MOST GYMS HAVE WALLS — at least four of them, usually — but only a handful have Technogym’s Kinesis Wall. Even though the structure doesn’t do much to hold up a building, it can do outrageous things for your body. By harnessing the power of its quartet of seemingly simple weight stations, trainers can get clients to work multiple muscle groups, core strength, flexibility and coordination simultaneously.
» What It Is
The undulating wood panel and minimalist pulleys don’t look so daunting. In fact, the system looks like something from a high-end Swedish furnishings store. Yet, just 30 minutes is all Regency Sport & Health’s Tessa Lame says most people can handle. “You’re moving in three dimensions, so you’re burning more calories — and believe me, the next day you’ll be sore,” she promises.
Each of its four stations (called “alpha,” “beta,” “gamma” and “delta”) has handles attached to cables in different places so you can switch the direction from which the weight is coming (above, below or in front). And adjusting the load just requires pulling out a pin and sticking it back in at a higher number.
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» Moves
“It’s at least a hundred and something exercises,” says Lame of the possible ways to use the wall. “It’s up to you how to play with it.” But after one session with her shouting out countless combinations of lunging, rowing and lifting, it’s safe to guess she’s probably underestimating.
Any kind of upper-body work (biceps curls, triceps kickbacks, chest presses) can be paired with a lunge or squat. Or, to make it a balance challenge, just lift a leg or add a prop like a stability ball. Delta, which has a thick, vertical rubber bar that can be lifted from the ground, is ideal for reverse crunches. The mere act of standing upright while dealing with forces from the weights is a test of abs strength. To keep heart rates up, Lame assigns her students two sets of two similar exercises. Then they head on to the next station, where she’ll direct them to exhaust another group of muscles.
» Crowd
Crowd may be the wrong word, as the class is capped at four (and is usually even smaller). Think of it more as personal training with a few other folks nearby.
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» Workout
Since Lame’s classes are so small, the exercises are customized to each client. In other words, she’ll make sure you’re pushing yourself as far as possible. And once you can do that easily, she’ll make it harder. Salwa Abirafeh, 61, signed up for a series of sessions — a decision she regrets only during a workout. “This is the most I sweat at the gym,” she says. “It’s strenuous, but it’s flexible and fluid. It feels good, but it’s not easy.”
Photo by Marge Ely/Express
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