Super Slow Fitness Training in Victoria BC....Last year I discovered physical fitness trainer Marc Noel who owns Six Factors Super Slow Fitness Training in Victoria BC. Marc has been in the business as a fitness instructor and personal trainer in Victoria for 30 years. I had heard about Super Slow through a co-worker at my wife's work place. I was wanting build my strength up again, since over the years I had lost muscle mass and the Strength to lift many things around my home. At 64, and being an active and busy Realtor, I was not keen about spending hours every day in a gym. so I followed up and met with Marc, he is a personal trainer and qualified Super Slow instructor. After hearing the benefits of Super Slow Training I joined and hired Marc as my Personal Trainer. My workout routine is only once a week, for about 20 minutes, I have doubled my personal strength since joining Six Factors. Just yesterday Marc told me about the how bad the fitness program like Curves is and how it does nothing to improve fitness with women. He feels they maybe misleading the public in Victoria. he told me he has written a explanation on his opion regarding Curves. I thought this story needs to be told so I asked Marc if I could post his explanation on the disadvantages of Curves on my Blog....
Here is Marc's explanation:
Danger! Curves for Women should be outlawed! Read why below...
This LONG rant is to expose the numerous
drawbacks of Curves
for Women exercise facilities. I apologize for its length, but this
information
must be conveyed. Please be advised that none of the following comments
can be
denied (meaning that they CAN be proven), although some people
(primarily
Curves' advocates) will take offense at them. That reaction is
childish. If
Curves’ method/equipment is valid, then it should stand up to
scrutiny. If it isn’t,
don’t those advocating it want to know what’s
wrong, so they can fix it? There
now follow numerous comments describing the different problems with
Curves…
No seat belts to arrest reactionary force, thereby enabling subject to
be moved
out of equipment (to varying degrees), due to forces on body during
exercise.
Exercises should be performed in a stable manner to maximize loading
efficiency
and to minimize injury potential.
Curves’ method, based on isokinetics (meaning “same
speed”), was proven invalid
over 35 years ago. Concept was to prompt user to work as hard as
possible,
since movement arm will only move so fast, regardless of how hard one
pulls.
However, since movement arm will still move with less-than-maximum
force/effort
applied, user may work at less-than-maximum effort. In comparison, it
requires
a minimum amount of force to lift regular weights; if that force is not
generated, the weights won’t move. Regular weight training
consists of lifting
a selected weight a number of times, inducing enough fatigue that the
subject
can’t continue, and thereby stimulating an improvement.
Contrary to popular
belief, the weights do not get heavier. Fatigue sets in, making it seem
like
they are getting heavier. If
subject
doesn’t get hurt at start of movement, he/she
won’t, since nothing will change,
aside from fatigue setting in. As
long
as form/composure remains the same, so will the force on the body,
along with
potential for injury.
No negative (lowering) portion for each exercise, which is the primary
contributor to muscle mass gains, and also provides for stretching
potential to
address flexibility.
Swaying of shoulder girdle due to alternating motion in some exercises;
pivoting of pelvic girdle due to same, thereby increasing potential for
injury.
Independent movement arms present
motor-control issues that
would not exist with fused movement arms.
This drawback just increases the exercises’
complexity, and distracts
the subject from proper performance.
No adjustability to accommodate people of different shapes and sizes,
for
optimum positioning and/or alignment.
Loading through spinal column in squat and shoulder press; dramatic
potential
for injury to inter-vertebral disks. In particular, squat is to be
performed by
slowly lowering, then driving up as hard and fast as possible. This
exerts
excessive force on the spinal column. Similar benefits can be had from
a
properly designed leg press, without spinal column loading issues.
Sideways-loading through knee joints on adduction/abduction machine
(opening/closing of legs), due to pads being placed against lower legs.
This
loading tries to bend the knees sideways.
Elevated pads, where the subject runs in place to keep their
heart/respiration
rates up, are unnecessary, since machines initiated heart rate and
respiration
increases. Rationale is to give worked muscles a rest, but next machine
would
work different muscles anyway.
One circuit is sufficient, if done properly. More are
counter-productive,
because they do not beget proportionately greater results (meaning,
doing twice
as much does not attain twice the progress), but it does consume
valuable
recovery resources, along with time and energy. Plus, the more you do,
the more
potential to do something wrong and possibly incur injury.
A whipping action occurs each time the subject changes direction, which
greatly
increases force on the body. Changes of direction (turnarounds) should
be done
slowly, smoothly, carefully, cautiously,… not fast!
Unfortunately, if you move
slow enough to maximize loading efficiency and minimize force
generation, you
also detract from the loading efficiency of the exercise in Curves
equipment,
since the equipment dictates that one move fast to get significant
resistance.
However, moving fast enough to get meaningful resistance can result in
injury.
You can’t win with Curves!
Slamming into the ends of the machines’ excursions can send
shock waves through
the involved body parts, thereby increasing injury potential.
Exercises are performed in an alternating fashion, i.e.: pull with
biceps, push
with triceps, pull with biceps, push with triceps. This results in each
muscle
experiencing a respite each time the other muscle is in use. This is
inefficient. One should focus on a muscle until it has been addressed,
then move
on to the next one.
Although machines rotate, straight-line resistance is applied to the
rotary
mechanisms through the hydraulic cylinders. This conflicts with the
requirements of the target musculatures, which should have rotary
resistance
that can be balanced in accordance with their needs.
Resistance is dependent on movement – no movement, no
resistance. When stopped,
however briefly, unloading occurs. Also, alternating nature of the
resistance
contributes significant slack at each end of the machine’s
travel, further
reducing loading efficiency. In comparison, even if one stops the
movement of
regular weights, the subject must still expend effort to hold the
weights,
therefore, much less potential for unloading.
Because the equipment does not have adjustable resistance, it is
nigh-impossible to quantify improvements. Most are subjective
observations (“I
feel stronger.”), but those are unreliable. Rather, objective
observations need
be made by using regular weights, thereby seeing how much the subject
can lift
for how many times over what distance in how long.
Only way to show improvement is to move faster, resulting in greater
force on
the body and potential for injury.
Doubling speed increases kinetic energy four-fold (1/2MxV2),
thereby increasing injury potential while simultaneously decreasing
loading
efficiency on the target musculature(s).
30-second sets are of insufficient length to elicit improvement(s).
Music in the environment is a distraction for concentration, which
increases
injury potential.
Signage says "... weight loss centers", yet weight loss (actually
body-fat loss) is primarily a dietary issue. When most people decide to
lose
weight (fat), they usually embark on an exercise program and start a
diet.
After losing a significant amount of weight (hopefully, fat), the
exercise will
get the credit when the diet had the major impact. Try ONLY exercising
and see
how much weight you lose. Then try ONLY dieting and see what happens. A
workout
might consume 500 calories, but following that up with a 1,500 calorie
meal at
McDonald's complete negates one's efforts. The point is, it is much
easier to
not eat something in the first place than to try exercising it off.
Boasts are made about how the Curves' workout only takes 30 minutes,
three
times a week. In comparison, if done properly, a
safe/productive/time-efficient
workout need only be done once a week for 20 minutes. It will be hard
(as in
tiring and uncomfortable), but not dangerous. The trade-off is that you
don't
have to do very much. JUST ENOUGH!
If you want safe, productive, time-efficient exercise, I urge you to
investigate SuperSlow strength training. It addresses all aspects of
physical
fitness simultaneously in a safe and efficient manner, and is of such
high
quality and efficiency that it need be done only once a week for 20
minutes.
Also, it is performed in a cool, dry environment, with no music,
mirrors, or
telephones (therefore no distractions, which can increase injury
potential), on
equipment that is optimized for that method. Additionally, only one
person goes
through at a time, fully supervised by a certified SuperSlow instructor
in a
private environment.
As an aside, unless you know something about exercise equipment design,
don't
assume that anything you encounter is correct, safe, valid, etc. It is
possible
that you might be looking at shiny, new, clean,... CRAP! SuperSlow
exercise
instructors are educated in exercise equipment design principles, which
enable
them to look at a piece of equipment, determine what's wrong with it
(if
anything), and propose how to fix it.
The foregoing is to inform those individuals who want to know. PLEASE
don't
contact me with the intent to argue. As I've already said, none of the
comments
can be denied, so leveling personal attacks at me won't accomplish
anything.
Have a nice day! Marc
Here is a You Tube Video done by Marc to help explain Super Slow Strength Training
