We’ve all been told to use our time wisely! At MEDFITNESS, optimal time management is centered around the MEDFITNESS Clock. Created in 2009, the MEDFITNESS Clock is a customized timepiece designed to help clients manage repetition speed and time under load (i.e., total time on an exercise). The MEDFITNESS Trainer also uses the clock as a coaching tool by helping clients begin on time and stay on time. The clock is also beneficial as it allows Trainers to implement customized training protocols such as Multipliers and our Signature Support that help clients work around issues (injuries, surgeries, etc.).
Over the years, I’ve written several articles about moving slowly during Strength Training (i.e., The Slow Revolution, The Speed Trap). These articles are available at our Learning Center at www.medfitnessprogram.com/blog. It wasn’t until the 1970s that repetition speed gained the attention of fitness professionals. In the early 1980s, a research project at the University of Florida Medical Center sparked interest in repetition speed. The project (i.e., Nautilus Osteoporosis Project) led to the first standardized training protocol addressing repetition speed (i.e., Protocol for Super Slow Training). Today, thousands of trainers use the protocol or a version of it to help their clients reach their fitness goals. Slow Strength Training is practical because it safely and efficiently stimulates improvements in multiple organ systems (i.e., muscular, skeletal, cardiovascular, etc.).
Over the past 40 years, a massive body of research from health agencies worldwide (i.e., the US Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization, and the American Heart Association, among others) has confirmed the health benefits of evidence-based Strength Training. In 2023, the American Heart Association published a ground-breaking scientific statement in the journal CIRCULATION stating that all adults should be Strength Training to prevent and treat heart disease (America’s number one killer)! In other words, if you aren’t Strength Training, you limit your body’s ability to fight degenerative and infectious diseases.
When using the MEDFINTESS Clock, the most essential trait is focus. Staying focused on the clock (i.e., keeping your eyes on the clock throughout the entire exercise) helps you manage your speed and helps your Trainer as they provide coaching cues (i.e., Sue, up to the 12, etc.). The only exceptions to the eyes on the clock rule are the Abdominal Crunch exercise on the A and B Lines and the Lumbar Spine exercise on the B Line. Depending upon your flexibility and range of motion, your eyes may temporarily come off the clock with abdominal crunch. During the Lumbar Spine exercise, your eyes should transition to the ceiling as you extend backward while holding your head in a neutral position. On the Torso Rotation exercise on the C Line, your eyes will move between clocks #1 and #2 as your head remains stationary.
You can optimize time management by beginning and staying on time. Beginning on time requires you to start on a number (i.e., 12. 2. 4. 6. 8, or 10). Our standard speed is 10 x 10 (ten seconds up, ten seconds down). You may also use a 5 x 5 x 5 (five seconds up, five seconds hold, five seconds down) or a 5 x 5 (five seconds up, five seconds down). Your trainer will coach you to begin on time and keep your eyes on the clock. Staying on time requires resisting the urge to move faster as you fatigue. Your objective is to train to muscle failure. You have achieved muscle failure when you cannot complete your last repetition with the correct form and speed. Staying on time as muscles fatigue will maximize workout safety by helping you avoid peak forces that your joints cannot withstand. It also maximizes muscle tension, which stimulates strength gains and health benefits. Ultimately, using the MEDFITNESS Clock to manage your repetition speed ensures you get the most out of every workout!
Schedule a Free Trial Workout HERE.
Get your Guide to Strength Training HERE.
Subscribe to the MEDFITNESS Minute HERE.
Stay Strong,
Richard J. Wolff, RDN