Jeff Halevy is the CEO of Altis Movement Technologies, a venture-backed technology startup that will introduce its AI Personal Trainer to consumers in 2021.
An accomplished entrepreneur and fifteen-year veteran of the health, medical, fitness and technology industries, Jeff’s career boasts successes and exits in sectors including health clubs, education and content creation, insurtech, television and media, and public health advocacy.
Jeff Halevy is esteemed as a visionary and pioneer in the health and fitness sectors, which has earned him recognition in the mainstream media, with features by CNBC, Fox, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Women’s Health — among others — as well as trade publications like Club Solutions.
At a recent health and wellness program, we had the opportunity to learn from Jeff about the most common errors people make when they exercise, how to concentrate on what truly matters at the gym and how to achieve wellness today!
“What drives us to exercise? People discuss not wanting to feel feeble. They desire not to feel weak when performing specific tasks. Some may mention endurance – not feeling breathless. For others, it’s really straightforward: being able to tie your shoes unassisted. So, how do most individuals commence their exercise journey? With cardio.”
“In fact, among those currently engaged in exercise, 50% – half – lean towards cardio. Within that 50%, 60% favor low-intensity cardio. However, this cardio-specific approach leaves much to be desired. It certainly does not build any lean mass. We all lose muscle and we need to at least take steps to preserve it.”
“It is important to realize that the heart is a rudimentary muscle. The heart reacts to the activity we subject it to. Hence, the assertion that a treadmill is necessary to trigger a strengthening response or enhance endurance within the heart is unfounded. Out of the 10% dedicated to strength training, three critical flaws exist. Firstly, there’s a complete absence of periodization in your program. Secondly, there’s a lack of progressive overload. Thirdly, there’s a dearth of multiplanar movement. Just bear in mind that the concept of periodization is exceedingly straightforward. We want a period of time to adapt to a stimulus, to master it in some way, and then progress.”
“Among those with an exercise regimen, what often occurs is that you enter the gym, glance at the equipment, have no idea what it does, and head straight to the cardio section. We’re moving in a robotic manner. And I can assure you, a robot is not commendable on the gym floor, nor was it when you did that at your nephew’s bar mitzvah. So, let’s reiterate what we genuinely require. We require a program that challenges our heart in some way — cardio. We require a program that challenges strength — correct? We require a program that follows a periodized structure.”
“Prior to commencement, the most crucial action you can take is to scrutinize your body. We will focus on the three main areas that are sources of exercise-related injuries. It may not be where the pain is felt, but the shoulders, the low back and hips, and the ankle. These assessments are so straightforward that you can perform them on yourself, easily at home. Many of the sensations felt in the knee — or, dare I say, even most — are a result of restrictions in the hip or ankle. When I request you to, I want you to simultaneously reach overhead with one hand and around the back with the other, attempting to bring your hands as close together as possible.”
“This exercise provides us with a wealth of information about pelvic stability, the low back, and the likelihood of sustaining an injury from an activity such as deadlifting, for instance. So, how do you rectify this? Stay tuned. There are six ways in which your body can move, in addition to gait: you can push, pull, twist, bend, squat, and lunge. That’s it. Not only do we have these six fundamental patterns, but we have three planes of movement. We can push and pull both vertically and horizontally, correct? We can perform actions bilaterally or unilaterally. We can use one arm or two arms, right? We can press with one arm or with two arms. Thus, unless you’re training for a specific sport, you truly don’t require more than three hours of training. If you are discontent with your physical appearance, reconsider your program, but even more crucially, reassess your dietary intake.”
“However, even more important than that, re-evaluate when you set your alarm and when you rise. Sleep likely plays the most crucial role in weight loss, in terms of the actual weight shed. It will also influence our daily activities. The sets, the reps, the exercises — whether they are multi-joint or single-joint movements. All of this is determined by the relative intensity. When executing a heavy movement, we are unlikely to attempt a one-rep max on a bicep curl, unless you’re The Situation from the Jersey Shore. I assume that he might engage in activities of that nature. Nevertheless, comprehend that the program I propose is a method for maintaining fitness for life. However, we have not yet covered how you can specifically target fat loss.”
“If any ladies in the audience have noticed that losing fat is slightly more challenging than it is for men, it’s worth remembering that women are necessary for over nine months. Men are necessary for nine seconds, if they are lucky. So, if we have now depleted our resources and depleted our savings, which in this scenario is fat, and we wish to rid ourselves of it, what action should we take? Splurge on Madison Avenue as if it were your birthday. We want to indulge in a shopping spree.”
“I guarantee you that if you work out in this manner, you will never resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger. In fact, I assure you that none of you will ever resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger. Very few individuals ever have. Therefore, you now possess all the necessary tools to formulate the program. I, myself, was significantly overweight in the past, following a struggle with substance abuse and depression. It wasn’t due to a lack of desire to become healthier and to do so. I simply did not know how. There is an abundance of information and misinformation out there. I wanted to at least provide some information so that you can begin making informed decisions about your exercise and movement.”
