Super-slow, high-intensity strength training in Riverstone

To kick things off with this column I recently visited Exercise Institute in Riverstone. As I stepped in the door, it hit me how Exercise Institute is different from other exercise facilities. The entry area has more the feel of a doctor's waiting room than a gym with people sitting in comfortable chairs waiting to be called back. In fact, if you break out in hives at the mere thought of going to a sweaty gym with walls of mirrors, then this is the place for you. Looking around, the demographic also fits more with a doctor's waiting room as they definitely seem to cater to the over-40 crowd.

Once inside I was met by the owner, Mike Teater, who proceeded to show me around in back where they have resistance weight machines that can accommodate 150 sessions per day, and he did this all while talking a mile a minute. To say that Mike talks fast is an understatement. In just our first five minutes together he expounded on the history of Exercise Institute (it first opened in 1995 and had as many as four locations but now has consolidated to just the one location in Riverstone), talked about the science behind super-slow, high-intensity strength training (if you want to geek out on it I’d recommend Body by Science by Doug McGuff MD and John Little), discussed his involvement in building machines for aging bodies, and even referenced multiple studies and osteoporosis research he’s been involved with over the years.

I've known Mike since I first tried Exercise Institute back in 2008 so I can honestly say that caffeine and Mike are a pretty combustible combination (which he will freely admit) so when I saw that he was carrying a Red Bull in his hand I knew we were in for a wild ride.

Just when I was about to formally diagnose Mike with pressured speech, my friend Denny Davis showed up. Denny and wife Kathy have been coming to Exercise Institute since 1996, just one year after it first opened. One of my exercise mantras that you will see as a recurring theme throughout this column is that exercise is always better with a buddy. Not only does it make exercise more fun but it also provides an accountability partner which helps us stay committed.

At Exercise Institute you make an appointment (typically twice per week) with an individual trainer who takes you through one of their 15-minute workouts. Denny agreed that having an appointment with an individual person helps him stay committed and that he feels accountable to show up for his trainer, Nathan.

My other mantra related to exercise is that everybody can exercise and there is an exercise for every body. In other words, no excuses! At Exercise Institute, because you work one-on-one with a trainer, the workouts are customized to your abilities and limitations with an eye toward avoiding injury. Even if you don't know the first thing about lifting weights or have never used resistance machines before, they will guide you through each step so that you are using the machine properly and using good technique.

I was able to watch Mike take Denny through one of their 15-minute workouts. He set up the equipment according to Denny’s profile (which is tracked in their computer system) and was careful to watch Denny’s technique so that he got the most out of it. At the end, Mike summarized what they do by saying that “Exercise institute specializes in scientifically-based, quality, time-efficient, safe exercise sessions that stimulate the most amount of lean muscle that you can genetically have.” Whew, that’s a mouthful!

The Good: 15 minutes twice per week — who doesn’t have time for that? Plus, you get a customized workout to help build and maintain strength without having to fight a crowd or be intimidated by a typical gym atmosphere.

The Bad: The cost is about $269/month for two sessions per week (although it can be less for a weekly plan and luckily there’s no contract) which might not fit everyone’s budget. But in discussing the cost Denny pointed out that although it’s “an impediment for a lot of people … we have always viewed [Exercise Institute] as a source of extra health insurance — it’s much easier to do this and not get injured than get injured and have insurance.”

The Nitty Gritty: Great for busy people who don’t have a lot of time for exercise but want to maintain strength and mobility and prevent injuries as they age.

Dr. Emry is a family physician and partner at Ironwood Family Practice in Coeur d’Alene. Exercise Explorer MD will appear every other week in The Press. Dr. Emry can be contacted via email exercisexplorermd@gmail.com. © 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY-ND 4.0 license.