The newest exercise gym in Cortez can strengthen muscles, increase range of motion and improve blood circulation, all while lying down on a table.
Effortless Exercise uses toning tables, passive exercise machines designed to move specific body parts. The tables combine the principles of physical and isometric exercises without adding muscle strain or fatigue. The seven different tables at Effortless Exercise, located in suite 228 of the Johnson Building, focus on firming and toning specific muscles.
Owner Diana Howell said she was motivated to start the business after hearing from friends how toning tables had helped increase their energy.
There are a lot of people that would like to have better mobility, and we just thought it would be a wonderful thing to offer the community that they could get on a low-impact machine and theyre actually just laying there thinking theyre resting while the machine is working muscle groups and toning them and they get up feeling better, said Howell, who also co-owns Angelic Hands Personal Care Program and Guardian Angel Home Health with her daughter.
A free first-time trial is offered to those who are not familiar with toning tables. Visitors first fill out a form to give information about their bodies, such as previous injuries or stiffness, to help staff know what movements would be helpful and what exercises to stay away from.
Mary Larsen is the manager and personal trainer at Effortless Exercise. She helps customers on and off the machines, and adjusts the settings for them to increase or decrease resistance and repetitions.
I like to start people out for one or two minutes at a time, the first time, or two, or three they come in, Larsen said. Then Ill extend their minutes up to seven or eight minutes.
Ten minutes is usually the maximum amount of time spent on a machine. For best results, Larsen recommends three visits per week.
Visitors lie down on the tables and relax while the tables do the work for them. One machine moves back and forth to help firm and tone upper arms, back and stomach muscles, while another stretches the lower torso from side to side and could help ease tension in the lower back.
Larsen said the tables could help those who have trouble moving on their own.
Those that have specific disabilities can do this and exercise, she said. It will improve their walking. It will improve their breathing. It will improve their overall body structure and helps improve osteoporosis.
While the tables can strengthen weak muscles and increase range of motion, they are not designed for weight loss, which will only occur when calorie and fat intakes are lowered, Howell said.
Howell and Larsen hope people will look forward to exercising on the toning tables and not see it as a dreaded workout.
Were just trying to help as many people as we possibly can, Larsen said.
Effortless Exercise is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Reach Paula Bostrom at paulab@cortezjournal.com.