“I'm just over halfway through the Accelerated track of Elements, and I still believe this could get interesting at some point.
As I had no clue what to expect, I started out on the General track, as recommended. To be honest, the first few sessions had me bored to tears. Not wanting to miss any essential instructions (from years and years of yoga, pilates,tai chi, I've learnt that details do matter), I watched all instruction videos from start to end, so that by the end of the first session, I was freezing cold.
After a few sessions I switched to the Accelerated track, and things are getting better now. I'm even hitting the other extreme sometimes, where I'm not just unable to do an exercise, but I also can't see how on earth I'm supposed to ever get closer to being able to do it. Most exercises have this "don't worry if you can't do XX straight off, just start by doing YY", but then there's exercises like frogger/monkey stall, or straight leg monkey, where you're just told to stop halfway, or pull your feet across without jumping, without explaining how to do that, what muscles to use, where to move your centre of gravity, etc. I can only hope that stubbornly keeping trying will somehow get me there.
The reason I decided to buy Elements is all the cool stuff I saw people do in those Client Stories videos on the GMB website, and I can sort of see how Elements might be working towards that, albeit on the very-very long term.”
Hey, from here it just sounds like your previous experience has you kind between levels, and you need some help with that. You can send us a note anytime and get specific, personal advice on everything you mentioned having trouble with. Hit us up - we are here :)
“I was pretty athletic when I was younger and played a lot of sports, but stopped when I was 25 due to injury. I've made many attempts to start exercising again, and usually end up injuring myself and stopping again. The Gradual Track of Elements has been the key to me. Starting slowly, just being consistent and exploring how I move. This has been the longest period I have consistently exercised (other than three weekly walks I've been doing for a couple of years) in the last twenty years and I'm enjoying it a lot.
It has also had beneficial physical and psychological effects. My posture for one. I used to always walk around looking down, but I realised something had change when I starter to notice how tall or short people I had know for years were. I had never noticed before. I also have a much better mood and outlook on life.”
“I like starting into my day with a short elements session a lot - I can feel quite well what my body is about today, and I do have pretty good benefits in overall mobility, shoulder stability and some essential coordination issues - I can recommand doing it for sure”
“After having a baby at 46 i felt like my body was broken. I tried a couple of other programs and then gave Elements a go. The platform adjusts the workout based on the time you have that day and even the workout intensity can be modified if you’re just not feeling it. The movements can be scaled to allow just the right challenge level to make it fun but not overwhelming. I’m really glad i started the program and am fast becoming a GMB devotee. It’s good to begin to feel myself again.”
“This program is a downgrade from buying a book and following along. There is no designed progression, there is no way to increase or decrease the challenge, and the program doesn't even explain what you're about to do before you do it. You have to log the workout and the difficulty, and for some reason the program does not adapt based on the feedback, which is the ONLY point of logging a workout. It has so much potential and it's fails at all of it.”
It sounds like you're missing very large portions of the program. Please, please email us (or reply to any of the messages we sent) to get some help. There is *definitely* progression and clear instructions for adjusting the level of challenge.
Also, logging and the self-ratings are a very important part of learning from each session. Getting feedback is far from the only reason to log your training.
“I have noticed a huge change in my pain/discomfort in my muscles and joints. I am a 68 year old female swimmer/triathlete/dance teacher. This program has given me back range of motion, strength, and coordination. My gym workouts are easier and my swimming and running feel more coordinated and energized.”
“This is my second time through Elements (first time after kids). I just re-started 10 weeks after a c section. The 15 minute sessions have been easy to fit in and I finally feel like I am getting both strength and mobility back. I love that I see progress with each session and the progress translates into me being able to move better with my kids.”
“I bought Elements in the summer of 2018 after noticing that I could not move as freely as I liked (e.g. stepping into the car while holding a bag) and increasingly being bothered by stiff hips. The program was an introduction to GMB and it totally changed my approach towards my training and how I view my body. Now almost 9 years later I have done most of their programs, but Elements is the one I always keep coming back to. It was also my introduction tothe GMB philosophy that has had a large impact in my life.
Some aspects of the GMB approach that I reflect on regularly every week:
- subjective measures are more helpful than objective when it comes to your body or health. Can you move freely in your day-to-day activities (e.g. play on the floor with your children).
- a little a lot is a lot better than a lot a little
- hip mobility is probably the most neglected aspect of training for most men - nothing has changed more the way I feel in my body than increasing it
- have fun and enjoy the process
After an excetptionally busy fall for my family, I had neglected my training and over Christmas had a back incident. It made me restart my Elements training in January and I am now feeling great and all it takes is 20 minutes per session.
GMB is a unique company and I can not recommend their programs highly enough. That is why I support them with a subscription to their alpha posse, as I want to make sure they can keep up the great work.”
