Fastway Fitness

Q.4: How does the ROM at Fastway Fitness compare with some of the more popular forms of exercise?

8 minutes of full body cross-training on the ROM:

  1. The results are equal to those of 20 to 45 minutes aerobic exercises for conditioning of the cardio-vascular and respiratory system.
  2. The results are equal to those of 20 to 45 minutes resistance training for muscle toning and strength of all the body's major muscle groups.
  3. The results are equal to those of 20 minutes of conventional stretching exercises for flexibility of all major muscles, tendons and joints.
Overall evaluation: Extremely time efficient Non-impact exercise. Total cross-training in 8 minutes 3 times a week.

Walking 85 minutes, jogging 35 minutes or running for 20 minutes:

  1. No results for flexibility. Actual damage to joints and connective tissue from too much repetitive movement and impact.
  2. Good results for toning and strengthening in leg muscles but through only short ranges of motion.
  3. Good results for heart, lungs and a small range of motion in leg muscles.
Overall evaluation: Not very time efficient and no flexibility results. Loss of upper body muscle as a result of jogging or running (look at the emaciated upper bodies of long distance runners or long distance bicyclists)

Yoga and Pilates:

  1. Good results for flexibility.
  2. Good results for toning and strengthening of all major muscle groups.
  3. Some results for respiratory system because of breathing routines.
Overall evaluation: Very time consuming. Yoga has meditative aspects to it that cannot be expected from a 8 minute ROM exercise. Pilates is currently the chic exercise du jour. Both Yoga and Pilates require substantial instruction. Moderate cardio benefits. Extra aerobic exercises should be added to get good overall cross training results.

Weight training with free weights or weight lifting machines:

  1. Limited and often adverse results for flexibility.
  2. Good results for muscle toning and strengthening of the muscles that are used, but only through the ranges of motion used during the exercise.
  3. Limited aerobic results if repetitions are frequent and without pauses.
Overall evaluation: Should be supplemented with stretching and aerobic exercises to get good overall cross training results.

Swimming

  1. Good results for flexibility of the muscles and ranges of motions used in the different types of swimming strokes.
  2. Good results for muscle toning and strengthening of the muscles used
  3. Good cardio results depending on the intensity and duration.
Overall evaluation: Good all-round cross-training results. One should alternate between various different swim strokes to condition as many different muscle groups as possible and try to use as large a range of motion of those strokes to maximize flexibility. Not remotely as time efficient as the 8 minute ROM exercise but definitely one of the best exercises for general health maintenance and improvement.

Bicycling

  1. A little more results for flexibility than walking and running. Non-impact exercise and therefore better than running for joints and tendons.
  2. Good results for toning and strengthening in leg muscles.
  3. Good results for heart, lungs and leg muscle metabolism.
Overall evaluation: Not very time efficient Upper body muscles will atrophy if not supplemented with upper body strength training (see upper bodies of long distance bicyclists).