Developed for elite athletes, the concept of General Physical Preparedness is one which kick-starts physical conditioning to improve strength, speed, endurance, flexibility, and skill. GPP is vital as it helps achieve significant gains in fitness without injury or burnout.

The Method also uses the scientific principles of periodization – that is, scheduling specific tasks during each period to prepare the body to reach higher and higher fitness goals. All Method participants are monitored closely each week to ensure they complete each stage of general preparation and specific training. This results in a body kick-start – metabolisms increase, muscles build, body fat reduces and aerobic and anaerobic capacity increases.

These workouts incorporate many different types of fitness training including traditional strength training, functional strength training, muscular endurance training, hypertrophy (muscle-building) training, aerobic training, anaerobic training, flexibility training, and mobility training. The benefits are holistic and the variety of workouts keep interest levels up.

The Method requires participants to attend four session over each week of the program with each session lasting one hour. Training sessions provide a specific focus for three-week blocks.

Aerobic fitness will be the focus during your first block. Aerobic workouts use fun cardio equipment and low-intensity resistance training which will enhance the health and efficiency of our endurance-based aerobic energy systems. Aerobic workouts train the heart and lungs and form the necessary foundation of fitness required to achieve the best results from high-intensity training. Aerobic workouts also help to reduce the onset of many sedentary diseases including high blood pressure, heart disease, type II diabetes, and burn fat when performed at low intensity. They can also be used as a calorie-burning restoration session for recovery after high-intensity workouts.

During this period you will also enjoy fun anaerobic-based metabolic workouts made up of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) utilizing training tools like the kettle balls, Olympic rings, dead balls and Bulgarian bags. These workouts continue to slowly develop our lactic energy system in preparation for the metabolic block to significantly raise our metabolism to achieve the lean athletic look we all desire. A single strength workout every week will also be performed during this period to build the foundations in preparation for you next block of training – strength.

Deload weeks follow extended periods of hard training. During deload, fatigue evaporates, allowing your fitness to recover and grow. The Hale Method deload weeks are scheduled mid-program. This allows your body to heal, but also provides a contrast week where we introduce yoga and Pilates to enhance your flexibility and mobility.

Flexibility and mobility are crucial components for maintaining the health of muscle tissue, connective tissues and joints during periods of regular intense exercise. They also improve the ability to move joints through a full range of motion and enjoy the full benefit of exercises within the correct technique. Some of the most beneficial forms of flexibility and mobility training are yoga and Pilates. Both disciplines are not only enjoyable, they are an effective method of restoration after intense workouts. They enhance relaxation and recovery while also continuing to burn calories.

Prehab/rehab exercises are an important component of any regular training routine and can be performed at the start of a workout as part of a specific warm-up or at the end of a workout to increase work capacity.  Prehab/rehab exercises are designed to lift the individual’s level of physical preparedness through the focus on some of the body’s smaller and quite often under-developed stabilizing muscles, as well as some of the muscles most under strain due to a modern lifestyle. Prehab/Rehab exercises also focus in on the key muscle groups in a training program that are more susceptible to injuries by increasing their work capacity. Other benefits include thickening ligaments and tendons, increased proprioception (the awareness of one’s body in its surrounding environment), a true resilience to injury, a better developed and more symmetrical physique, increased coordination and firing of the trained muscles, and better strength and joint mobility.

Traditional Strength training is considered the foundation for all human physical performance. Traditional strength training exercises are performed with barbells and other strength tools in a low-repetition range. Strength training is designed to enhance the body’s ability to produce force and sets the perfect physical foundation to achieve all fitness goals.

Hale Method workouts increase functional strength by including many different resistance training exercises and tools designed to train joints through a full range of motion and in all planes of movement. This enhances our ability to perform any day-to-day movement – ranging from basic to complex – with enhanced coordination, confidence and efficiency.

Muscular Endurance training is achieved by performing low- to-moderate intensity resistance and bodyweight exercises in a repetition range of 12-100. Muscular endurance training provides the muscular stamina required to perform any physically demanding task, helps to train and thicken all connective tissue (ligaments and tendons) and makes bodies more resistant to injury. Muscular endurance training is also a fabulous way to burn calories.

Muscular Hypertrophy (or size) is enhanced during the program by performing resistance training exercises in the repetition range of 6-12. Hypertrophy training is designed to increase overall lean muscle mass and help the individual fix any muscular imbalances their body may have. Correctly applied hypertrophy training results in a more aesthetically appealing, symmetrical physique and is an important component to turning bodies into calorie-burning machines.

Lactate or metabolic conditioning is the final part of the Hale Method and one where bodies transform the most dramatically. In the last four weeks of the program, participants undergo the most rigorous training – having been brought to this point of preparedness through the other training periods. Individuals will arrive at metabolic conditioning having lifted their aerobic and anaerobic capacity, having strengthened their tendons and ligaments and having improved their flexibility and coordination. They will be ready for their most vigorous workout loads, with heart rates working at maximum levels through high-intensity exercises. Bodies become their leanest and most efficient. Results are felt internally and can be seen externally.

The Method program brings a focus on adaption – that is, basing training in blocks which allows the body to adapt and improve performance in a relatively short period. Allowing the body to have rest, recovery and optimal nutrition allows it to adjust to each new physical demand. At a cellular level, appropriately scheduled training sessions encourage supercompensation. Supercomensation occurs when muscles form microscopic tears under pressure from weights, and when given the right rest and recovery, these muscle tears will heal and the muscle will become stronger.

Trainers at Hale are constantly monitoring clients through heart-rate monitors and verbal feedback to ensure the process of adaptation continues. This feedback loop, combined with scheduled de-load sessions and recovery time prevents one of the most common negatives associated with gym workouts, injury and burnout. It allows for maximum muscle development.

The plans are highly-detailed and prescriptive and outline key foods and meals to eat each day to ensure maximum nutrition and the right macronutrient breakdown to meet the needs of training and the individual’s goals. Allowances in the menus have been made to ensure maximum energy and carbohydrate for training days and a little less food on rest days. This ensures that individuals can train hard and recover well. This is essential for building lean muscle and promoting fat burning. Male and female plans have been adjusted to suit the different energy needs of men and women.

All the plans follow the same food and meal layout so couples can follow the Method together and eat the same meals.
The plans have also been designed to optimize health from all aspects of nutrition:

Create a significant and consistent energy deficit/surplus to facilitate fat burning and/or muscle growth.
Ensure adequate protein for muscle growth and recovery as well as help individuals feel satisfied and better able to manage their appetite and hunger levels.
Ensure sufficient quantities of high-quality carbohydrate to refuel muscle glycogen stores and keep blood sugar levels stable whilst also maximizing fat burning.
Promote good gut health through ensuring adequate fibre from fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds

If individuals follow the meals plans as laid out in the Hale Method they will also have their micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) needs met. The nutrition plans are high protein, low carbohydrate and moderate fat. The key to remember here is that ‘low carb’ does not mean ‘no’ carbohydrate. On average, the plans offer 30-40 per cent of the daily energy intake from carbohydrate. This has been shown to be adequate for those living active lifestyles, while keeping blood sugar levels healthy and promoting good metabolic health.

The plans are based on a ‘food first’ philosophy that encourages people to build their diet out of whole, fresh and minimally-processed foods for maximum nutrition and satiety. When you fill up on large portions of high-quality food it’s easier to stay consistent with your eating pattern and reduce your intake of unhealthy food and drink. There is no use of supplements, except for one serve of protein powder on training days for the Muscle Building plans to help reach daily protein targets.

The food has been planned to ensure maximum flavour and enjoyment. The use of herbs, spices, citrus, sauces, and other key ingredients throughout the plans ensures participants enjoy their food and not lose interest or stray off the plan. Recipes like Rosemary Lemon and Mustard Chicken and Zesty Mediterranean Lamb are an example of two, easy-to-prepare, highly-nutritious and flavoursome meals that you will enjoy while following the Method. No food groups are eliminated unnecessarily and nutrition support is available for members who require individual changes and recommendations to cater for allergies and intolerances.

Weight loss plans are not super-low-calorie or overly-restrictive. They are created to help support consistent training and adherence to an eating pattern, that, if followed well over the 12-week period, will get incredible fat loss results while maintaining lean muscle mass and strength.

The plans have been created to offer a balance of variety and repetition in order to cater to as many individuals as possible. There is enough variety so participants don’t get bored of eating the same foods daily, but also enough repetition so that day-to-day execution of the plans is not a burden.

Meal planning techniques, such as bulk cooking, saving leftovers from dinner, recipes containing similar ingredients and simple meal suggestions, have been used in different ways throughout the program to give examples of the many ways you can stay organised to maximise your nutrition during a busy week.

The plans also contain lots of tips and advice for staying consistent, motivated and organised throughout the 12-week period and beyond.

Hale Method nutrition plans establish long-term eating habits of choosing whole foods and improving overall diet quality. They encourage a nutrient-dense diet that doesn’t involve unnecessary food elimination and restriction, one which promotes muscle recovery, growth and strength and one which maximises fat burning and creates a lean, strong body.

The best bit is the plan allows you to learn a repertoire of easy, delicious recipes the whole family will enjoy.