Exercise system targets signaling of nerves to muscles
The days of “no pain, no gain” are over. According to James Wong, co-owner of The Fit Labs, a fit life can be achieved through the principles of the exercise system Z-Health.
Z-Health is not just about working out. It uses the brain’s cues to turn one’s body into a metabolically efficient machine.
“Most trainers, 90 percent of them, are trained with a base of anatomy,” Wong said. “It’s based on movement and frame and muscle. Z-Health … looks at changing the signaling of the nerves to the muscles, instead of just adjusting the frame.”
He and his business partner, Peter Pinto, unveiled The Fit Labs about a year ago. The 3,300-square-foot facility at 8645 W. Flamingo Road, Suite 104, provides one-on-one training or can accommodate small groups of five for group training. Besides people looking to get fit, clients include those those who have conditions such as multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy or who are recovering from surgery.
Terry Maalen, 56, a new member, came in with a neck injury she suffered about six years ago. After an evaluation, she began a program that included pressure points for her ailments.
“It’s such a completely different program from anything I’ve ever seen,” she said. “They had me doing things I hadn’t done in years, like touch my toes. After the first day was like magic for me.”
She said she felt better, sleeps better and has more energy.
One of the tricks they taught her was a simple pelvic tilt. That one thing, she said, caused her migraines to disappear immediately.
“I couldn’t believe it. It was something so simple,” she said.
Key to the system are the principles developed by a chiropractor with an interest in neurological functions, which led to The Fit Labs system. One element is proprioception, which comes from Latin proprius, meaning “one’s own.” It’s vital to the body’s balance and spatial orientation and allows humans to react to outside stimuli without initiating the fight or flight response. The fight or flight response, necessary for survival of the species ages ago, works against us in today’s world. So, exercises should work in concert with proprioception. In short, it’s how to be athletic.
Initial sessions teach members how to lunge and squat, all with proper body alignment. After that, specifics are addressed according to one’s needs and lifestyle.
“Our rules are: You never train into pain,” Wong said. “You never train with stress on your face or your body. And you have controlled breathing, in sync with movement. Those things are very important for sending the (proper) signals to your muscles.”
Workouts are about 30 to 45 minutes two to four times a week. After that length of time, the body goes into stress mode.
Step inside, and the gym is pretty much the usual setting. There are free weights, punching bags, various medicine balls, battle ropes, resistance bands and a TRX apparatus — all the things associated with physical therapy and exercise.
But the exercises here come with a few surprises. A client, for example, might begin with eye exercises.
“A lot of your coordination, a lot of your reactions, are based on your visual (input),” Wong said. “So, if your visual is sharp, you’ll react faster. … I relate it to boxing. Boxing isn’t so much about power as it is balance and timing. The quicker you can react, the better you are at boxing.”
He said the benefits of reacting faster translate to everyday tasks such as typing emails.
Trainer Sean Conway works with youngsters and athletes. What do most people not understand right away when starting Z-Health?
“How to be present, like, in the moment,” Conway said. “How to get out of your own head and see how does your body feel. We deal with pain a lot — shoulder pain, stress pain — just pain from life.”
Anna Tomasiello has been a trainer for 13 years.
“I’ve been training so long, and I’ve also been in physical therapy, and I always thought they should be one thing,” she said. “Z-Health makes it one thing. I came here for a workshop, and about five minutes into it, I decided I wanted to work here because it was the Holy Grail of training. It put everything together … spiritual health, mental health, physical health, it’s all one thing.”
Z-Health takes into account one’s pain level, stress indicators, work situation, motivation and nutritional needs. Weight loss is treated as a side benefit.
The Fit Labs provides its members with an all-inclusive kit, called the Metabolic Repair Kit. The program begins at $180 a month for group sessions. Private lessons start at $545 a month.For more information, visit thefitlabs.com.
Contact Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.
