Kieser Training

Hi, is anyone familiar with Kieser Training gyms?
I am currently looking to join a gym and was looking around at the weekend. Kieser is conveniently located for me, just a 5 mins walk. The nearest gyms after that would involve taking transport. I went for a look on Saturday and was impressed by the range of equipment and the price was good. The guy behind the counter was busy, so he let me look around for myself. However it wasn't until I got home that I realised I didn't see any cardiovascular machines!! Maybe I missed a room that they were in, but just wanted to make sure. I don't see any mention of it on their website either.

Jester,
I am a member and they only have weight lifting machines .. no bikes, no jogging machine, just weights. And that is "limitted" to 120 seconds per machine .. no reps. You get a training plan with 10 machines (no more), and after every 20-30 training sessions, some will get changed. You should not train more than once every 2-3 days.
This is just for training and not social .. no usic, no disco lights.
It is their concept which I find works for me, but can appreciate that it is perhaps not everyones cup of tea. If you want anymore then PM - I could "introduce" you to the club to get me a free month

What's usic?

I was a member of Kieser for a couple of years, both in Frankfurt and Hamburg. You can use any of their gyms throughout Germany, and I believe in Austria and Switzerland as well if you travel in that area (I believe they are an austrian chain).

The point about there only being weights machines and no cardiovascular or running machines or any other activities struck me too when I was there. Although the absence of pounding music and video screens I found a plus - difficult to find a gym without music and tv screens nowadays, in itself is a rarity. But I began to wonder about the actual purpose of this type of training. It has its uses certainly, but its a little one-sided.

Also I think the concept suits the owner Mr Kieser and his franchises very conveniently. He appears dedicated to his "ein starker Rücken hat kein Schmerzen" concept of training, about which he has written a book and gives lectures.

I suspect the primary motivation for pushing this concept has more to do with profit maximisation. Everyone spends just a short time on each machine, they are given a set program worked out for them by a member of staff - which is no bad thing, but it means its a case of quick in- quick out, high level of throughput of users, which translates into maximising revenue in the first instance. They dont want people hanging around chatting and taking up space. At the finish I found it rather too "medical" and kind of "rehabilitational" in approach (they do actually offer rehab programs in conjunction with hospitals and clinics as well), everyone making their way seriously and methodically ( soooo german?!? ) from one machine to another with their clipboard program and pencil in hand..

If thats not quite what you`re looking for, how about something like eg Fitness Company, which is much more varied?

usic = Music without the "M", Bobi!

@rick_de: agree ! I don't think I will renew my membership when it is due next year. I didn't mention the fact that I decided to go there as a direct response to their "starker Rücken" campaign, as I am using it as rehab for my nearly 40 year old back.

I think for that purpose Kieser is good, but at the cost of being a little sterile and boring. Also therefore does tend to cater for the older generation (NO comments!!! )

Having said that, yesterday there was a very tidy 30-something woman doing butterfly stuff and she (allegedly) had no bra on .. lovely. Could of hung me jacket up

I didn't say anything.

The last comment, TYPICAL MAN!!!

Can't a woman train in peace!

If you can train as quickly as you can type, then you must be all day at the gym!

honestly, which woman goes to a gym with no bra and expects not to be looked at?

In my defense, I kept it clean, didn't gawp like an idiot (at least not when she was looking) .. she was pretty, I smiled at her, and that was that.

(EDIT: I was distracted mid-post ..)

You must have been looking in the first place to notice her braless-state!

she nearly took my eyes out when she wandered past !

and you must have been looking closely too!

Oh well, doesn't sound like the gym for me! I like their idea of keeping it simple, just go in do your program and go out. No distracting music, TV's, sauna's, pools, etc. When I go to the gym I just want to train, but I need the cardio. Winters coming and outdoor running along streets in the cold and wet does not appeal to me!

Another thing just occurred to me. Kieser dont approve of warm-ups either (whether with or without bra). Their brochures tell you that warm-ups are unnecessary.

I remember telling another gym that my other gym ie Kieser doesnt recommend any warm up routine, you just dive straight into weight training without it, and they were horrified. Come to think of it, Im horrified too.

Kieser claims warms ups are counterproductive. I dont know whether he`s right or not. But they are most probably counterproductive for the quick-in quick-out customer throughput business model for the successful Kieser gym franchise.

not entirely sure I'm with you there though rick. The routine 4-2-4 (4 seconds lift, 2 seconds hold, 4 seconds down) is designed to "exhaust" the muscle within 60-90 seconds. Initially the weights are so low you easily manage the maximum 120 seconds. You eventually find the weight limit that actually achieves this exhaustion, built up over the period of weeks / months

And as regards their not approving stretching / saying it is unnecessary .. according to their website ..

"Customers sometimes ask why Kieser Training does not recommend "stretching". Basically, Kieser Training only recommends methods that offer a clear benefit. That is not (yet) the case with stretching.
...
Because there is still no clear evidence - at least in terms of epistemology - for stretching, Kieser Training cannot either advocate or reject stretching - at least not until reliable evidence is available"

.. which is slightly different.

Whatever, that woman definitely didn't warm up - in fact, she looked decidedly cold!

Stretching is something different to "warming up" though. Generally you shouldnt stretch muscles until youve warmed them up a bit. Else you risk injury. But to my knowledge they dont do warm ups at Kieser.

I do feel sorry for that poor woman who was obviously looked at under the microscope by you...

Maaph has obviously got distracted whilst typing again...

What have I done wrong now? Why go jumping to conclusions?

I heard her teeth chattering !!!



EDIT: Bombi, you monkey, stop spying!

Jumping to conclusions ... nah I know you too well!

ah! :$

I actually typed up a fairly detailed rant about when can a bloke look at a woman, but decided against it .. think its been done before here anyway

Spying me, no never! What else are you going to call me today, a monkey, a devil...

twas me, matey

These fitness places are all for show anyway:

Ok, just caught up with this post...

I always say - you can look, but no touching @maaph (that what I tell Mr. Timmies)

Of course, looking goes for me too! Tee hee

@Vloid OMG! So funny kinda defeats the purpose eh?