Wayne Westcott, fitness director at the South Shore YMCA in suburban Boston, has conducted two studies regarding Super Slow. The downside is only one out of 147 people chose to keep doing the slower method after the 10-week studies. Hutchins said higher intensity requires a longer recovery period for muscles. He suggests one Super Slow workout per week and further recommends that people not perform any hard aerobic exercise such as running or a step class for fear of disrupting the growth of new muscle fibers. Not surprisingly, the last point has met with widespread skepticism.
Research shows aerobic exercise can improve cardiovascular health.
The timesaving feature is a major reason why Super Slow has become a hot topic at big-city health clubs and in the media. Some of these people have been put through unbelievably intense workouts. A common problem is pulled hamstring muscles. One woman said she would leave after a workout with shakes so bad she didn't feel she was able to drive her car. Nonetheless, Anderson said, any qualified trainer knows that clients need to go slowly and exhaust the muscles.