Our Method of Exercise
Slow Motion Strength Training
Slow motion strength training (or SMST) is better experienced than explained, which is why we offer people the chance to do their first session for free. We believe that if you try it, there is a good chance you will love it.
That said, we would expect you to be a little curious. So, here is a brief explanation of our method:
The Philosophy
"Smart Exercise" stands for workouts that are:
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Challenging enough to maximally stimulate the body's metabolic response to exercise
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Brief enough to allow for such an intensity (you can't sprint for an entire marathon)
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Infrequent enough to ensure total recovery between workouts
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Safe and without any risk of injury.
The method that best embodies these principles is Slow Motion Strength Training.
Developed in 1982, slow motion strength training was designed to challenge the muscles as effectively and efficiently as possible, in order to stimulate the numerous health benefits associated with effective exercise, while at the same time prioritizing safety and minimizing any risk of injury.
The Process
The basic concept of Slow Motion Strength Training is, as the name would suggest, to move as slowly as possible against the resistance of each exercise (i.e. lifting and lowering the weights). This is usually means taking around 10 seconds to move in each direction, or 20 seconds per repetition. So not just slow, but super slow.
"Okay, but why?"
Moving this slowly has two primary benefits:
1. It ensures our muscles are constantly engaged, making the exercise more effective. Moving slowly eliminates momentum on the way forward and negates the assistance of gravity on the way back. Without the help of these two forces, our muscles never get the opportunity to rest, and thus quickly become deeply fatigued. This deep muscle fatigue sends a powerful stimulus to the body which inevitably causes the muscles to grow stronger (as well as numerous other positive effects.)
2. It ensures a minimal amount of force is being used, making the exercise safer. Lifting weights with rapid movements, while intuitive, requires the muscles to produce far more force than is necessary, which increases the likelihood of injury. By moving slowly while exercising, we are using only the safest amount of force required to lift any given amount of weight.
