FAQ
Why don’t you use any machines?
Machines provide a completely unnatural way of training and do not produce useable, functional strength. Machines work on the theory of isolation and peak contraction; something that doesn’t occur in real life. When you train with a machine you eliminate the use of the smaller stabilizer muscles and thus develop muscular imbalances which make you more susceptible to injury. When you get stronger on a given machine exercise all you have done is improve your performance on that machine. The strength is useless on the playing field or in the real world. There is never an instance in life where you will use a muscle in isolation. Whether you are picking up a bag of groceries or blocking an opposing lineman, you will always call upon the use of several muscles to complete the task, not one muscle group in isolation. True functional strength is built with full body movements, not isolation exercises.
At Renegade Gym we focus on moving our own bodies efficiently, first and foremost. When you move your body through space as opposed to simply moving your limbs around a fixed object like you do with a machine, there is a much higher level of neuromuscular activation. That simply means that you use more of the available muscle fibers and that your muscles will be forced to work harder, leading to far superior results. One needs to look no further than the incredible physiques of Olympic gymnasts to see my point.
As far as cardiovascular endurance and conditioning are concerned, there is a never a need for the use of machines. The best way to get in shape is to move your own body and sprint, run, jump and throw things like we did as kids.
Why are there no mirrors?
Mirrors provide improper feedback and do not allow you to develop the kinesthetic awareness that is so crucial to improved performance and the development of true strength. When performing an exercise you need to be completely focused on the task at hand and in tune with the small sensations occurring throughout your body. You can not do this properly when looking in a mirror. Besides, there are no mirrors in the ring, on the court or anywhere else out in the real world where you will be called upon to use your strength and conditioning.
Why do you do so much of your training with no shoes on?
Shoes are one of the worst inventions of modern man. Constantly wearing them shortens the ligaments and tendons of the feet and weakens the muscles, leading to increased ankle sprains and whole host of other problems. After all, you are only as strong as your weakest link. Your toes are meant to grip the ground, not curl upwards as they do when inside a running sneaker. Scientists have actually concluded that fancy running sneakers cause more injuries, instead of preventing them! Running sneakers are incredibly dangerous, especially when worn during strength training workouts as they put more pressure on the knee and quads and take stress off of the stronger glutes and hamstrings. A large majority of the population suffers from gluteal amnesia, meaning their glutes have “forgotten” how to fire correctly. This problem can be addressed through increased barefoot training and by throwing out your fancy running sneakers.
After a few weeks of training without shoes you will notice an improvement in your posture and less knee, hip and lower back pain along with improved speed and strength.
Why do you the majority of your training in groups?
Heisman trophy winners, Super Bowl MVP’s and every martial artist from Bruce Lee to Georges St. Pierre have always trained in group settings. When the greatest football players in the world train with 51 other guys, it seems silly to think that the rest of us would need more individualized attention.
In the presence of a group of competitive, like minded individuals a person will always push harder and take greater risks. Thus, he or she will always achieve far greater results. When you go to battle with someone you develop a respect for him or her and a certain bond that can not be fostered in any other manner. For the high school, college or professional athlete, the all important sense of belonging to a group or team, feeling like you are part of something bigger, is still a regular part of their lives. But for the rest of us, that feeling of camaraderie and competition is missing. It’s part of what keeps us alive. The average male has a 15-50% (depending on the study you read) lower average testosterone level than 50 years ago. The feminization of the American male is an epidemic. Two of the things that have been proven to elevate testosterone levels are intense strength training and competition. We provide both of these factors in spades in our highly motivational group training settings.
Do you train females any differently than males?
Yes and no. At Renegade Gym everyone is an athlete and trains like one. It doesn’t matter if you formally compete in a sport or not. That means you will train for speed, strength and endurance. Both males and females will do similar exercises and use comparable training methods but the loading parameters and the structure of the workouts will be different. This is simply to account for the basic biological differences between the sexes such as hormonal profiles, strength endurance levels, and recovery ability.
But everyone will train hard and females will never be relegated to the two pound pink dumbbells. Recommending such advice is akin to telling females that their place is in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. It is insulting and degrading. There is nothing sexier and more empowering than being a physically strong woman who doesn’t need to rely on the help of a man.
