West Wood Health Clubs in Dublin are launching the ultimate training class, a resistance session which works every muscle in the body from top to toe without the need for heavy weights.
A massive hit in the US, the GRAVITY classes are now making their mark in the UK too. A favourite with Coleen Rooney and her trainer Elise Lindsay, GRAVITY training offers an easy way to develop strength, muscle tone and flexibility, helping you to achieve the lean and shapely physique you’ve always desired. GRAVITY Training was also used for the second year running on TV3’s The Biggest Loser – the show’s trainer, Richard Callender, is a big fan.
A GRAVITY class uses the principle of body weight as resistance so there is no need to waste time messing about with barbells, weights and clips every time you want to do a different exercise. In a GRAVITY session you use just one piece of kit – the Total Gym GTS – so you can move from a squat to a bicep curl in a matter of seconds. Less down time equals greater results in a shorter time frame.
‘Body weight exercises can build strength as, if not more, effectively than external resistance training. In the real world your body needs to be able to function over the full spectrum of requirements which means a combination of strength, flexibility, coordination and balance. The Total Gym GTS works every muscle in the body in an integrated manner in one fluid movement pattern, as opposed to a combination of mismatched exercises which lead to more imbalances. The Total Gym GTS ensures a well-rounded workout that offers outstanding results. I have been using the GTS since the prototype stage and I believe I will be using it for many years to come.’
– David Marshall, Bodydoctor.
Perform over 200 different resistance exercises
On the Total Gym GTS you work literally every single muscle in your body. It engages five components of exercise; muscular endurance, cardio endurance, strength, agility and flexibility. You can even perform plyometric movements on the machine such as jump squats and plyometric pull-ups which work to develop explosive power. It’s so versatile that you can perform the full Pilates Reformer sequence on the machine too.
Variable resistance makes it suitable for all
The GTS uses a moving glide board and a variable incline resistance which means that participants use their own body weight as resistance against the pull of gravity. At the smallest incline you are using 5% of your body weight whilst at the biggest incline you work with 59% so it’s suitable for exercisers of all abilities and even those recovering from injury. For those wishing to perform pure strength exercises there is also the option to add additional weight.
Functional Training reduces risk of injury and prepares you for ‘real world’ movements.
Exercises on the Total Gym GTS are highly functional and the muscles are worked as they are in real life movements and positions, this helps to make us more efficient and reduce our risk of injury. Total Gym GTS exercises target the small muscles as well as the large which are often overlooked in traditional strength training programmes. Strengthening the small stabiliser muscles around the joints also helps to reduce our risk of injury.
GRAVITY Training will be available at West Wood’s Clontarf and Leopardstown clubs from May, with a further launch planned at the Sandymount club later this year.
For more information visit www.westwood.ie or go to www.gravityuk.net