Peak 10 is a program that's pushing people to the limit.
"I had done 30 triathlons prior to Peak 10 - some of them long distance - and was still carrying this extra 20 pounds on me that I could not shake," said Amy Blackman of Eagle Rock.
Blackman tried Peak 10, and in eight months, she lost 22 pounds, 3 clothing sizes and 6 percent body fat.
Leslie Lindeman of Altadena wanted those results, but he had to work out in the gym a few months just to get ready for the Peak program.
"I felt like it was kind of like the last chance saloon. I was going to be slipping off into my 60s and just hopeless in terms of getting back in touch with my body," said Lindeman.
Two hot trends in fitness today are metabolic circuit training and hit-high intensity training. When you combine both of them, you get Peak 10 for maximum results.
"Peak 10 is an 8-week metabolic circuit training program designed to get those that have some exercise experience into the best shape of their life," said Peak 10 creator Michelle Dozois.
Dozois has clients lifting moderate to heavy weight in a series of uniquely patterned back-to-back exercises to create a metabolic disturbance to overload and develop strength.
"So we ramp the body up a little, get you to a pretty heavy steady state, breathing hard and just when you're ready to take a little break, we're going to ask you to max out. We go to the peak," said Dozois.
Base camp, ascent, climb and peak - they cycle four stages for nearly an hour, three days weekly. Students average lifting 8- to 10-pound weights the first month, 12 to 15 pounds the next - a crew of post college, post baby, and baby boomers- like Lindeman who's lost eighteen pounds.
"There's a lot of people in there who are living right and seeing results," said Lindeman. "They look really good and they look kind of like happy about it."
But again, it's hard. The program offered at BreakThru gym in Pasadena costs extra for members and nonmembers alike: Members pay $299 for three times a week for eight weeks, and nonmembers pay $499 for three times a week for eight weeks. Included in that fee is the nutrition plan, before and after photos and before and after fitness assessments.
Dozois offers teacher training for other clubs to use the format. There's also Peak 10 DVDs available for about $20.
