Step Aerobics. Jazzercise. Thighmaster. Buns of Steel. Tae Bo. Zumba. Boot Camp. Cross Fit.
What do these popular exercise methods have in common? One word: crazes. Trends that come and go over time, and those listed above are just a few of the many from the last few decades.
Jumping on the “what’s new and popular” bandwagon can be fun and exciting for awhile, but then what? What options are available to those who are ready to transition OUT of the “Fad Workout” cycle, or worse, those who MUST find a new exercise program because they’ve been injured while training incorrectly. Exercise should challenge your body, but it should also be designed to keep your body safe and healthy for the rest of your life. That’s where we come in.
We use a program called the Super Slow Protocol and it’s done on MedX Medical and Exercise equipment exclusively at Fit 4 Life Personal Training & Physical Therapy in New Tampa, Florida. It’s safe, extremely effective and literally designed for all ages, physical conditions, and workout styles.
The Fit 4 Life program doesn’t see age. It doesn’t see gender. It doesn’t see strength or weakness. It doesn’t see injury. It’s personalized to every person who walks in the door and his or her individual needs. Here are a few key points of the program:
- It is safe! The amount of stress on the joints on our MedX machines is so much less than traditional weightlifting or cardio exercise. For example, if a 100 lb. person walks four miles per hour, they are putting 400 lbs. of force on their knees with each step. On our MedX machines, the force on the knee joints is less than 100 lbs. of force. Now, let’s say you’re a 150 lb. person who runs or does other high impact exercise for 30 minutes per day … that’s over 1000 lbs. of force in each step! Over time, your body will break down with this force.
- One on One! Our gym is not like any other … we don’t allow you to just come in and work out unsupervised, and we have a good reason for this. In order to maximize results, each workout has to be customized to the individual body and the needs of that person. The only way to achieve this is with a certified trainer who builds a specific workout plan for the client.
- Effective! This plan burns more calories in significantly less time because it requires super slow movements, at least 10 seconds in each direction, for only 30 minutes per day, incorporating more muscle fibers and allowing the muscles to work even harder in order to ultimately break each muscle down to complete failure. When this happens, your muscles will require 48-72 hours to go through a complete recovery and building cycle, making them even stronger than had you worked them 50% as hard. The stronger your muscles are, the higher your metabolism is and the more body fat your body will burn.
- Why this program is NOT a fad! It revolves around the basics. It’s a safe form of strength training that provides maximum results with no strain on the joints. Your muscle is your metabolism; from around the age of 25, you begin to lose on average ½ lb. of muscle per year. That ½ lb. of muscle is a loss of metabolism causing gain in body fat; in fact, for every 1/2 lb. of muscle loss, you will gain an average of 1½ lbs. of body fat. So building muscle strength is critical to your overall health as you age! The key is doing to effectively and safely.
