In a country plagued by muscle loss and chronic illness, the promise of Strength Training is an energetic, disease-resistant body! As enticing as this sounds, most adults still avoid Strength Training. A significant barrier is the lack of knowledge required to Strength Train. Walk into any fitness center, and this becomes immediately obvious. It's normal to see people misusing equipment and performing exercises improperly. If you want the benefits of Strength Training, you've got to do it right! However, this is easier said than done, given all the things that can go wrong.
Decades of Strength Training research have led fitness professionals to an obvious conclusion. People are more likely to benefit from Strength Training when being supervised. Scientists often debate whether research results can be duplicated in unsupervised environments such as community-based fitness centers. In my opinion, they can't! I say this not because I'm pessimistic but because I've seen what happens when our clients are unsupervised. The overwhelming majority don't Strength Train, and those that do, aren't as consistent. It's just easier to skip workouts when you don't commit (i.e., have an appointment). You are also less likely to challenge yourself when you train alone. However, your Trainer knows what you are capable of and doesn't let you off the hook.
It turns out; supervision is an "Essential Ingredient" when Strength Training! Supervised workouts are more likely to get done (i.e., more accountability), and they're more effective because of the coaching Trainers provide. At MEDFITNESS, we utilize a skill-based Supervision System that focuses on Workout Skills (i.e., Form, Speed, Range-of-Motion, and Turnarounds). Skill-based supervision allows us to provide efficient workouts (less than 25 minutes) that are safe and effective. Clients get a personalized workout customized to their skill and ability with our Small-Group Personal Training. The average MEDFITNESS client has been Strength Training for nearly five years, while some have been training more than ten years, having completed 1000s of supervised workouts! Given the connection between muscular fitness and disease prevention, these are medically significant outcomes.[1]
A landmark study published in BioMed Research International measured the effects of supervised Strength Training against unsupervised Strength Training (working out on your own).[2] The study examined the impact of a progressive, high effort, Strength Training program over six months in older adults. After six months of supervision, researchers reported that high-intensity Strength Training is well tolerated and effectively improves older adults' strength, body composition, function, and well-being. In contrast, unsupervised Strength Training provided no benefits. In other words, those that trained on their own experienced the same outcomes as the control group that wasn't Strength Training. The study's authors attribute the lack of benefits to the reduced effort (i.e., lower intensity) in unsupervised workouts. These results are a wake-up call for anyone who is Strength Training in an unsupervised environment.
Recently, scientists have begun studying Strength Training supervision ratios.[3] Supervision ratios measure the number of participants to Trainers. A supervision ratio of 4:1 is four participants (i.e., clients) and one Trainer. At the 2018 REC (Resistance Exercise Conference), Dr. James Fisher reviewed three studies linking favorable results to fewer participants per Trainer.[4] Dr. Fisher attributes the results to the higher level of effort associated with lower supervision ratios (i.e., clients work harder when the Trainer can provide more coaching). Supervision ratios greater than 4:1 (more clients per Trainer) would likely reduce coaching effectiveness and workout benefits. Small-Group Personal Training at MEDFITNESS provides a 2:1 supervision ratio.[5] This ratio is within Dr. Fischer's recommendations for optimal outcomes.
At MEDFITNESS, we take supervision seriously. We require our Trainers to complete supervised strength workouts each week. After all, you'll be a better Personal Trainer if you are working with a Trainer. In the end, it's a risky proposition to Strength Train on your own, given all the things that can and do go wrong (machine settings, form, weight, progression, missed workouts, etc.). Working with a Trainer helps you find new ways to challenge your muscles while keeping you on track with your Strength Training Lifestyle. If you want all the benefits, Strength Training has to offer its time to get SUPERVISED!
If you or someone you know is interested in a Free Trial Workout, please send them our way! Send your inquiries HERE to schedule a Free Trial Workout and start living your best life.
Stay Strong,
Richard J. Wolff, RDN
References
1. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2010;4:293-308.
2. BioMed Research International. Volume 2017, Article ID 2541090, 14 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2541090
3. Reach New Customers by Providing Small Group Strength Training at Any Time, Richard J. Wolff, RDN. Club Industry, August 2016.
4. Arthur Jones; Exercise Science Pioneer, An Evaluation of Principles. James Fisher, Ph.D. 2018, REC Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
5. MEDFITNESS Year-at-a-Glance, 2021.