Susie Rahaim's Healthy Living Series: Syphus Training - The Missing Link to your Everyday Fitness Routine

As we can all attest, this time of year is all about merry indulgence. Food! Drinks! Shopping! All of the things we love…amped up for a month and a half. We need to remember moderation and maintaining a fitness routine are key to feeling good and keeping long term New Year’s goals. Here to help is fitness & natural health blogger, Susie Rahaim, who is going to be doing a series on wellness for the New Year. As a mother who has devoted herself to clean eating and healthy living, Susie has helpful insight all women can use, no matter your age or wellness goals. The first in the series is on interval training. Even before January begins, try to get in a couple sessions of this unique workout to torch calories and ease holiday stress. Enjoy! – CC

Susie Rahaim and her husband, Bob

THE MISSING LINK TO YOUR EVERYDAY FITNESS ROUTINE by Susie Rahaim

If you have been working out and just getting nowhere or needing that extra push, give BURST TRAINING or interval training a try. It’s an exercise technique used more and more by top athletes and fitness enthusiasts worldwide to reach optimum fitness levels in minimum time. Doesn’t that sound great! It can be done anywhere and with minimal to no equipment except your own body weight here’s how it works: You break your exercise session into short segments that alternate high intensity with a rest period in-between. This can dramatically improve your cardiovascular fitness and fat-burning capabilities in a fraction of the time. Many times these segments can alternate using different muscle groups such as upper and lower body.

With this idea in mind I decided to take on a new high intensity training called SYPHUS and I can officially say I am OBSESSED. What is Syphus and why is it different from all the other workouts I have done? It’s the only high intensity gym offering unique one of a kind high intensity progressive circuits. The founder Mike Hackett has created what I can call the best workout yet. A self proclaimed “fitness junkie” Hackett has come up with a workout tough enough to challenge some of today’s top athletes.

Here is how it works straight from the website… Syphus Training doesn’t have exercises in the traditional sense. It has TASKS. Some Tasks use resistance to make them more physically demanding while others are evolutions of simpler ones. The strength, movements, and techniques you develop will help you perform more difficult Tasks later in Syphus. With names like gremlin, tarasq, and potty shots things can get interesting!

My first class was a bit confusing. But thanks to great instructors help was right there when I needed it. It was intimidating looking up at the huge dry erase wall and seeing a list of tasks I had to complete in 60 min. The gym is set up as a long open room with turf as the floor and lines at each end. The tasks go from end to end which makes for a lot of movement. The only piece of equipment needed for me was a 25 lb. plate that was used in some tasks. Without giving away too much I will say the tasks were just downright cool. 3…2…1… begin and I was off and before I knew it we were counting down the last 5 min, then 1 min, then done. At this point 95% of the class has dropped to fetal position to recover. Seriously! It’s that intense! I LOVED IT.

SYPHUS gym where TASKS are performed and the minutes fly by

SYPHUS gym where TASKS are performed and the workout moves very fast

But wait, the fun part is each task has points so when you finish you get a score. That score is there to challenge you and it does. According to www.syphustraining.com the SYPHER must follow and abide the standard of etiquette and code of conduct (shown on the website). In other words, NO CHEATING! Do the tasks properly as prescribed and everyone will get a fair score. Here is where your ROQ comes in. The website states that the ROQ, or Relative Overall Quotient is much like a fitness IQ or credit score. It goes up and down based on your performance in Syphus Training. This number provides you direct feedback on how your training is going.

The type of high intensity training done in Syphus has given me just what I was looking for in my fitness training. It is a fun, challenging, unique, and addicting workout that I can’t wait to get back to each week. So have I convinced you yet to go that extra mile, push your self and start bumping up your workouts with BURST TRAINING? IT may just be what you need or what you have been looking for. Don’t forget to use your CMH bracelet to help count intervals when you are working out! – Susie