I’ve been teaching group fitness classes at my gym at for almost 3 and a half years. While I’ve had many great moments there over the years, I’ll never forget the moment Olympian Bryan Clay, Silver and Gold Medalist Decathlete earning the title “World’s Greatest Athlete” (along with Joe Culver, the founder & CEO of my gym’s franchise), unexpectedly came into the group fitness room during my cycling class one Saturday morning to watch. We talked after class about how I create my classes, their structure, and how they’re developing an athletic training program with a team of professional athletes. After Bryan left, I proceeded to appropriately FREAK OUT that I had just met such an elite athlete, and was extremely curious as to what he was working on!
Fast forward almost a year, and now our gym is the very first in the world to introduce their training program, Eat the Frog Fitness, to the world. ETF is a blend of science and athletic-based training, functional exercises, personalized coaching and group fitness. It incorporates periodization training, heart rate monitoring, high intensity interval circuit training, and state of the art technology. This combination creates an exciting experience and effective training method for ALL levels of fitness; one that surpasses anything else out there and delivers REAL results.
What does “Eat the Frog” Mean?
Eat the Frog Fitness is based on the following quote by Mark Twain: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Think about something you procrastinate about. That is your “frog”; that thing you avoid doing. For many people, it is fitness. ETF Fitness is about pushing you to do what it is you don’t want to do, and getting it over with.
How does it work?
First, your current fitness level is assessed based on 4 categories; cardio, strength, flexibility, and core. Based on the results, you are instantly recommended a fitness program which aims to help you improve on areas of fitness which aren’t as strong. These training sessions should be done every week for the entire 8 week training block.
There are 4 phases within this FrogX Training System, creating the periodization aspect of this program with progressive cycles of intensity.
- Phase 1: ETF Fit Test
- Phase 2: Weeks 1-3 of high intensity
- Phase 3: Week 4 is a series of recovery sessions which allows the body to recover and not over train
- Phase 4: Weeks 5-7 are high intensity, week 8 concludes with retaking the Fit Test to track results
What does a Training Session look like?
Picture this. You walk into the group fitness room and your Coach presses a button which turns on 3 large TVs and a huge projector screen. The projector screen and 1 of the TVs display what exercises you will currently be doing, for how long, and what is coming up next. The other two TVs will automatically display your heart rate which links up with your new SUUNTO heart rate monitor, along with your fellow fitness frogs! The shades are drawn, lights are dimmed, awesome music starts playing and immediately you realize this is a workout experience you’ve never seen before.
Now you being your 5 minute warm up. Depending on if you are doing a Strength, Cardio, or FlexCore Session, the warm up may be on beautiful new Keiser spin bikes and Concept2 rowing machines, or a series of simple exercises to bring up your heart rate.
After the warm up, you begin your first of 3 total 12 minute modules. Again, depending on what Session you are doing, that could involve using sandbags, TRX suspension, or biking/rowing. During each of these 3 modules, the intensity will be a High Intensity Interval format. This just means short bursts of high intensity followed by short rest periods, repeated over a series of time. After completing the first module, there will be a quick transition period to the next set of equipment being used for that second 12 minute module, and then the same thing happens with moving onto the third and final module. With the exception of a biking/rowing module, there are only 4 exercises which are repeated 4 times in a module. This allows for you to get comfortable with each exercise and really get that proper form down and build intensity.
After completing the third module, we have the cool down. You are dripping in sweat and high-fiving your frog friends, and wondering what just happened. You ate your frog!
Why is it unlike anything else?
This is NOT a group fitness class. It is personalized group training by certified personal trainers. And more affordable than personal training! The science behind this training is based on knowledge from passionate professional athletes who have dedicated their lives to the fitness world; in Olympic stadiums, collegiate training centers, and gyms.
Everything involved within the training program has been researched and selected to perform a precise function. The equipment used in a high intensity interval format stimulates fast and slow twitch muscle fibers, minimizes bodily wear and tear, promotes central nervous system function and healthy hormone production, and catabolize fat tissue. ETF busts plateaus and creates a well-rounded and balanced fit person, regardless of their previous fitness level.
Each person is individually analyzed and personally recommended a workout especially for them, allowing for better results and reaching personal goals in a fun and SAFE manner. The focus is on quality, not quantity of repetitions unlike other fitness companies out there today. No company has merged personal training and group training, until now.
The goal is a focus on well-balanced fitness, and discovering the inner athlete. A runner may have great cardio capacity, but maybe doesn’t focus on flexibility as much as they should. Or a weight lifter may be strong, but maybe doesn’t focus on cardio. This program addresses areas which need to be addressed more, and achieves just that!
Want to eat your Frog?
Check out www.etffitness.com, and ask yourself this. ARE YOU READY?
Dani Sanusi Fitness 