The Workout
Dynamic Slow Motion, High-Intensity Strength Training
We know that no two people are the same, so the program we create for you will take into account your unique body as well as your goals. Using our personalized training protocols, we’ll create a workout that applies optimal stimulus to your muscles. What that means is that during every 30-minute session, we’ll create a metabolic response to strengthen your muscles and boost your metabolism. Your progress will be charted at every session so you’ll be able to see measurable results.
Our High-Intensity Training Program, or HIT, will revolutionize the way you see physical workouts. We don’t rely on long training schedules with multiple sets. We use meaningful weights, lifted with slow, controlled movements. HIT’s core concepts are safety and efficiency.
You can spend hours training at the gym every week, or not training at all because you don’t know what to do, or you can come to The Strength Code Palm Desert and workout for just 30 minutes once a week. With our guidance, you’ll be working at a very deep level, and your body tissues typically require 5-7 days to fully repair and recover. That’s why we recommend training no more than once a week, and THAT’s what makes this this method incredibly sustainable. Almost anyone can fit 30 minutes once a week into their schedule. Did we mention that there’s little to no sweating, no risk of injury and no unnecessary soreness? It’s true! Try our 2 Sessions for $50 and see for yourself!
Intro Offer
First 2 for $50
Get Your First 2 Sessions for $50
- Comprehensive Fitness Consultation
- Your First Session – Introduction to The Strength Code Method
- Your Second Session – Go deeper and truly experience how effective this unique method is in just half an hour a week!
ONCE-A-WEEK
SOUND TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
This method of strength training is based on science. In order to create the changes you want, your muscle fibers require a certain amount of intensity, or stimulation. There are a lot of ways to achieve intensity, but one of the safest ways to do it is using our slow-motion method. When you work with us, its always one-on-one, in a private session, where we coach you to make sure you’re using perfect form as you do each exercise, so that you achieve the deepest level of intensity safely. We keep detailed charts of your workouts and progress each week as you continue to increase your strength.
STILL DON’T BELIEVE IT CAN WORK
We totally get it. That’s why we want you to try it for yourself. Our goal is simple – to give you the safest and most efficient results in the least amount of time. Get our great Intro Offer for only $50, and discover the code to YOUR strong!
The Benefits of Strength
Lower abdominal fat
Better cardiovascular health
Controlled blood sugar levels
Reduced cancer risk
Lowered injury risks
Increased bone density
Strengthened mental health
Improved flexibility and mobility
Elevated body image
Higher metabolism and more
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “Slow” Strength Training?
Slow means that each movement in a positive or negative direction is between 8 and 12 seconds, in other words:
Bottom Turn Around: Beginning position
Positive: Initial movement exerting force on weight (8-12 seconds)
Top Turn-Around: End of positive direction where we change direction of movement – if positive movement is pushing weight away from us, the turn-around is where we begin to bring the weight back toward us.
Negative: Final movement; opposite direction of positive (8-12 seconds)
What is High Intensity Training?
In a word: results. In another word: safety. Lastly: efficiency.
High intensity training is distressing, but necessary to help muscles grow significantly stronger. HIT stimulates metabolic benefits that one cannot achieve through steady state activity and conventional exercise. As a compliment to muscle growth, HIT improves insulin sensitivity and increases fat burning. During HIT the body releases hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) to create larger muscles, so while performing a leg exercise, our entire body is benefitting from the release of these hormones. HIT focuses on all of these things, but brings these benefits to fruition without the damaging side effects such as excessive joint wear and tear, or potential injury commonly associated with conventional exercise.
Will I really get results training only once a week?
Yes! Once a week is all you need to set into motion the chain reaction in the body to start building stronger muscles. Arthur Jones, the father of High Intensity Training (HIT), once said, “There is no such thing as a long, hard workout”. In other words, the harder the workout the shorter it lasts. Once stimulated, the best thing you can do is to let Mother Nature do it’s thing –You need at minimum 4-5 days and up to two weeks before your body has the chance to adapt metabolically and synthesize stronger muscles.
Why is rest an essential part of HIT?
Rest, and specifically 8 hours of daily sleep, are necessary components of allowing our body to recuperate from the micro tears we make in our muscles in HIT. Rest is not for the sake of relaxation, but is more a pivotal part of the recovery process after exercising. Moreover, our bodies are continuing to work during these periods. By increasing the demands that we place on our body during HIT our bodies respond with increased abilities. In a static state, our bodies will burn more sugar sitting on the couch than they would had we not engaged in exercise. Proper rest periods ensure that we support our body’s needs for recovery in order to offer these new abilities.
Why is proper breathing so important in HIT?
The benefits of conventional exercise versus HIT, strength training has the potential to promote cardiovascular health more efficiently and effectively. Breathing is why:
- The body releases 70% of toxins through breathing.
- When stressed we tend to take shallow and rapid breathes, result in less oxygen being transferred to the blood, because the greatest amount of blood flow occurs in the lower lobes of the lungs.
- Chest breathing from stress results in difficulty focusing attention, dizziness, anxiety, chest pain, digestive problems, and neck and shoulder pain.
- Diaphragmatic breathing is what we teach and employ in HIT. Proper diaphragmatic breathing creates a negative pressure within the chest forcing into the lungs, which pulls blood into the chest improving venous return to the heart. In turn, this increases fuel energy production, improves awareness and mindfulness, reduces tension and anxiety, strengthens the immune system, improves digestive function, lowers blood pressure, and increases metabolism, aiding in both digestion and weight loss.
The diaphragmatic breathing which we learn in HIT is precisely that which conventional exercise espouses to offer, but HIT seeks to eliminate the risks and injuries which come with conventional cardiovascular exercise.
What are the factors for success in HIT?
Simply put:
- Focus – It’s necessary that the client maintains attentive focus in order to work past the distractions of physical discomfort and to complete a perfect repetition each time.
- Calm – The client should also remain calm in order to forgo the mental anxiety that some times occurs during extreme exertion.
- Consistency – This is less about lifting as much weight as possible for as many repetitions as possible; rather, it is about achieving perfection in form, speed, and breathing.
- Logical Thinking – To think about the science and results which support the efficacy of HIT.
- Determination – For this a client needs to maintain the determination of a champion athlete. What does that imply? We suggest that the client be committed to the appointments, to working as hard as they can, focusing on diet and lifestyle outside of the gym, and to making great health and ideal fitness a routine part of their life.
Is this workout safe for out of shape, older adults?
Is it safe to do HIT with an old injury?
There’s not a one-sized fits all answer, and the type, severity and time-frame of the injury all play a part in how to best develop a plan. But the short answer is yes: it’s not only safe, it might be a very good idea. In HIT, the slower pace ensures that there is less force, force is arguably the biggest cause of weightlifting injury. Additionally, HIT machines are retrofitted with cams unique to each machine to ensure that the weight is heaviest where the muscles are strongest, and lightest where the muscles are weakest. Perhaps most important is understanding that HIT machines are adjustable so that we can safely complete exercises customized to your range of motion.
Isn't stretching important?
While conventional wisdom has led us to believe that this is so, there is actually no credible scientific evidence to support the theory that suggests that stretching prevents or protect against injury. In fact, the opposite may be true. Stretching, especially before exercise, can actually increase the susceptibility to injury. The function of connective tissue is to stabilize a joint, but after stretching, the connective tissue does not immediately return to its original length. This can increase the chance of injury.
What may be most important for us to remember is this: in HIT, we stretch our muscles to the degree necessary for a healthy range of motion. The excessive ranges of joint motion we commonly see in gymnasts and dancers are far from desirable for the typical person. Why? It’s this extreme flexibility which can lead to joint laxity and problems in joint stability. Stretching to achieve flexibility can also cause injury just in the process of stretching. In fact, the term “muscular flexibility” is a bit of a contradiction: joints flex, muscles contract. While joint flexibility is desirable, certain joints like the ball and socket joints in our hip and shoulder have the ability to be stretched past what would be considered normal – this is known as hyperextension.
When a muscle contracts, the opposite muscle stretches. This is sufficient to keep our joints flexible enough for normal everyday tasks. On the other hand, if we engage in a sudden, abrupt activity such as a sprint or jump, we must recall what we discussed regarding safety: sudden changes in force are precisely what create the potential for injury. HIT focuses on stretching the muscles and joints to the limits of what they will allow – while under load and in a slow, controlled movement. This ensures safety, and negates the need for stretching.
What types of foods should I be eating?
A simple rule of thumb is to eat only real foods. That means quality proteins found in grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and eggs, wild-caught seafood, quality fats, and whole milk from grass-fed cows. These proteins serve as the building blocks we rely on to build muscle and increase strength. Equally important are leafy greens like spinach and non-starchy vegetables high in fiber like broccoli and cauliflower. Sugar and sweets are tough to stay away from, but consuming less than 50 grams of sugar each day is a good rule to adopt, but be careful: you’ll be surprised where sugar hides! For example, try to limit how much fruit you eat: it can have a lot of hidden sugars. Junk food and white/starchy carbs count as sugar. Try to abstain from drinking alcohol (or limit it to a cheat day). What is a cheat day, you ask?
To reduce cravings and to allow yourself the best chances for success, allow yourself a cheat day once each week – essentially eating healthy 85% of the time.
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