that molecularly bonds the conduit and collars together using heat. To make the bond substantial enough to hold the loads and yet not make the part deform from too much heat was a challenge. To make the molecular bond work we had to manufacture the collars out of the identical expensive plastic that the ball and socket conduits were made out of.

To save money on the tooling for the collar and to save on the expensive plastic I had the handles made out of thick wall PVC (an inexpensive plastic). This ended up not saving much money because we had the find a product that would glue the PVC handles into the collars. Hot glues worked well for manufacturing on an assembly line but they also let go if they were reheated. I knew that some folks would leave their HeartFlex in the sunlight (on the dashboards of their cars or on the rear deck where it can get really hot, especially here in Texas) and that the glue would soften, the handles would pull out, and glue would get over everything. We needed a hot glue that would not let loose when it was reheated. 3M makes a hot glue that reacts with the moisture in the atmosphere to make it inert. After several days the hot glue absorbs the ambient moisture in the atmosphere and “cures” so that it will not soften upon reheating. We only need a couple of drops per handle yet this glue, because it is very special, is also very pricey. The two drops cost us about fifty cents per handle.

Each HeartFlex is assembled in stages. First, a single collar is attached to one end of the conduit. Then a rubber conduit cover is inserted over the conduit. Next, the other end of the conduit has another collar attached to it. Both of these attachments are done individually on the machine that molecularly bonds the surfaces. All of this work is very intensive and is performed with “gloved hands” as the oil from human skin will ruin the functioning of the HeartFlex endoskeleton.

Rubber handles are then placed over the plastic handles and end caps are inserted into the end of the handle tubes.

Each HeartFlex is tested throughout this assembly process and then it is hand tested again before it is placed in its box for shipping.

There are 27 parts to each HeartFlex. The 19 ball and socket joints along with the two collars are specially manufactured precision parts.

It took over three years from initial conception to final product.

Each HeartFlex is hand made and tested. We stand behind the quality of our product. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with it, simply return it for a full refund (including any applicable shipping) or exchange.

Surprise application - Golf / Golfers - with HeartFlex

We had some avid golfers use HeartFlex and I was gratified to find that they were impressed with its ability to build hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, chest, and back strenth. They were so enthusiastic about our product's application to golf that my friend Art and I attended the PGA (Professional Golf Association's) Trade Show in Orlando, Florida. When we demonstrated the HeartFlex at the PGA Golf Show we received many cudos and testimonials from distinguished golfing trainers, doctors, and pros. If you visit our Testimonials Page on our website, www.heartflex.com, you can read some of their comments. One of the testimonials is from Dr. Larry Foster (AKA Dr. Divot) who is a board certified orthopedic surgeion and author of Dr. Divot's Guide to Golf Injuries. An article by Kimberly Williams, a prominent sports doctor in San Diego, is linked within our Testimonials. In the article she states that " The HeartFlex upper body exerciser, is without reservation, the best fitness product to reverse...golf injury." A link to her complete article is found on our Testimonials Page.

Later, I met a gentleman, Duane Miller, down the street from my home in Austin, Texas. We were both eating at the bar of Bellagio's Restaurant. I overheard him talking about golf and about some of the celebrity golfers he had played golf with. I went to my car and brought a HeartFlex in, demonstrated and then gave it to him. We talked a few weeks later and he was so impressed with what HeartFlex could do for golfers that he volunteered to do a video presentation for us (gratis). About a month later I had my videographer, Mark Gonzalez, meet us at Duane's golf course. In less than three hours Mark had enough great footage of Duane that he was able to edit a Golfing with HeartFlex video. Duane is a scratch golfer and one of Dell Computers international salespeople. He makes anything he does concerning golf look easy. Mark and I saw Duane "drive" several golf balls with only his putter. When I say "drive" I mean Duane hit them "out of the park"; much further than I could have hit them with my driver. If you like to see good golfing then click on this video and you will see the video (about 3 1/2 minutes long) that Mark put together. All avid golfers that want to strengthen their game and lower their score should watch this video.

Don't feel bad if you don't have Duane's form. He has become my friend and I am profoundly thankful to him for donating his time to explain how to use the HeartFlex to improve golf performance.

This won't repay Duane for his generosity yet i want to let you know that if you have a chance to donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, please do. Duane is the president of the Austin Chapter of Make-A-Wish and it is truly a worthwhile cause.

Genesis of HeartFlex upper body strengthener

So, you're probably wondering how I got interested in promoting Fitness and Health in the first place.  And why I went on to invent the HeartFlex.

My paternal grandfather lived a very healthy and fulfilled life to the age of 98 (he was still golfing).  He didn't smoke or drink yet he did walk for an hour every day.  My father was 43 when I was born and on his birthday, this December 4th, 2007, he would have been 100 years old.

I went to high school on Randolph Air Force Base and our school, which is located near San Antonio, Texas was registered as a AA school.  This meant that the school was really small.  Most of the attendees moved every couple of years (Air Force dependents).  When you are a kid and you get continually uprooted you either get tough or you don't thrive.  Anyway, the football team at Randolph was always winning.  We went to state each year that I attended; 1964-1969 (back then our school included the 7th - 12th grades). 

My father was retired from the Air Force in 1965 and I was allowed to continue to go to the school on base as long as he paid tuition.  In high school I was vertically challenged (my mother's father topped out at 4' 11").  My senior year I opted to be the manager of our football team, after 5 years of band.  This brief stint really opened my eyes to some of the differences between fitness vs. health.

What I noticed was our football coach encouraging (OK forcing) my friends to lift progressively heavier weights.  Our school had the first Universal Gym that I had ever seen.  Coach had all of the athletes lifting progressively heavier weights to put on muscle bulk.  As the football coach I can understaned his short term goals of winning.  I wish he had considered (he probably didn't know) the long term effects of what his regimen of progressively intense exercise would do to my friends and classmates.

The Randolph R0-Hawks came in second in Texas AA football my senior year, 1969.  Well, that was all well and good - as far as it went.  I learned several valuable lessons.

1)  Large muscles are built by ripping the muscle tissue, waiting a day for the white blood cells to fill the muscle tissue, and then working and ripping the muscle again.  As a consequence there was some additional strength yet compared to the size of the muscle created (the white blood cells also formed scar tissue which was embedded in the muscle) the strength compared to size just wasn't there.  Also, these larger muscles limited flexibility.  Some of my friends couldn't even touch the backs of their head.

2)  My other friends, gymnasts and martial artists, were developing functional muscles.  The muscles that they made were built by performing multiple repetitions over time.  These muscles were very dense, strong, powerful, and fast.  We have all seen swimmers, long distance runners, gymnasts, and the like that are "buff" and "toned" yet don't have the "Arnold" look.  Marvel comics were a big hit around this time and a lot of Jack Kirby's heroes look like some of the ultra bodybuiders of today - cartoonish. 

I think of Olympic athletes around this time and I recognize that they were not as "muscled" yet had the abiltiy to perform and excel in the sport(s) of their choice.

3)  So, if I had to put it in a "nutshell."

• Size does not equal strength.
• Size does not equal speed.
• Size does not translate directly to either Fitness or Health.

4)  Out of these realizations came the genesis of HeartFlex.  Because I used a boxer's "speed bag" as I was growing up I came to realize that light resistance combined with multiple repetitions is what builds muscles that work.  Muscles that, pound-for-pound, produce the most explosive power and speed.

If you want big muscles to impress others then working to muscle exhaustion is your way to achieve that goal.  Today there is evidence that working only a single repetition and loading that repetition until muscle failure (where the muscle fibers rip and the muscle is subsequently gourged with white blood cells) will build the largest muscles possible.

If you want muscles that are functional and fast and will last a lifetime then I recommend doing what the premier athletes do.  Combine light resistance with multiple repetitions over time.  Lance Armstrong didn't work out with a few short, intense, bursts.  He worked out over extended periods of time and build his incredibly strong and resilient body.

These observations are what led me to invent the HeartFlex upper body strengthener.  It was not designed to build huge muscles but muscles that work.  HeartFlex produces an easy "consistent resistance" over a range of motion; and when combined with multiple repetitions builds dense, functional muscle tissue.

Our French distributor, Jean Makpevode, is a third degree black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do.  He embraced the HeartFlex after discovering that it builds muscle strength, flexibility, and hand speed.  If you'd like to visit his website, www.heartflex.fr.

Walking with HeartFlex upper body strengthener

Here's a video showing proper walking form and how to use the HeartFlex to add an upper body strength component to your walk.