Hi, my name is Jenny and I’ve been using Stealth, (almost) daily since March of 2019. It has improved my physique, overhauled my confidence and rewired my brain. I follow a keto lifestyle and try to stay active, but I am not going to lie, I HATE exercise. It’s hard, it makes me sweaty, it makes my muscles hurt and I just don’t enjoy anything about it, until I’m done. I previously spent time in gyms and huffed and puffed on treadmills and stair climbers, I worked out at home doing workout videos. I was even a Beachbody coach for a while- but I still dreaded every single second. I swore, I procrastinated and wanted to give up constantly. That’s why this equipment is so empowering. I now don’t hate exercise like I used to. I enjoy it.
I was very overweight as a kid, I lost weight by boxing and jumping rope, but gained back 110 pounds during pregnancy, at age 37. I forced myself to lose the weight afterward so I could keep up with my daughter. I maintained my routine, but boy did it suck! I am not one who easily embraces the suck. I whine, I argue with myself, I take shortcuts and while I maintained a relatively fit shape and kept the number on the scale down, I didn’t feel strong. I felt like a hamster on a wheel going absolutely nowhere. Planks were my least favorite exercise, but so much research has been done about the benefits of them that I would force myself to do them. I always tell myself, when it feels like life is moving too fast, I should just do a plank. Time feels like it absolutely crawls (or even moves backwards) when I am in a plank position.
At age 41, I took a chance and purchased a Stealth after seeing multiple Facebook ads. This equipment is a revolutionary concept that makes planking actually fun, and much more efficient and effective. I play a video game while I plank, for just a few minutes a day and it forces my body to improve while I’m distracted. It has shredded my core, my legs, and my arms, but more importantly it has taken the suck out of exercise and allowed me to minimize the amount of time it takes to be fit. It has created a baseline level of fitness in me that I didn’t think I could attain. I can always find/make 3 minutes in my day. I love the encouraging Stealth community, and this has been the single most effective piece of exercise equipment I have ever used.
When I first started using Stealth, I only lasted a few seconds and spent most of the time just trying not to fall off or burst into flames from the fire in my abs. My body adjusted quickly and after a few weeks I could see improvements. In addition to physical gains in strength, mobility, agility and stamina; using Stealth has increased my mental toughness. Aside from the welcome distraction to the burning sensation in my abs, I noticed that each session included a mental challenge with the physical one. My brain needed to focus better to anticipate upcoming movements to maximize the points I scored in the games. As the muscles in my core grew and strengthened, my mind also went through a rewiring process. I have a much better understanding of efficient movement.
I’m a math, video game, and puzzle lover and Stealth fits right into this wheelhouse. There is an intellectual challenge that pairs with the physical one. I liken it to playing cards. Each game is slightly different from the last, each level has different challenges. Each session has an element of luck as to which levels you are dealt, but what you do to maximize your “hand” is up to you. It’s never exactly the same so it forces your brain and body to adapt to the challenges. With practice, my brain and body get better at anticipating and reacting to new stimuli. I’m naturally pretty lazy so I am constantly looking for short cuts and ways to do more with less work. Stealth rewards me for finding efficiencies and shortcuts and as long as I use it, I get results.
The changes in my brain and body have created a more balanced life, figuratively and literally. I started understanding how my muscles work, individually and in tandem with each other. Each twist and lean depended on different areas and as my core strength grew I could shift my focus to any muscle in my body and isolate my attention there. It was subtle, almost imperceptible at first, but over time the connection between the actions on the screen and the most efficient use of my body, grew. This allowed me to increase my endurance exponentially. I could shift the work being performed into different areas of my body, ensuring that I maximized each one but it also allowed me to rest on the fly. I found that my mind learned not to focus on any points of discomfort because I was able to adjust to avoid pain. I incorporated breathing by switching from sprint sessions, scoring as many points as possible quickly, to Zen sessions, where I slowed way down, tried to stay relaxed, and allowed my mind to wander. My endurance increased rapidly as my mind and body learned to work together to maximize the effects of each session.
As my core strength grew, I noticed it translated to my life outside of Stealth. I knew how to lift my daughter without hurting my back, I understood how to lead with my core when throwing a ball, I saw more efficient movement angles when playing tennis. I became several steps faster anytime I played a sport. My agility increased because my brain-body connection was at least one step ahead of where it had been. My Stealth training has taught my body and mind to react quicker. I can feel my core at my center and my body can naturally spiral around that axis point. I’ve never been a dancer, but I found I began to enjoy pivoting and lengthening because I have learned how to stretch and contract each muscle. I am no longer fighting to force my body to move. Everything feels much more fluid and relaxed. With the help of Stealth, I have taught myself that I can do hard things. I’m becoming the athlete I always wanted to be. I can put in the work because it doesn’t feel like work. It’s the best investment I have ever made in my overall health and well-being.