Red Light Therapy

Planet Fitness Total Body Enhancement

Last Updated: August 14, 2023

In This article....

  • Learn about a new, innovative gym technology that offers both fitness and beauty benefits using red light therapy and vibration stimulation.
  • An in-depth guide on how to effectively use the machine, who it’s suitable for, and who should avoid it due to health concerns.
  • Discover the pros and cons of using this technology, explaining potential side effects, and exploring its role in skin rejuvenation, collagen buildup, and improved complexion.

Planet Fitness franchises around the country have been adding a piece of equipment to their gyms called the Total Body Enhancement. In this article, we will explain exactly what it is, how you can use it and what the pros and cons of this latest piece of red light therapy technology.

What is Total Body Enhancement?

Total body enhancement is the name given to a red light therapy booth combined with a vibrating footplate manufactured by a company called Beauty Angel and designed for use in planet fitness gyms throughout the country.

This piece of equipment looks like a stand-up tanning booth, and that is mostly what it is, minus the UV tanning tubes. The tanning tubes are replaced with Red Light Therapy tubes that emit a safe, visible red light. . The fluorescent tubes inside this booth emit minimum UV light, no more than a standard fluorescent tube you would find in an overhead light.

Each booth contains these red light tubes on every side, providing your entire body with a blast of rejuvenating red light. 

The peak wavelength of light emitted by this machine is 618nm, along with peaks at 696nm, 702nm.

A small amount of blue and green light is also emitted from this device.

These three colour combined give the light a white/pink hue to the human eye.

In addition to the red light-producing bulbs, the booth contains a vibrating foot plate named the Vibra Shape. The Vibra Shape has four different intensity settings. We won’t go into the science of that on this page. Still, studies have shown that whole-body shaking can provide similar metabolic benefits as walking on the treadmill, excluding the cardiovascular benefits.

The below is taken from the Beauty Angel website about the Vibra shape platform

Thanks to Vibra Shape, the BEAUTY ANGEL not only offers an innovative Beauty Light treatment, it also provides training that is easy on the joints. The patented see-sawing function simulates normal walking, which means the side-alternating vibration plate is a 100% physiological training method. It trains all of the muscles from the legs up into the abdomen and back. Regardless of whether you are young or old: The four individual Vibra Shape programmes will help you to achieve your goal quickly. In the total privacy of an enclosed booth, naturally Beauty Angel website

Planet fitness total body enhancement red light therapy Vibra Shape Plate
Vibra Shape Plate

How to use Total Body Enhancement

You can use total body enhancement whenever you like. The manufacturers recommend that you use the booth 2-3 times per week, for 12 minutes over a period of 90 days. and leave 24 hours between sessions.

Ideal use of the total body enhancement booth would be post workout. One of the best parts of red light therapy is that it stimulates natural repair and reduces inflammation which is ideal if you have either been lifting weights or have had a hard, cardiovascular workout.

The vibrating platform on its lower sessions acts like a massage by shaking your muscles with gentle vibrations. Great for loosening up after a workout.

The higher intensity levels are designed to mimic the effects of walking on a treadmill so you may want to avoid that if you have already had a hard workout.

You do not need to use if post workout. You could use it as a standalone treatment. We won’t go into all the benefits of red light therapy here.

A common question we are asked is “how do I use the machine?”. From people we have spoken to, the staff at planet fitness aren’t sure how and why people should use this and instructions are not freely available.

Planet fitness, if you are listening, add some instructions to the booth or at the very least train your staff how to use it!

We have tried to put together a explanation of how to use the machine below. You need to be aware that each planet fitness gym that has Total body enhancement booth may have slightly different models, but hopefully, the below picture should at least help guide you as you figure it out.

Man standing in planet fitness total body enhancement red light therapy booth

Total Body Enhancement User Guide

Before you begin, here are a few pointers:

  • Remove all Jewellery, including piercings.
  • For best results, remove any cosmetics
  • Stand up straight and in the center of the device during the application.
  • Bend knees slightly.
  • Use overhead straps for support and to increase muscle tension.
  • Wearing eye protection or keeping your eyes closed is recommended

Each 12 minute program starts with a warm-up phase and ends with a cooling-down phase. A vibration program normally lasts for 10 minutes of the 12 minute session. The lamps will remain illuminated for the entire 12 minute session. Voice guide prompts will inform you at the start and end of the VibraShape session.

The VibraShape allows you to choose from four different programs, each offering varying levels of targeted muscle stimulation, exercise and massage intensity.

To control the total body enhancement machine, you will need to use the controller that is located inside the booth. 

Planet fitness total body enhancement remote control guide

Climb into the booth, close the door and position yourself in the middle.

Now you will need to select the vibrating intensity. To do this:

  • Press left or right on the controller (#2 or #12 on the diagram) until the feet icon is lit up. 
  • Press up or down to select the required program.

You will see a number in the display, this is the program you are selecting. Number 1 is the gentlest and number 4 is the most vigorous. 

It is recommended to start with number 1 so you can experience the vibration and see if you have any adverse effects.

To begin the 12 minute session: press the start button.

The platform will begin vibrating and the lights will come on. To just switch off the lamps but leave the vibrating platform on, press the start/stop button. To turn everything off, hold down the start/stop button.

You can turn the fan speed up and down too Just use the left and right arrows buttons to select the fan icon and then press up or down to choose a fan intensity level.

During this process you should hear a voice guide as you press the buttons. If you do not here this, you can switch it on. To do this, press left or right until the voice guide icon is lit (#10 on the diagram) and then press down.

What should I wear in the total body enhancement machine

If you are using the machine for the vibration feature only then it doesn’t matter what you wear. Just wear your usual gym clothes / active wear.

If you want to take advantage of the red light therapy then you must expose the areas you want to treat to the red light. Red light does not penetrate through clothes. It must shine directly on your skin.

We would recommend exposing as much of your skin as you can or as you feel comfortable with. If you are going to spend time in one of these machines you might as well take full advatage.

While we do not recommend going nude (you don’t want to give anyone an unexpected shock!) being in your underwear would allow you to preserve your modesty as well as exposing a very large area of your body to the light source.

Who should not use the Total Body Enhancement machine?

The manufacturer states that the following should not use the machine:

  • People with a body weight of more than 300 lbs
  • Pregnant women
  • People with epilepsy
  • People with illnesses which cause light sensitivity or are aggravated by light.
  • People younger than 18 should have parental permission
  • People who take medication or herbal remedies which cause light sensitivity (e.g. antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents, antifungal agents or St. Johns wort).
  • People with DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
  • People with fresh wounds following an operation or surgery
  • People with pacemakers
  • People suffering from retinal detachment
  • People with acute osteoporosis

Total Body Enhancement pros and cons

There really aren’t any cons to using this machine. Especially if you already have a planet fitness gym card. There are only two that I can think of;

  1. The lack of guidance about how to use the machine
  2. You will need to upgrade your basic gym membership to the planet fitness black card (more on this below)

In my opinion, both of these are minor points.

The pros are extensive. If you have read through this site, you will know that we are passionate about red light therapy and all the benefits it brings. For those of you who are going to a planet fitness gym already or are thinking about joining, below are just a couple of pros that I think you will find useful.

  • Build up of Collagen in the skin
  • Improved complexion
  • Skin that feels better
  • Reduction in skin roughness
  • Fewer fine lines

Total Body Enhancement machine side effects

Other than feeling a little odd standing on a vibrating platform or a little stupid not knowing how to turn the machine on there are a couple of other side effects that the manufacturer warns about.

  • Itching in regions of the body being trained
  • Nausea and vertigo
  • Rapid and brief drop in blood pressure
  • Rapid hyperglycemia in the event of diabetes

These are all linked to the use of the Vibra Shape. Vibrations can cause or aggravate health problems. If you are unsure if you have a problem that could be aggravated it is wise to speak to your physician before using this machine.

While I have not experienced any of these, everyone reacts differently to different stimuli so you should be careful on your first try of this machine.

What I can inform you of with certainty is that there are no noted adverse side effects of red light therapy currently. In all the studies done (over 4000 to date) no negative side effects have been noted.

What is unlimited Total Body Enhancement?

Planet fitness black card

Unlimited total body enhancement is a feature with the most expensive Planet fitness membership option. When I say most expensive, it isn’t expensive at all! It usually costs $21.99 per month although this does vary by location.

This membership is known as the Planet Fitness Black card. It allows you to have unlimited to total body enhancement sessions at no extra cost, provided the planet fitness franchise has one of these booths and is a participating location.

As red light therapy sessions in beauty or tanning salon can potentially cost more than this for one course, it is a good bargain

Who makes the Total Body Enhancement machine?

A German company called Beauty Angel makes the total body enhancement machines. Beauty Angel is a brand of a larger company called the JK Group. This group of German companies has been manufacturing wellness and beauty equipment for over 40 years and has representation in more than 50 countries.

Why are the lights white?

The lights may appear to be white/pink color to the human eye. This is because of the use of fluorescent tubes, which contain a few other wavelengths of light, rather than an LED source which has a much more narrow wavelength of light emitted.

They should not be bright white. If they are then this machine is not a red light therapy machine.


Photos used in this article have been used with thanks, under the creative commons license from the following sources:
jeepersmedia | osseous |Samsclub

Hello! I'm Mandi Colburn, the lead writer of TanningReview.com. Inspired by a California upbringing and a passion for health and fitness, I turned my fascination with sun exposure into a blog that offers credible, research-driven advice on tanning and skin protection. Welcome to TanningReview.com, where my goal is to guide you toward a healthier, sun-kissed glow.

33 responses to “Planet Fitness Total Body Enhancement”

  1. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    Thank you for the information. I will definitely use this machine.

    1. Kathy Avatar
      Kathy

      looking forward to seeing your thoughts.

    2. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      You’re welcome!

      1. Elaine Avatar
        Elaine

        Mandi planet fitness just upgraded to red therapy and tanning in one booth … can the tanning part give you skin cancer

        1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
          Mandi Colburn

          It cannot itself give you skin cancer, but any exposure to UV rays, whether from the sun or tanning bulbs, can absolutely increase the risk of skin cancer.

  2. Tifani Avatar

    Hello, thank you for this information, it is of great help to those of us who work on weight loss and health recovery….

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      My pleasure 🙂

      1. Mark King Avatar
        Mark King

        PF should train employees on the use and benefits of the ‘total body enhancement’ feature of PF membership.
        It is an ‘enhancement’ for the ‘total body’..
        I say this as a user of and beneficiary of ‘red light therapy’ … it works !

        1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
          Mandi Colburn

          Absolutely. I’m not sure why they don’t include even a basic instruction leaflet.

  3. Lynda Coffey Avatar

    Now that I have a better understanding,
    I look forward to using the body enhancement treatment.

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Best of luck. Let us know how you get on!

  4. Whitney Avatar
    Whitney

    Thanks for helping me out with it. I was very confused tonight when I got it for the first time. I didn’t know if it was a tanning bed also. I didn’t want to burn etc.

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      You’re welcome 🙂

  5. Emma Avatar
    Emma

    I read recently that fluorescent tubes are not effective for red light therapy and can actually be harmful. Do you have any insight on this statement? I have been using the beauty angel consistently for a couple of months and can’t really say I have noticed any of the benefits associated with red light therapy which makes me wonder. Also, red light therapy is supposed to improve eye sight so I am always confused when the recommendation is to cover the eyes?

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      It’s not that they are not effective. They just contain other wavelengths of light that you don’t necessarily need. Also, these beds are not as powerful as a large LED panel machine. But it will produce a dose of red light, and there is some evidence to suggest that less is more when it comes to red light therapy.

      You should cover your eyes unless you expose yourself to a very minimal dose. The studies that have been done use eye glasses lined with red lights that emit a very weak level of light.

  6. shannon Avatar
    shannon

    The ones at our PF are more of a blue light than red/pink. Nothing like the red/pink in your photo 😮 eek

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      It might just be a tanning bed rather than the red light version.

  7. Jenettia Avatar
    Jenettia

    used this for the 1st time last night.. mixed feelings… I’m 47 and do understand what the inferred can do…. but, how about some sort of PVC bar or something for those of us that can not stand in one place that long due to back issues etc? the fan is excellent! I do wish there were instructions for people that don’t know about it….. it’s a bit overwhelming… the settings… have no idea what what was so I ended up on 4 and killed it 7 minutes in… the music was definitely not easy… I started and ended up with “elevator music”!

  8. Mary Lynn Garcia Avatar
    Mary Lynn Garcia

    How hot does it get??

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Shouldn’t be getting hot as red light is non thermal 🙂

  9. Carla Avatar
    Carla

    Can you publish directions on how to use this machine at Planet Fitness? The remote thing is confusing. I messed around with the buttons and it finally started vibrating but I don’t know if I can remember what I did. Also, how often do you recommend that I use this red light therapy?

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Directions are on this blog post!

      3-5 times a week is an ideal amount of sessions

  10. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    Someone just mentioned this machine to me. I didn’t know anything about it and I am a black card member. I will definitely it out.

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Definitely worth adding it to your self care routine!

  11. Clara Avatar
    Clara

    Thanks for your article, I got the black card membership, but then got intimidated by the controls and the fact that the employee who showed it to me was pretty vague on how to use it, so I never tried it.
    Am I understanding correctly that you can turn off the lights and do vibration only, but you can’t do just the lights with no vibration? I injured my shoulder and want to use the red light, but don’t feel like getting shaken around at the moment. Is there a zero setting for the vibration or just 1-4?

  12. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    Actually…Red light therapy improves macular degeneration, overall eye health and even floaters. You do not need to wear eye protection, however the lights are very bright and it is more comfortable to be in for 12 minutes with less light intensity. I personally the first 3 minutes wear no eye protection and then put on sunglasses for the duration. You can pull up several medically peer reviewed articles re the eye benefits of red light. scholar.google.com

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Thanks for your comment!

      A couple of points.
      1) It must be noted that the advancements demonstrated in this area are attributed to the use of LEDs, whereas this device utilizes fluorescent tubes. Therefore, it would be unjust to claim comparable results for this device.
      2) The wavelengths used in the studies do not correlate with the broader spectrum of red light this device emits and certainly not with the peaks that this device emits, so again the claim cannot be made for this device and caution should be exercised.

  13. Steven Elwell Avatar
    Steven Elwell

    I’m in a wheelchair. I do wish they could figure out how all of us can use it.

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      These booths are definitely not wheelchair friendly, unfortunately.

  14. Gavin Goodfellow Avatar
    Gavin Goodfellow

    Can you wear headphones in the beauty angel?

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      Sure, no reason not to!

  15. Rhonda Avatar
    Rhonda

    I noticed the panel has internal and external. Why?

    1. Mandi Colburn Avatar
      Mandi Colburn

      What do you mean by internal and external?

33 thoughts on “Planet Fitness Total Body Enhancement”

      • PF should train employees on the use and benefits of the ‘total body enhancement’ feature of PF membership.
        It is an ‘enhancement’ for the ‘total body’..
        I say this as a user of and beneficiary of ‘red light therapy’ … it works !

        • Absolutely. I’m not sure why they don’t include even a basic instruction leaflet.

  1. Thanks for helping me out with it. I was very confused tonight when I got it for the first time. I didn’t know if it was a tanning bed also. I didn’t want to burn etc.

  2. I read recently that fluorescent tubes are not effective for red light therapy and can actually be harmful. Do you have any insight on this statement? I have been using the beauty angel consistently for a couple of months and can’t really say I have noticed any of the benefits associated with red light therapy which makes me wonder. Also, red light therapy is supposed to improve eye sight so I am always confused when the recommendation is to cover the eyes?

    • It’s not that they are not effective. They just contain other wavelengths of light that you don’t necessarily need. Also, these beds are not as powerful as a large LED panel machine. But it will produce a dose of red light, and there is some evidence to suggest that less is more when it comes to red light therapy.

      You should cover your eyes unless you expose yourself to a very minimal dose. The studies that have been done use eye glasses lined with red lights that emit a very weak level of light.

  3. The ones at our PF are more of a blue light than red/pink. Nothing like the red/pink in your photo 😮 eek

  4. used this for the 1st time last night.. mixed feelings… I’m 47 and do understand what the inferred can do…. but, how about some sort of PVC bar or something for those of us that can not stand in one place that long due to back issues etc? the fan is excellent! I do wish there were instructions for people that don’t know about it….. it’s a bit overwhelming… the settings… have no idea what what was so I ended up on 4 and killed it 7 minutes in… the music was definitely not easy… I started and ended up with “elevator music”!

  5. Can you publish directions on how to use this machine at Planet Fitness? The remote thing is confusing. I messed around with the buttons and it finally started vibrating but I don’t know if I can remember what I did. Also, how often do you recommend that I use this red light therapy?

  6. Someone just mentioned this machine to me. I didn’t know anything about it and I am a black card member. I will definitely it out.

  7. Thanks for your article, I got the black card membership, but then got intimidated by the controls and the fact that the employee who showed it to me was pretty vague on how to use it, so I never tried it.
    Am I understanding correctly that you can turn off the lights and do vibration only, but you can’t do just the lights with no vibration? I injured my shoulder and want to use the red light, but don’t feel like getting shaken around at the moment. Is there a zero setting for the vibration or just 1-4?

  8. Actually…Red light therapy improves macular degeneration, overall eye health and even floaters. You do not need to wear eye protection, however the lights are very bright and it is more comfortable to be in for 12 minutes with less light intensity. I personally the first 3 minutes wear no eye protection and then put on sunglasses for the duration. You can pull up several medically peer reviewed articles re the eye benefits of red light. scholar.google.com

    • Thanks for your comment!

      A couple of points.
      1) It must be noted that the advancements demonstrated in this area are attributed to the use of LEDs, whereas this device utilizes fluorescent tubes. Therefore, it would be unjust to claim comparable results for this device.
      2) The wavelengths used in the studies do not correlate with the broader spectrum of red light this device emits and certainly not with the peaks that this device emits, so again the claim cannot be made for this device and caution should be exercised.

Comments are closed.