Personal trainers are so ‘last year.’ The Lab in the Health and Wellness Center by Doylestown Hospital employs Fitness Professors, who have at least a four-year degree in exercise science or a related field and a background in personal training. Not long ago, the Fitness Professors sat down for a fitness think tank and discovered that almost 80 percent of new members rank themselves as Fitness Flunkies, the lowest distinction on the center’s evaluation card. (Other choices include Nutty Professor and Einstein Reincarnated.) Because the staff at The Lab Fitness want their members to go to the head of the class, they have devised a three-month virtual training program called Experiment 46.

There’s math involved, but don’t worry. You don’t have to be a genius. That’s precisely the point. “People who are just joining a gym for the first time or who are looking to make a lifestyle change may be insecure about their fitness form and knowledge,” says Amber Natale, executive director of The Lab. “They are uncomfortable because they don’t know how to use all of the machines, so they avoid the unfamiliar ones.” But by using only the cardio machines like treadmills and elliptical machines, members are missing out on a great health benefit and weight-loss aid – strength training.

How it Works
Experiment 46 is a three-month program designed to teach new members how to incorporate strength training into their workouts. It begins with two introductory sessions with a Fitness Professor to learn the ins and outs of the Fitlinxx™ system, which tracks all aspects of a member’s program through computer consoles in the workout area. On the strength side, new members are given eight exercises to perform for 12 reps, at a 2 second lift and drop time. By the third month of the program, participants should be able to increase their lift and drop time to five seconds. With a cardio workout that varies between 20 and 30 minutes, the total workout time will always be under 46 minutes.

“We’ve done a lot of research to find out why people don’t stick to their fitness goals,” says Natale. “With Experiment 46, people can become comfortable with the machines and continue to progress.”

The Lab recommends that members participate for a minimum of two exercise sessions a week. “It doesn’t even take an hour,” says Natale. “We want to help people eliminate the reasons they have for not coming to the gym so they can accomplish their goals.”

Something for Everyone
What if you are already a member? Then, The Lab offers the Lab Practicum. The package is offered at a special rate as a way for current members to get into a new program that shares the same philosophy as Experiment 46. The Lab Practicum includes five half-hour personal training sessions, evaluation of the member’s current program, and a free T-shirt.

As part of its commitment to eliminating workout roadblocks, The Lab has opened The Little Lab. The Little Lab is a childminding service staffed with attendants certified in fun and safety. The service, complimentary for members and $10 for nonmembers, is for children ages 6 weeks to 15 years, who can spend up to two hours there while their parents are in the Health and Wellness Center, either for a workout, lunch at the café, a spa treatment or a doctor’s appointment.

The Little Lab is equipped with books, toys, crafts, video games, and security cameras so parents can watch their children on channel 42 of their workout televisions.

The Lab has taken care of the excuses. Now it’s up to you to just show up!

For more information on The Lab go to labfitnessandspa.com.