Here’s how it works:
Just show up at EIF Annapolis (address above) dressed and ready to work out.  The class meets at 7:30am.  Here’s more info about the class: Wave Adventure Class

Come one, come all.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

High-Intensity Strength Training (HIT) Camp is a 10-week exercise camp for all young athletes (6th through 12th grade) looking to prepare and excel in his or her particular sport.  
 
The comprehensive camp will motivate and educate each athlete using the most productive, efficient and safest form of exercise – High Intensity Training.

HIT Camp is designed to provide each athlete with the competitive edge to minimize the risk of injury and maximize performance on the playing field.
 
We’re offering 3 different Fall HIT Camps that will take place at the Arnold studio (address above) and begin next week:
 
1.) High School Boys: Meet twice a week on Mondays & Wednesdays from 3-4pm (starting this Monday, September 12th).
Price: $300
 
2.) High School Girls: Meet once a week on Wednesdays from 4-5pm (starting Wednesday, September 14th).  Price: $150
 
3.) Middle School Boys & Girls: Meet once a week on Mondays from 4-5pm (starting this Monday, September 12th).  Price: $150
 
There is a limit of 6 athletes per group, please call immediately to register: 410.544.5780.

EIF’s Guarante- “At EIF, we guarantee a level of professional customer service and attention that will exceed your expectations. I guarantee YOU will get results! Give me 3 months, and if you do not reduce your total body fat I will give you a FULL refund.”

Joe Aben
Owner

Mary Beth Murphy
Annapolis, MD
“ I started training with Joe after having my first baby. He helped me tone and sculpt my body back into shape. During my second pregnancy I continued to train with EIF. I was nervous about weight training while pregnant, but Joe provided a routine that fit the needs of my pregnant body. Also, I always felt safe during the workouts and could let him know if we needed to slow down or adjust the routine.”

Karen Gunsior
Annapolis, MD
“As a multi-sport high school athlete, I always thought that I was in good shape. After completing 1 full year at Excellence In Fitness, I now know what it feels like to be in great shape. I’m bigger, stronger, and faster now! All of the trainers at EIF are great guys to work with and they really care if you are doing well. I can’t thank them enough for helping me realize my goals and giving me the self confidence I now have. I want to especially thank Justin Mullen for all of his help and treating me like a brother. Thanks again! ”

Kyle Clise
Queenstown, MD
“The trainers at EIF have really helped improve my strength and flexibility. Aside from my enhanced health and fitness, I have improved my golf game considerably. Since I started the ‘Body of Excellence’ program, I am hitting my irons 5-10 yards longer. I also have increased my driving distance 15-20 yards, as well as being more flexible. I am looking forward to taking my game to the “next level” with the guidance and hard work of Excellence In Fitness. ”

Ryan Foran
Edgewater, MD

Getting Started

If you have not received a physical within a year, do so. It is also a good idea to obtain a physician’s medical release for initiating a strength program. Fancy equipment and expensive shiny machines are not necessary to benefit from a well-designed strength-training workout. Usually, the machines that are the most complicated to operate do the least. Working out at home with a set of dumbbells or adjustable dumbbells (Sport Blocks or Power Blocks) and a bench or Swiss ball will do just fine. I train many people with varying fitness levels (from 80 year old stroke victims to pro athletes), and no one needs much more equipment than previously mentioned. Many quality exercises do not even require any equipment.

Keep It Simple

A complete total-body strength-training workout should take you no longer than one hour. Compound multi-joint movements such as pushups, chin-ups, and squats should be the core of your workout. Multi-joint movements stimulate the most muscular growth because they work many big muscle groups. The big range of motion from these exercises also stimulates a greater metabolic response (i.e. burns fat at a more rapid rate), as opposed to an exercise like calf raises that isolates a very specific area. I could write at great lengths about this topic, but just “keep it simple” – perform compound multi-joint movements. Seven to nine exercises are sufficient for a complete workout. In general, one set is sufficient, but two sets can be performed.

The Workout

A “set” consists of 8 to 20 repetitions using impeccable form taken to a point of momentary muscular fatigue or close to that point. A typical workout would look like this: pushups – 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions, chin-ups – 1 to 2 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions, squats – 1 to 2 sets of 12 to 20 repetitions, presses- 8 to 15 reps, rows – 8 to 15 reps, lunges – 12 to 20 reps, and crunches or sit-ups – 15 to 20 repetitions. Take about 3 to 4 seconds to raise the weight and 3 to 4 seconds to lower it. Make sure you allow at least 48 hours between workouts in order for your muscles to recover and grow. These are very broad and basic guidelines for setting up a strength program. I would suggest consulting a qualified strength coach or fitness professional regarding any questions you may have and or designing a more personalized strength-training regime.

It’s a simple fact–muscle burns fat. It makes sense, therefore, that stronger muscles burn fat more quickly. These muscles continue to burn calories whether we are working out or sleeping. The more lean muscle mass a person has, the more calories their body burns, even at rest. Improving lean muscle mass can have a great effect on weight loss and body fat reduction programs.

Because muscle burns more calories than fat, increasing our lean muscle mass can have a positive impact on our metabolism. As we age, our body slows down its metabolic rate, and this process starts around age 30. A big reason this slow down occurs is unless we are actively strength training, our bodies lose about 1/2 pound of muscle every year. Working on your own or with a personal trainer, you can help stop this process.

In addition to the many benefits to our health, strength training helps improve our overall appearance. A lean, toned body is obviously more appealing than a flabby body, and can help people feel more confident. Toned muscles also help you maintain better posture.

There are several reasons why people are not strength training. One reason may be that they lack the equipment, however there are simple exercises that can be done at home with inexpensive hand weights. Some people may belong to a gym, but feel uncomfortable and unsure of how to utilize the equipment. Personal trainers are available to help you maximize your workout time, and they can teach you how to use weights in your fitness program. A personal trainer is also able to tailor a program specifically to you and your body type.

Strength training just may be the most important part of your workout.

If any of those problems have your training regimen at a standstill, or if motivation, lack of accountability, or simply knowing where to start has you in a training rut, a personal trainer may be your answer. A qualified personal trainer has the expertise to guide you in the direction you need to go to accomplish your goals. As your trainer becomes more involved in your training, he can suggest changes that may be slowing your progress, such as dietary or rest habits. In addition, if your present routines do not fit your goals he can adjust your program. He knows different routes to the same destination, thus you won’t be bored. The two of you can devise routines that include short and long-term goals in order to motivate you. Your mutual interest in your progress makes you accountable to him.

The training agenda she plans for you will challenge you, as she urges you to set higher standards for yourself on a regular basis. If you enjoy working out at home, she will teach you the art of exercising alone. In addition, if you have an old injury, or present health problem, she can adjust your regimen to compensate for them. Your personal trainer will be well-versed in programs that produce the best results, in the least time, with the lowest risk of injury. Thus, he will be familiar with high intensity strength training, which meets that criteria, and was developed in the 1970’s for professional athletes. You will find access to more information about high intensity strength training, and other physical fitness questions at excellenceinfitness.com.

“ I started training with Joe after having my first baby. He helped me tone and sculpt my body back into shape. During my second pregnancy I continued to train with EIF. I was nervous about weight training while pregnant, but Joe provided a routine that fit the needs of my pregnant body. Also, I always felt safe during the workouts and could let him know if we needed to slow down or adjust the routine.”

Karen Gunsior
Annapolis, MD

“As a multi-sport high school athlete, I always thought that I was in good shape. After completing 1 full year at Excellence In Fitness, I now know what it feels like to be in great shape. I’m bigger, stronger, and faster now! All of the trainers at EIF are great guys to work with and they really care if you are doing well. I can’t thank them enough for helping me realize my goals and giving me the self confidence I now have. I want to especially thank Justin Mullen for all of his help and treating me like a brother. Thanks again! ”

Kyle Clise
Queenstown, MD

“My cholesterol went from 247 to 198 – a 20% drop! Thank you so much for pushing me to excel!”

Sharon Keys Seal
Pasadena, MD

“With my wedding coming up in May I knew I wanted to get myself into shape. I had heard about Excellence In Fitness from a friend and decided to give it a try. Their training is unlike anything I have ever experienced at any of the gyms I have belonged to. They truly cater your workouts to not only your body type, but also to the goals you would like to accomplish. Three months later I now weigh what I weighed in college (eight years ago!) – I thought that would never happen again and I really feel great. I will never go to another training facility; I am sticking with EIF !”

Jessica Schmidt
Annapolis, MD

“As a nurse in a critical care unit, I was always stressed, both mentally and physically. I began weight lifting with EIF in October ’05 and since that time I have increased my stamina, energy level and significantly reduced my mental and emotional stress. My neck tension is gone and my knees feel great! This is the best therapy there is and Joe is a great motivator!”

Jennifer Crisp
Pasadena, MD

“I have never made a better decision than going to EIF. After working with Joe for just five months, I have lost 71/2 lbs. of fat and gained 151/2 pounds of muscle. My body fat is down 5 percent, and my cholesterol and blood pressure are back down to healthy levels. I’ve added over an inch to my biceps and several inches on the thighs. I can already see and feel a huge difference in my shoulders, abs, back, and legs. It’s thrilling to be seeing these muscles for the first time in my life! I still have a way to go to reach my goals, but I just know it’s only a matter of time. Joe and his staff teach me something new every time and keep me looking forward to every workout. I used to dread working out, but with EIF I love it and thus I keep at it. It’s interesting how everything else in life seems to fall into place when fitness is improved. I no longer just want to “veg” in front of the TV after coming home from work. I actually have energy to do all those little things that I was always putting off. I have no more cravings for pizza and other unhealthy foods. And perhaps most importantly, my self-confidence has skyrocketed.”

Mark McInnes
Severna Park, MD

A story in Newsweek in 2001 highlighted the story of Dr. Philip Alexander, who had run 60 miles a week for 10 years. Then he discovered Super Slow, and switched to spending just 20 minutes a week exercising-and he still managed to shed 20 pounds and shrink his waist by four inches.

For those un-indoctrinated to the Super Slow method, it requires spending a significantly longer time to lift and contract a weight – 7 to 10 seconds to contract, another 5 to 7 seconds to return the weight to the starting position. Compare that to the much more typical 4 to 5 seconds the typical person spends on the entire movement. The theory is that Super Slow works the muscle more completely and deeply, enabling a person to walk away with a much fuller and comprehensive workout in a fraction of the time.

Backing up the Super Slow theory are several studies, one of which published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness in 2000. Researchers in that study trained two groups two or three times per week for eight to 10 weeks, all performing one set of 13 exercises on a Nautilus circuit. The key difference between the two groups: rep speed. One group did 10 to 12 regular speed reps and the other used Super Slow lifting of 14 seconds for the entire movement. The study showed that the slow lifters gained more strength than regular speed lifters by 50 percent.

That’s no small difference.

Anecdotally, I’ve heard stories of amazing results from slowing down weight lifting reps from my clients. At EIF, we believe that performing weight lifting slowly is an important aspect to working the muscle as deeply as possible and creating a comprehensive workout. While I don’t use “Super Slow” as a standard workout protocol – I prefer our clients spend five seconds contracting a weight and five seconds returning the weight to the starting position – I do sometimes use a Super Slow workout to change the client’s routine and challenge their muscles.

Excellence in Fitness is continuously searching for new ways to challenge our clients’ bodies, both as a way to keep the muscles from “memorizing” a certain routine and to keep the workouts fresh and new. We don’t look for the latest fads in exercise, but work in time-honored techniques that break the traditional mold for working out. This includes total body personal training sessions that deliver results superior to what our clients have seen with more traditional personal training techniques such as three sets per exercise using less weight and cardio workouts. Excellence in Fitness’ workouts provide a cardio workout and a weight lifting routine, all in a 45- minute-or-less block of time.

A key part of our exercise regimen is approaching each movement slowly with special attention to positioning and technique. Our clients lift each weight in a controlled, slow motion, working the muscle deeper, creating more muscular inroads from deep within the muscle fiber.