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Jordan Pysz / iFoundMyDoctor.com
Thanks to the help of coaches such as Eveline, left, Lynn says her 20 Minutes to Fitness workout is one of the highlights of her week.
The long-standing myth associating black cats with evil dates back to medieval Europe, where people in Germany and Italy believed that witches often turned themselves into black cats to avoid being detected while performing misdeeds. One look around Lynn Chancer’s home tells you that this 79-year-old New York City native considers those myths to be a bunch of bunk. She has three black felines – Rocky, Tippy and Lola Lump – stealing around the premises. “And they’re all rescued,” Lynn says proudly. “Because of all those stupid superstitions, black cats are abandoned more than any other color of cat in the world. But I love them. “Rocky is the oldest, and he’s actually getting some gray spots in his coat. Lola Lump was quite overweight when I got her but she’s better now, and Tippy will sometimes do tricks for me. If I say, Cutey, Cutey, she’ll roll over on her back.” Lynn wishes she could somehow teach her cats how to carry the bags of litter she buys for them. Each bags weigh 42 pounds, and moving them into the house presents Lynn with quite a challenge. “That’s the hardest part about keeping cats, hauling in the litter,” Lynn laments. “I have osteoporosis, so I have to be careful about doing things like that. But those are two of the reasons why I started going to 20 Minutes to Fitness. “I first heard about it from one of the women I play bridge with. This was a few years ago, and she was saying all these great things about what it had done for her. I thought, Well, maybe I should give it a try? So, I did.”
Tailored Training
At 20 Minutes to Fitness, clients work out one-on-one with a nationally certified personal fitness coach, who creates and supervises an individualized exercise program. The program is designed to do what the business name implies: achieve results through a weekly 20-minute session. The workouts are structured around an exercise method known as slow-cadence training. The coach guides the client’s pace and form as weights are lifted in ultraslow movements on highly specialized equipment. Repetitions during each workout take approximately 20 seconds, thereby maximizing muscle performance. The slow-paced movements create continuous tension on muscle fibers. This allows clients to get more physical benefits than they would from a traditional workout program involving three or four hours per week. “While each repetition in a traditional workout lasts for one or two seconds up and then one or two seconds down, we stretch that out to a 10- to 12-second count,” says Blake, general manager at 20 Minutes to Fitness in downtown Sarasota, one of three Florida locations. “It’s a huge difference that achieves far better results.” Each workout consists of six to seven exercises of two minutes each, with the goal being to reach what is known as peak performance. When muscles reach this level during strength training, blood flows to the site. That supercharges the body and helps it burn fat while it rebuilds and strengthens the muscle naturally. “Participants get the maximum benefit through one 20-minute workout per week,” explains Angela Begin, part-owner of 20 Minutes to Fitness. “By going slowly, we get down deeper into the muscle fibers and force them to work at their peak performance. We work the entire body to keep it strong.” The program has years of research and plenty of science behind its success. The weight-training equipment features a patented double-stacking system, where weight can be increased in increments of 2 pounds instead of the traditional 5, 10 or 20 pounds. The equipment also is calibrated to work specific muscle groups without putting undue stress on joints or ligaments. “We have clients who are planning to have hip or knee replacement surgeries, and their doctors refer them to us because they know we can help them build the muscle around those joints prior to surgery,” Angela says. “This allows for a quicker recovery after surgery. Some clients have been able to hold off on surgery because they’ve built up the muscle around the joint and may no longer need surgery.” Research shows that in addition to improving strength, weekly 20-minute slow-cadence training sessions also improve the immune system, improve balance, increase energy, control arthritis, improve bone density, fight symptoms of diabetes and reduce back pain. The list goes on and on. “Most of our clients are people who want to get fit or stay fit and don’t have the time or don’t want to spend hours in a gym and possibly risk injury,” Angela adds. “They want a safe, quiet, private studio environment. That, and the opportunity to build back the muscle that people lose as they age is what we offer.” Angela points out that no client is too young or old. “We have teenagers who come in as well as people in their 90s,” she observes. “We have clients who have never worked out as well as athletes. “We build your strength from where you are today, which is why we encourage people to come in and learn about this unique system and try it out. We offer a complimentary orientation, with no obligation to continue. It’s a great way to make an educated decision about whether or not the 20 Minutes to Fitness program will work for you.”
Confidence Builder
It was three years ago that Lynn first looked into 20 Minutes to Fitness. At the time, she was looking primarily for something natural to alleviate the symptoms of osteoporosis, which can cause a loss in bone density. “My doctor told me that weight exercise is good for that, and 20 Minutes to Fitness seemed like a good fit,” Lynn relates. “I’ve been going ever since, and I have to say it’s one of the highlights of my week. I just love it.” Lynn had to suspend her workouts about two years ago while she underwent and recovered from a hip replacement. She says her recovery was faster and easier than her doctors expected. My hip replacement recovery went wonderfully well because I was fit from going to 20 Minutes to Fitness for a year before the surgery,” she asserts. Lynn says her workouts have increased her strength and balance, which has given her more confidence in her ability to do things such as carry those 42-pound bags of litter. “I don’t think I’d be able to do that were it not for 20 Minutes to Fitness, so my cats appreciate that I’m going there, too,” Lynn smiles. She also points out how impressed she is with the staff at 20 Minutes to Fitness. “The people you work with are so professional and so kind. One thing I really like is that they are very aware of what each client can do because, let’s face it, everybody has some limitations, especially when you’re 79 like I am,” Lynn raves. “They really look after you there and make sure you’re getting the most out of each workout without putting you in danger of getting hurt in any way. I absolutely recommend it to anyone, young or old.”
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