“The wall increases the load on your muscles and their time under tension,” or the length of time they spend working during a set, says Clifton Harski, the trainer who creates all of the programming for Fitwall. Workouts use a high-intensity interval training template, with multijoint movements (think squats and rows) done mainly on the wall, plus resistance-band and body-weight drills. They cycle through three full-body workouts a month; progress is measured by heart rate and density, or doing more total reps within a given time limit. “The Fitwall does [self-limiting exercise training] quite possibly better than anyone else and reminds us that high intensity does not have to mean high risk of injury,” says Joe DiStefano, co-founder of Spartan Race’s SGX certification, which prepares trainers to coach people for Spartan Races.
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