Resources
Our goal is not only to provide you with top-tier personal training but also to empower you with valuable resources, including safety recommendations, answers to frequently asked questions, and a carefully selected collection of books, articles, videos, and websites that we highly recommend.
Safety Recommendations
The purpose of your first few sessions is to learn and rehearse proper PRE techniques. Our job is to assist you to a level of competence that you will always use, even when the workouts become very difficult. The intensity of your first workouts may be disappointing, however, be patient as your body learns to go slow smoothly. As you get used to the equipment, with practice you will learn how to tolerate fatigue and inroad your muscles deeper with each workout. Remember, long term results, not short term gains.
Santa Rosa Strength uses a resistance exercise protocol based on slow movement speed. This means that when the weights are going up (the positive phase), it should take about 10 seconds for the weights to reach the top.
When the weights are coming down (the negative phase) it should also take about 10 seconds. This way of moving slowly keeps you safe, gives time for your instructor to coach you through any form mistakes, and fatigues your muscles very quickly. While you are learning to move this way, try not to count or cadence your reps, for this is the job of your instructor. Instead, try to develop a "feel" for the correct movement speed.
Our facility is set up so you are able to concentrate and get the best workout possible. The idea is to concentrate on the exercise you are doing, not to distance yourself from it, therefore, the workout area is separated from the foyer, the exercise area has no mirrors, which adds privacy, and there is no music to distract you. We also minimize socializing on the workout floor and when you are finished with your exercise we will move off of the workout floor to review your workout. Fans are positioned at every machine to keep you cool to also minimize distraction.
During the exercise session you must get rid of any gum or candy. Due to the nature of the exercise, and the breathing style we use, it is very dangerous to have anything in your mouth while exercising. If you aspirate something (choke), we will perform abdominal thrusts, attempting to save your life, at no extra charge. Just say no to gum or candy on the workout floor!
It is important to never hold your breath while exercising. This is easy to say, but tough to do, as it is a natural inclination to bear down and hold the breath when exerting against something. This is called the Val Salva Maneuver, which blocks venous return and drives blood pressure to dangerously high levels. We will always request that you relax your face, drop your jaw and breathe slow breaths before you start the exercise so that you avoid holding the breath when first lifting the weight. In the beginning, breathe just enough to keep breathing and avoid hyperventilating, but as you begin to work harder, start breathing more and more as your body requires it. For example, as a dog pants or the quick short pants of labor. Also, do not grip your hands, make faces or grimace, clench your jaw, or twist your neck. These activities unnecessarily and dramatically raise blood pressure. It is important to relax from the neck up.
It is very important to stabilize your head and neck in a neutral position during resistance exercise. Doing so will protect the neck muscles, which are directly or indirectly under load during most exercises. A "neutral position" is described as being about a fists width between the chin and chest. To maintain this neutral position, please don't look around the room or at your instructor while under load, or tilt your head forward or back. Ignore anything that you may become aware of during the brief moments of exercise.
If you arrive for a workout with a headache, please inform your instructor. You can still workout, but if it gets worse, you will need to stop, and it depends on the type of headache. Sinus headaches and migraines are the types that could get worse, whereas a tension headache may get better. The exercise induced headache (EIH) is an entirely different headache and is to be avoided. It isn't dangerous, but it is extremely uncomfortable, and can persist for days and weeks. The warning sign of an EIH is a dull throbbing sensation, or pressure, at the back of the neck and base of the skull. Please stop and inform your instructor if you begin to "feel" the onset of an EIH.
Nausea and dizziness are also associated with physical exertion and you should stop, and inform your instructor if you become nauseous, dizzy, experience "pain", or feel the onset of the EIH.
Properly performed resistance exercise produces a very deep muscular burn and fatigue. Although it hurts, we will NOT refer to this sensation as "pain". The proper term for this experience is exertional discomfort. Pain, on the other hand, is a signal of a potentially injurious event, and should be avoided. If you experience "pain" vs. "exertional discomfort" please set the weights down, and inform your instructor.
PAIN
Sharp, shooting, electrical, sudden sensations felt in the joints or muscles within a centralized location of the body. Try to avoid this.
DISCOMFORT
Deep burning felt throughout the muscles, which are being targeted for inroad in a particular exercise. While this does not "feel" good, it is experienced during the inroad, and therefore should be tolerated.
Muscle soreness is not necessarily desirable; it is simply a harmless indication that you have performed a new activity. As you exercise regularly, you should not continually get sore. We introduce you slowly to exercise to facilitate good habits and prevent soreness. In the event that you do get uncomfortably sore muscles, inform your instructor, prior to the workout, to take you through a medium intensity workout the next day to alleviate the soreness.
Though no special clothes are necessary to perform resistance exercise properly, we will ask you to dress cool and comfortably. We try not to break into a sweat during this exercise, and if you wear shorts and a t-shirt, not only will you remain cooler, but also your instructor will have an easier time correcting any form breaks.
As the workouts are very brief, there is usually no need for you to carry a water bottle on the workout floor and you are always welcome to visit the water cooler in between exercises. In addition, lockers and cubbies are provided for everything from just a set of keys to a change of clothes. Please help us maintain efficient use of our space by using the lockers, and not the exercise room, to store items you may be carrying into the facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any billing concerns, please [contact us]
We are open for regularly scheduled appointments from 7:0 0am to 6:00 pm Monday through Friday and from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturdays.
We start everyone off with the same 5 machines, which are the easiest and safest to learn and are the most effective at producing a full body workout. As your skill improves and the exercise becomes more demanding we will include machines that will address your particular exercise needs, such as low back or abdominal exercises.
Though we start with 5 exercises, everyone’s routine varies between 5 to 8 different exercises per session.
When performing resistance exercises that use slow movements, the body is protected from musculoskeletal injury. Since the body “warms up” as it fatigues, you are less likely to experience an injury and therefore don’t need an additional warm up.
During resistance exercise, which produces a very intense sensation in the muscles, the potential for injury occurs only with increased speed or sudden, uncontrolled movements. As the muscles fatigue, the discomfort is often confused with the potential for injury. Fatigue causes the muscles to produce less force making the muscles less likely to become injured during those last, most productive reps of resistance exercise.
Though we don’t necessarily increase the weights every time you exercise, our program uses a carefully designed progression model that will keep your muscles growing. Resistance exercise must be progressive in nature or the body will fail to adapt, thus resulting in what is known as a “plateau”. We will follow our specific progression model so you will continue to get excellent results.
In the beginning, you are trying to go for 2½ minutes with good form. As your skill improves and the weights get heavier, the time required to meet muscle fatigue will decrease. With this in mind, each exercise should take around 1:20-2:00 minutes.
Your weekly exercise session will always be guided by one of trainers. Typically, your session will be with the same trainer each week, although this is not necessary. All of our trainers receive the same specialized instruction in our method. If you would like to work with a different trainer, feel free to schedule with whomever you choose.
Though many people desire greater flexibility - stretching exercises are not necessary. The main cause of a loss in flexibility is actually muscular atrophy. As you gain muscle, your flexibility will increase.
At Santa Rosa Strength, we believe a healthy life is filled with all kinds of activity. What do you like to do? Whatever it is, if you participate in the things you enjoy, your life will be healthier and happier. You do not need to exercise more often for better results.
The difference between cardiovascular health and fitness is very misunderstood. For ideal cardiovascular health, resistance exercise coupled with proper nutrition provides excellent stimulus, and for most people is enough to maintain healthy markers. Cardiovascular fitness requires conditioning, which often leads to overtraining, injury and long-term overuse conditions, such as osteoarthritis. If you are seeking greater fitness, we suggest utilizing the Tabata Protocol, which our trainers can incorporate into your sessions.
Additional Resources
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