{Giveaway} Da Vinci Body Board
Floery Mahoney, of Sante Fe, NM, is just a few years from turning FOF and says she’s in better shape than ever, thanks to an exercise tool she developed, called the Da Vinci Body Board (retail value: $495), named after Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” drawing. “I’ve always admired the way in which Da Vinci viewed the body as a work of art, focusing on its beauty and the symmetry in nature,” says Floery. FOF talked to Floery about what motivated her to create the product and how it works.
To win a Body Board, answer this question by commenting below: What exercises have you tried that haven’t worked?
How old are you?
I’m 47 and I try to maintain a body that is capable of performing like it did when I was in my thirties. I still want to hike mountains with my son, play tennis and wake up in the morning without body aches.
Why did you want to develop a fitness product?
I was a Pilates instructor years ago and I started the first Pilates studio in Vermont, so I have a good base knowledge in fitness. I was finding it harder and harder to stay in shape after hitting my mid-forties. I’ve always been a runner, but I noticed that I was losing muscle tone and strength. I’ve never really been a gym person so I started piecing together an in-home exercise regime, using fitness tubes tied to furniture legs all around the house.
What were you doing before?
You might say I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve owned a Pilates studio, two high-end restaurants, a clothing store, and most recently, two chocolate shops. I really enjoy the creative process involved with starting a business.
How and when did you get started with your current business?
I started working on the Body Board about three years ago. I’m a single mom and I was a chocolatier at the time. One day, I happened to use my ankle straps and my handle straps while doing some crunches; that was the “aha” moment! I realized that this “opposing tension” system made it impossible for my abs to ‘cheat.’ I started working on a prototype and then developed this full-body workout regime.
Where are you based?
We currently produce the Body Board in Fairfax, VT. I travel back and forth between Vermont and New Mexico.
What is a typical workday like for you?
There’s no real typical day for me right now. I do everything related to the business, as most start-up businesses require. I shoot and prepare video, work on website design, travel for demonstrations and fitness expos, train instructors. It’s really endless but never dull.
What is The Body Board and how does it work?
The Da Vinci Body Board is made of Baltic birch and isn’t an eyesore when it’s out, like most bulky piece of fitness equipment, yet it can be popped under the bed and out of the way. Stretch bands for the arms and legs, positioned at both ends of the board, are used simultaneously for strength training and cardio and work for any fitness level. They also can be used for rehab on certain injuries. Designed to build long, lean, muscles without tearing the muscle, the Body Board can be used daily, and requires about 15 to 20 minutes of your time. It also reaches the smaller muscles that support your joints, creating a body with a more complete and balanced muscle structure
The online or DVD instructional routines are fun and easy to follow. The “Opposing Tension” exercises, which allow you to work the upper and lower portions of your body at once, are unique and the system offers an endless variety of workout routines that deliver results in half the time of conventional fitness systems. The dancing routines that are used with the bands are a blast and help tone twice as fast as any other dance fitness routines.
Is The Body Board used with other exercise devices?
The Body Board can replace all other strength training and cardio exercise regimes. Since the exercise routine is so short, it gives you more time for to do “fun exercises,” like walking, tennis, golf, or hiking.
Why is The Body Board effective for FOFs?
As we age, it’s important to keep our muscles strong and supple. The Body Board supports bone strength and agility. Traditional weight training doesn’t reach the smaller muscles and tends to build bulky or sinewy muscles in women over forty. The Body Board is fun, fits into a busy schedule and will help keep your body strong, beautiful and injury free.
Why won’t this product end up in the garage after three workouts?
There are three things I focused on when designing the Body Board system to help keep it from gathering dust under the bed once purchased. First, I combined muscle groups and added cardio to create a short 20-minute workout. This makes it almost impossible to use the “no time” excuse. Second, I tried to make it fun and interesting. The different routines are designed to work slightly different muscle groups each day to keep your body guessing and your mind engaged. Third, the design facilitates a quick setup and easy storage, both of which facilitate regular use.
To win a Body Board, answer this question by commenting below: What exercises have you tried that haven’t worked?
P.S. Want a Body Board today? Click to learn more and receive $50 off, only for FOFs!
1 FOF will win. (See official rules, here.) Contest closes August 22, 2013 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.