WHEN YOU THINK of the barriers to exercise, time is undoubtedly the primary one but a city centre gym is offering its clients a unique way to squeeze in their workout.
The Icon Health Club on Dublin’s Camden Street is one of the few gyms in the country to have the Milon Circle training circuit available to members.
Such is the competition, each and every gym tries to differentiate themselves from the rest and there are certainly a wide range of services they can offer to entice people through their doors.
But the Milon Circle is something completely different.
When an email from a PR company dropped in our inbox inviting The42 down for a look, it didn’t exactly stand out. We receive correspondence from several gyms asking us to discover why they’re better than the rest – but this training method is genuinely unique.
The Milon Circle is a combination of different exercises stations consisting of six strength and two cardio machines. It’s designed to give you a full body workout in the space of 17 and a half minutes – do it twice for a 35 minute circuit.
We tried it out at lunchtime on a weekday and although the gym was busy with members streaming in during their break, that doesn’t have any significance on your workout.
There’s no queuing for machines or waiting around for someone to finish their set. The Milon Circle works so that everyone moves in a circuit and in unison. You work on each machine for 60 seconds (two minutes on the cardio ones) and then move onto the next after a 30 second rest period.
What makes it even more distinctive is the technology. Each user is given a client card which records, stores and displays your data, performance and summary of each workout.
The initial process can be slightly tedious as a member of staff sets you up on each machine but once you’re in the system, you’re ready to go.
Each machine will automatically adjust to your settings once you put your card in – so there is no fiddling around with the seat trying to get it right each time you go to a new machine.
Of course, it’s not for everyone. There are those who prefer the gym floor and the use of the free weights, squat racks and benches but this circuit is designed specifically for those with limited time and looking to target core areas.
We didn’t have a whole load of time to try it out but it was instantly obvious why the concept is so popular around the world.
Different gyms offer different services but if you struggle to squeeze exercise into your daily routine then the Milon Circle may be worth considering.
