Jordan Pysz / iFoundMyDoctor.com
With his personal fitness coach, Anna, at his side, Dr. Kahan strengthens his legs during a typical 20 Minutes to Fitness slow-cadence workout routine.
During the 40 years that he was in private practice in the Tampa Bay area, Dr. Bruce Kahan devoted so much of his time to his patients and their well-being that he seldom had time to pursue personal interests. Since retiring two years ago, the 67-year internist has been making up for lost time. “One of the things I’ve always loved to do is read, but before I retired, the only time I had to read was while I was on vacation,” Dr. Kahan says. “Since I retired, though, I’ve probably been reading two books a week, so I’m loving that. “Another thing I’ve been doing is catching up with old friends that I never seemed to have time to reach out to before. One of those friends is a buddy I went to college with. We hadn’t seen each other in probably 36 years, so that part has been great.” It wasn’t just hobbies and friends that the doctor had little time for. He also struggled to find a beneficial physical fitness routine that he could squeeze into his busy schedule. “I joined various gyms over the years, but the hours weren’t always convenient, and even if they were, I still had a hard time getting there,” he says. “But then, about 3½ years ago, one of my patients told me about 20 Minutes to Fitness. I decided to check it out myself.” At 20 Minutes to Fitness, clients train one-on-one with a nationally certified fitness coach, who creates and supervises an individualized exercise routine. The program is designed to do what the business name implies: achieve results through a weekly 20-minute session. “They were kind enough there to offer me a free introductory session,” the doctor says. “I really liked the fact that I was able to do something positive for myself in just 20 minutes a week, so I joined.”
Jordan Pysz / iFoundMyDoctor.com
With his personal fitness coach, Anna, at his side, Dr. Kahan strengthens his arms during a typical 20 Minutes to Fitness slow-cadence workout routine.
Tailored Training
Workouts at 20 Minutes to Fitness 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. Each repetition takes approximately 20 seconds, thereby maximizing muscle performance. The slow-paced movements create continuous tension on muscle fibers. This allows clients to benefit more than they would from a traditional strength-training regimen of three or four hours per week. “While each repetition in a traditional workout lasts for one or two seconds up, 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 routine 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 equipment features a patented double-stacking system, where weight can be increased in increments of two pounds instead of the traditional five, 10 or 20. 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 replacements, 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 altogether because they’ve built up the muscle around the joint and may no longer need surgery.” Research shows that in addition to improving strength, slow-cadence training can improve the immune system and balance, increase energy, help control arthritis, add bone density (helping to prevent osteoporosis and osteopenia), fight symptoms of diabetes and reduce back pain. “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 and athletes. But no matter who you are, 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 to try it out. “We offer a complimentary orientation, with no obligation to continue, which is a great way to make an educated decision about whether 20 Minutes to Fitness will work for you.”
Experience the Benefits
Dr. Kahan joined 20 Minutes to Fitness a little more than a year before he retired. He typically worked out early in the morning, before he began seeing patients. Since then, he has found the fitness routine to be beneficial in several ways. “There’s the physical benefit, of course, but there’s also a psychological benefit to the routine because it gives you that feeling that you’ve done something good for yourself,” Dr. Kahan explains. “And you really can’t beat the convenience. “It’s hard to explain sometimes how a 20-minute workout once a week can be beneficial, but it is because they rotate the machines to make sure you’re working multiple muscle groups, and much of what we do throughout each day doesn’t work the areas they target.” Dr. Kahan recently experienced the program’s benefits while completing a move into a new home. The tasks of lifting and moving boxes and furniture, he says, were “not as taxing” as during moves prior to joining 20 Minutes to Fitness. “It’s a great program, and as I became more familiar with it, I started to recommend it to patients who were seeking some form of exercise routine,” he adds. “I think it’s especially beneficial for older people. “As an internal medicine specialist, I had a fairly large geriatric population. And as we get older, I think it’s important that we maintain some type of physical activity that allows us to work some of those important muscle groups. “I recently heard through the grapevine that two of my colleagues, a cardiologist and an OB-GYN, are doing it as well. I’m not surprised because 20 Minutes to Fitness offers people an excellent opportunity to invest a small amount of time into a physical fitness program that provides a significant and positive gain.”
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