By PJ Glassey, CSCS

 1.         Triple Sevens (TS) prevents adaptation.  The typical TS program lasts 7 weeks (usually the fastest someone can adapt to a routine) and is then changed.  This change causes the muscles and systems to begin a new and fresh improvement curves[i].  TS switches techniques regularly as well as exercises to ensure the different metabolic and skeletal muscular systems are all trained evenly and thoroughly. By contrast, other stand-alone methods (i.e., traditional, Superslow, Pilates) only change the exercises but not the method. Their system encourages plateaus and is the reason many become discouraged after a few short months.

2.         TS helps prevent athletic injuries.  Through the different protocols, tissues strengthened evenly and tendon growth is promoted at the same rate as the muscle[ii].  Since conventional training causes the tendon strength increases to lag behind the muscle, this method causes a much stronger muscle to pull on a slightly stronger tendon, making it more likely to “pop”- especially among recreational athletes like weekend basketball players, soccer, football, tennis, etc.

3.         For bone density to increase, there are three main contributing factors: amount of force applied[iii], rate of speed[iv], and direction of force[v].  Bone density is only minimally increased with conventional training and other methods. TS on the other hand, has different routines and specific techniques addressing these factors and maximizing bone density improvement.  It begins with slow movements with light weights to strengthen the musculature, but then moves on with different protocols to utilizes this new muscle power and specifically maximize bone density with new methods.

4.            Advanced lifters and athletes will not find the benefits and improvement rates that beginners enjoy with conventional training.  Highly trained individuals adapt faster (2-3 months) than the general population (6-10 months).  This requires more variation and intensity than conventional protocols can provide. TS has the answer to this dilemma by providing specific protocols and techniques reserved only for advanced athletes and lifters.  TS even has more frequent regimes (beyond twice a week) for certain extreme individual cases.

5.         Most conventional trainers are rarely qualified.  They usually hold a mere certification acquired through a weekend correspondence course, and rarely have any formal education.  They may have lots of experience, but in improper techniques.

            All TS trainers have at least one accredited outside trainer certification in addition to their TS certification, and most have a college degree in the field as well.  TS trainers have to keep their certifications current by regularly attending seminars and workshops on training.  TS also has a rigorous study and research program to keep trainers current in the field and well informed of related changes and research. X Gym even pays the certification fees for its trainers who gain additional education while employed at the X Gym.

6.            Conventional training theory and techniques are based on a few individual’s past experiences and some case histories.  Science and well controlled studies are few and far between, with most techniques based on Eugene Sandow's ideas of 1891!

            TS is based on hundreds of the latest well designed research studies in exercise science.  It is the newest and most innovative method to date, in a constant state of change and improvement as better protocols are proven.

7.         TS uses 5-7 exercises for beginning and intermediate clients.  This way, clients will always know what to expect and will not be guessing on their unknown future routines as with conventional methods.

8.            Conventional training prescribes a 2 second concentric and 4 second eccentric protocol for some exercises, 2 and 2 for others and still more for different types of equipment.  This is too confusing and opens up opportunity for the trainers to make mistakes.  TS prescribes 7 seconds each way for the base technique, and uses the number 7 for many of its other techniques as well.  Each TS protocol is followed for 7 weeks before changing.  This gives the consistency necessary to master the protocol and get the most from it before moving to the next level.

9.         TS encourages separate aerobic conditioning because it recognizes the metabolic and recovery advantages to being fit aerobically.  The more fit you are aerobically, the more mitochondria you have in your muscles.  This raises your metabolism making you burn more calories during exercise and rest.  You will also recover faster between sets and between workouts if you enjoy a more efficient and trained aerobic system[vi].    TS strength training contributes more to this system than any other method because of it's high intensity interval characteristics.

            Conventional training and other methods do keep the heart rate elevated and do contribute to aerobic fitness[vii], but only to a point and not significantly to the endurance training system (and more specifically, the mitochondria count).

            Still further, it should be noted that too much aerobic conditioning can slow optimum muscle growth and strength improvement[viii].  This is why TS recommends 20 min. of interval cardio training 2-4 times a week unless the client’s emphasis is on aerobic fitness and endurance competitions, in which case TS would assist in improvement of their times, performance and strength, but at some expense to strength improvement.

10.       Most conventional training techniques are outdated and ineffective in comparison to TS which is based on constant improvement, realizing that the fitness industry is always changing and is still in its infancy.  New and better ideas come out every week and when they do, TS is the first to study them, try them, and if proven superior, introduce them into the system, therefore maintaining position as the leader in the best techniques available, assuring its members that they will receive no better information or training anywhere else in the world.

11.       TS recognizes individual differences and realizes that people all adapt at different rates and have different body types, fiber types, preferences, and mechanical differences necessitating different programs.  This is why TS has 7 different protocols and over 20 splinter techniques.  The myofibrils, which contribute 20-30% of the muscle cell’s makeup are best trained using a low rep set. The mitochondria contribute 15-25% of a cell are best trained with a high rep set. The sarcoplasm which makes up another 20-30% of the cell is best trained with a medium rep set. TS hits all of these with specific variation between protocols changing every 7 weeks, insuring well-rounded fitness of all the systems therefore maximizing results, retention and satisfaction.