OUR METHOD
Get stronger WITHOUT SACRIFICING YOUR liFE.
Our strength training approach is designed for efficiency, with high-intensity sessions that challenge both body and mind. In just one or two 30-minute sessions per week, you'll build lasting strength, resilience, and
muscle-enhancing not only your physical health but every aspect of your life.
Want to know how this works?
READ ON
There are two paradigm shifts we invite you to consider ->
#1 LESS IS MORE…
What’s preventing people from cultivating the deep fitness and robust health they want:
Doing too much “exercise”— and ignoring opportunities for recovery (i.e. sleep & protein intake)
Doing it too often— not allowing for complete recovery time before the next strength session
Not pushing themselves hard enough— most folks don’t train “intensely enough” on their own, nor do they have access to the tools to do so safely
" ... providing a sufficiently intense stimulus is 50 percent of the adaptation equation, with sufficient recovery time being the other 50 percent" - Dr. Doug McGuff
More exercise does not lead to better results.
The belief that more is better comes from a misunderstanding of what exercise truly is and what it can actually achieve.
The body “improves” in response to exercise because exercise is a form of stress—a significant strain on the body. The adaptations that occur are the body's way of protecting itself against future exposure to that same stress. Rather than trying to figure out how much exercise your body can handle, we aim to find the minimum volume and frequency needed to trigger improvement.
Results are NOT proportional to the time invested in a training session.
Results are directly proportional to the INTENSITY of the work!
“When the intensity of an exercise is increased, the amount of exercise must be reduced. When you train harder, you must train less.” Arthur Jones
1:1 High-Intensity Strength Training
We offer one-to-one strength training sessions out of our private studio in midtown in Bend. Training sessions are only 30 minutes, once or twice per week.
We offer two training packages:
• 4-session pack: $220, expires 50 days from purchase date
• 8-session pack: $420, expires 90 days from purchase date
Intensity can invoke all sorts of responses and opinions, it is subjective. However, in the context of HIT, intensity simply means effort. Ultimately, our goal is for the effort (or intensity) to be high enough that we reach momentary muscular failure (MMF).
These words from a 2017 paper titled, "Why Intensity is not a Bad Word: Optimizing Health Status at any Age" sums it up perfectly:
“Though sarcopenia will occur with advancing age, along with concomitant decreases in strength, aerobic fitness, ease of movement, energy expenditure and increased susceptibility of weight gain, high-intensity exercise training can slow the adverse effects. Indeed, it is possible for a highly fit 75 year old to have similar physiologic function of a 35 year old… However, the key is intensity. Without at least a small amount of high-intensity training, the progressive loss of muscle, function, and weight gain will accelerate the deleterious effects of aging.” (Hunter et al., 2017).
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Less total training days per week
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The whole body gets a chance to recover and adapt on non-training days
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If a workout gets missed, your next session will address all muscle groups, keeping you on track
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Provides a greater metabolic stimulus
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We connect via email or a phone call to answer your questions and to determine if we’re a good fit for you. Next we schedule a no-cost 45 minute intro session.
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At the intro session you meet your trainer, fill out the necessary paperwork, discuss your goals, and have the option to use our body composition scale- we love measuring the muscle growth! Then your trainer puts you though a whole body high-intensity strength session.
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We offer you a standing training day and time for your session and welcome you to the club!
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The dose-response to exercise refers to the relationship between the amount (or "dose") of exercise a person does and the resulting physiological response or adaptation. The body's response to exercise—whether in terms of strength, endurance, or health benefits—depends on several factors:
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Intensity: How hard you work during exercise (e.g., lifting heavy weights slowly, versus swingling light weights around).
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Duration: How long the exercise session lasts (e.g., a 30-minute workout versus a 90-minute workout).
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Frequency: How often you exercise (e.g., training every day versus once a week).
We understand that too little exercise won’t stimulate significant adaptations (no growth or improvement), while too much can lead to overtraining, injury, or burnout. The optimal response comes from finding the right balance—enough exercise to stimulate progress, but not so much that it causes harm or plateaus your improvement.
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Yes. Thirty-ish minutes is all you need to set into motion a chain reaction in the body to start building stronger muscles. That’s because there is no such thing as a “long, hard workout.” The more effortful the workout, the shorter it lasts.
Once stimulated, the best thing you can do is to let Mother Nature do its job, and give yourself a minimum of three days’ rest before your body has the chance to adapt metabolically and synthesize stronger muscles.What can I do to improve my results?
Nutrition and rest. Eat real food and nourish the body with essential nutrients. Of equal importance, be sure to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Your body repairs and restores at a cellular level during sleep.
How soon should I expect to see results?
Many Clients report the feeling of ‘something happening’ within the first two to three weeks of the program. If you’re working out consistently, by week six, you should feel stronger, have less overall fatigue, and your aches and pains should be lessened. Within 12 weeks, most people start to see the physical changes in their bodies and we show measurable improvements in strength.
If ‘results’ means to you ‘a total body transformation’ – then it may take more time. In most cases, this requires fat loss, which in turn, requires dietary changes. We partner with registered dieticians to create a team of experts should this be your goal.
How does an intro session work?
The Paradox Strength consultation starts with a 10 minute phone call – an opportunity for us to ensure that we’re a good fit for you and you for us. We learn more about your goals and experience, and give you an opportunity to ask any questions. If we feel that we’re a good fit, we schedule a free 45 minute workout.
What can I expect in each workout?
Your Trainer will guide you through 4 to 8 different strength training exercises.
What should I wear?
Comfy clothes are best, nothing restricting your breathing (like jeans or tight clothing.) Whatever you wear, be sure that your muscles and joints can move through an unrestricted and full range of motion.
Do you have locker rooms?
No, but our bathrooms are large enough to change from work attire to gym attire.
What to eat before a workout?
This depends. Some people find they have better workouts without eating anything. Others need a little something before. Most clients prefer at least one hour between eating and their training session.
I heard you don’t sweat – is that true?
We keep our facility at a comfortably cool (66-68F) temperature at all times, not to prevent sweating, but to prevent overheating. You can work harder when you’re cooler, so that’s what we’re focusing on. While some people are more prone to sweating than others, not many people sweat here.
Is a Paradox Strength workout safe for out of shape or older adults?
Yes, and in many cases, it should be the only way older adults engage in high-intensity exercise. That is because our super slow lifting speeds, watchful eyes, and specialized equipment won’t exacerbate any pre-existing injuries. Also, the older we get, the faster we lose muscle, which leads to falls, injuries, digestive disruptions, joint problems, and loss of bone density. The key to preventing all these issues is engaging in a safe, yet intense strength-training program.
What should I do the days following my Paradox Strength session?
Rest! It’s a physiological fact that your body needs sufficient time for rest and recovery. You need to eat well and strength train, but you also need to sit back, relax, and let your body do what it needs to do if you want to meet your goals.
Once you have worked your muscles to the point of actual muscular failure, they require sufficient time to repair and restore torn fibers and build new muscle mass. This process can be enhanced only with proper nutrition, hydration, and the luck of genetics. This doesn’t mean “do nothing”, but rather do things you enjoy at an enjoyable (not extreme) intensity. More yoga? Sure! Running the river trail or hiking the butte? Absolutely.
Do I need to do cardio exercises?
We all want healthy hearts, and we want to do everything we can to maintain terrific cardiovascular health. When you go for a jog, you’re using your legs and swinging your arms – you’re not working your heart directly. Instead, you’re placing a direct demand on your muscles, which in turn are placing the demand on your heart. Your heart cannot differentiate between the effort from riding a bike or doing squats. It merely responds to the need for oxygen and nutrients from working muscles.
Recent studies have shown that the heart can be improved more efficiently by placing an intense demand on the muscles via strength training and interval training, rather than through steady-state activities.
Will Paradox Strength improve my bone density?
Yes. The key to improving your bone density is strength training.
Building muscle directly increases bone density by putting increased stress on the bones, making them stronger, healthier, and less prone to fractures and breaks. Not only does increased bone density slow the devastating bone loss associated with getting older, but it also helps to counteract any future damage by building additional bone matter.
Will I lose fat at Paradox Strength?
That depends. Exercise alone is not going to be enough to accomplish that goal. No amount of exercise alone can make up for an unbalanced diet. We focus on getting people stronger, which correlates with increased lean tissue, which is more metabolically active. This combined with a nutritionally sound diet will allow you to keep lean tissue while nearly exclusively losing body fat, which is actually what we want!
How can Paradox Strength improve my sport performance?
First of all, with our once-a-week, 30-minute workout you won’t be spending all your spare time at the gym. That means more time doing the activity you want to be better at doing. The strength building you will get from your Paradox Strength session will reduce your risk of injury. Lastly, more muscle and more strength makes almost everything easier and more fun!
Will I bulk up from training at Paradox Strength?To be frank, for most folks "not enough" muscle is more of a concern than "too much."
I have chronic back pain, should I not try Paradox Strength?
If you have chronic back pain, you should try Paradox Strength. Regardless of the cause, we understand that the most effective way to improve chronic back pain is through an intelligent strength training regimen that accurately and safely targets the lower back musculature. We work with many individuals with previous low back pain, injuries, and surgeries.
EXPERIENCE IT FOR
YOURSELF.
IS THIS FOR YOU?
If you're committed to habits that build lasting strength and holistic resilience, skeptical of fitness fads, and value critical thinking as a skill; if you have a full life and prioritize your time and energy; if you're open to challenging your perceptions of what you're capable of; and if you believe in community, curiosity, authenticity, and long-term healthy behaviors, then Paradox Strength is for you.
COMMON QUESTIONS.
#2 GAINING MUSCLE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOSING FAT
Muscle mass decreases approximately 3–8% per decade after the age of 30. This rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60. The number one fitness goal for all adults should be to build & maintain muscle & bone mass. Having more healthy muscle mass helps with glucose regulation and contributes to overall metabolic health which naturally supports fat loss.
“... Muscle serves as a kind of biological clock, switching on pathology when the tissue is unhealthy or allowing for physiological solutions when muscle quality is maintained. In other words, the condition of your muscle tissue can heighten disease processes or correct metabolism as well as the underlying disease."
- Dr. Gabrialle Lyon