Fitness Brigade® - Fitness program

FITTER, STRONGER, HEALTHIER

The Fitness Brigade^® Exercise System is the workout regimen of the SunFit^® Training Program. Developed and overseen by Reuben K. Chen, MD, a board-certified medical doctor specializing in sports training & medicine and rehabilitation & physical therapy, this comprehensive fitness and nutrition program comes with everything needed to burn fat, build muscle, and transform your entire body.

After completing the 90-day program, you can “cycle” the workouts, transitioning from modified exercises to more challenging variations and intensity levels to continue your fitness progression and get into the best shape of your life. Simple, sustainable, and effective, this program maximizes efficiency and results.

The Fitness Brigade Exercise System is safe and effective for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Expert Interview

The U.S. military employs leading experts in the field of strength and conditioning to design the training regimens of our Armed Forces personnel. Likewise, the Fitness Brigade^® Exercise System was carefully devised by Reuben K. Chen, MD, a biomechanics expert and doctor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the SunLiving Health & Wellness^® Clinic in Torrance, California. In a collaborative effort with former serving members of the military, Dr. Chen designed a 12-week program that mimics the way soldiers actually train for battle while also modifying their training practices for civilian use.

Here, Dr. Chen explains the rationale behind the Fitness Brigadeworkouts.

Why did you decide to adopt a military-style training program?

Reuben Chen, MD: According to the military members I talked to, the average recruit in basic training loses 16–25 pounds. It doesn’t matter how good of shape they’re in; they all lose weight. So that was the foundation of the Fitness Brigade. We had to modify some things, because you can’t do everything the military does, of course.

What parts of military training were you able to implement in Fitness Brigade as is?

RC: The military tries to strengthen the whole body by doing multiple exercises for specific periods of time and minimal breaks, and that’s exactly what our program consists of. These exercises usually involve multiple muscle groups, an approach that emphasizes increasing muscle endurance, burning body fat quickly, and also building muscle.

What are the major differences between Basic Conditioning Training and Resistance Training workouts?

RC: Basic Conditioning Training [BCT] is your boot camp-style training with no weights or very lightweight, and the emphasis is on core strength and endurance. With Resistance Training [RT], you use weights or resistance bands for building muscle and general strength.

What was your intent when designing each four-week phase of the program?

RC: The first four weeks, Phase 1, is about developing endurance and core strength. There are more BCT workouts than RT workouts, as well as more rest days because people need to get used to it. And then in the second and third phases, it evens out between BCT and RT workouts.