This Fitness Concept Challenges the Norm

Evansville, Indiana’s Flex151 is a workout facility and training concept that challenges everything I thought I knew about strength training. The training concept is based on a once-a-week, high intensity ~15 minute session. Yes, you read it right, once-a-week.

My workouts were in desperate need of a change as I wasn’t seeing progress. Therefore, I was more than willing to experience a free session that would only take me approximately 15 minutes to complete and weekly!

The challenge in adopting most new programs especially exercise/strength training is the learning curve and time element. That’s why this one was so intriguing. Is anyone not looking for ways to simplify their life or get more results with spending less time these days?

I’ve always been a firm believer in high intensity and/or the interval concept of training. Strength training is a key component to preventive health so finding a good solution was important to me.

My first visit was with Evansville’s Flex151 owners David Hammelman and Shaun Angel. David explained how the program worked from a scientific standpoint. (Don’t worry, unless you want this level of detail, they won’t share this with you.) I appreciated the science and was impressed with their knowledge and research.

But, it wasn’t the fact that they had studied the body and science that I was impressed with, it was their keen understanding of whole food nutrition. They even confirmed my philosophy that whole food is 80% of the strength training success ratio. What they don’t recommend using is the usual powders, enhancers, builders and the thousands of other synthetics that seems to be the trend in strength training and body building.

Shaun did however recommend a book (Body by Science by Doug McGuff, M.D.) that explained and back the science behind that program. Great resource which I will share more on in future blogs.

My session was a great experience as Shaun was knowledgeable but most important to a client, highly motivating. You know if you’ve been training at any level, hearing an encouraging word when you think you are about to give up makes all the difference in success.

The workout room consists of only five machines in a private room. Privacy for most women is important as the gym can be a bit intimidating. Although I’m quite comfortable in a gym alongside the big, burly power lifters, most women are not.

Well, I’m excited to continue my journey to reap the benefits (my priority is to firm and tone my upper leg/thighs) of high-intensity training. This definitely challenges my conventional thought process in strength training but I’m open-minded enough to try. Stay tuned as I share my experience with this new concept in fitness!

P.S. I’ve increased the amount of weight I’m using by over 20% within the first 3 weeks!