DEBUNKED - The Jim Saret Four Minute Workout

I recently found out about Coach Jim Saret's 4 minute workout when he did a segment on an ABS-CBN news show. Jim Saret, an apparently well-known fitness trainer in the Philippines (The Biggest Loser, Pinoy edition plus numerous other fitness endorsements) claims his four minute workout burns 600 calories, guaranteed (Yes, that's what he said-- GUARANTEED). In fact, if you google 4 minute workout + 600 calories, you will get numerous hits pertaining to Jim Saret and the said workout.

I am by no means a scientific expert on sports physiology and nutrition, but as a fitness enthusiast and gym rat myself, I was more than skeptical. I did my research on the internet to see if similar four minute workouts have the same claim. I mean, he must have based this workout from MetaFit or the numerous other HIIT workouts right?

Apparently, no fitness regimen in the US, Europe or Australia, claims to burn 600 calories in four minutes! I still gave him the benefit of the doubt and started poring through medical and sports science websites (the links are below). Again, nothing. With no credible scientific evidence(s) to support his 4 minute workout (10 push ups, 10 squats, 10 lunges for each leg, & 10 jumping jacks), the links below show that Coach Jim Saret is knowingly perpetrating false promises to many individuals who are uninformed about the relationship between physical fitness activity and actual calorie expenditure.

Check it out for yourself and and compare Saret's 4 minute workout against the most rigid physical sports/activities researched and documented by the top medical schools, fitness, health and nutrition organizations in the world.

Harvard Medical School

Cleveland Clinic

Mayo Clinic

NutriStrategy (Calculations are based on research data from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine)

American Council of Exercise (ACE)

BYU Exercise Chart

CalorieLab

Not one of these sources reported that a 4 minute workout will burn 600 calories, except for Mr. Saret. A family doctor even said, "You have to run 100 mph in 4 minutes. Seriously, it's just not possible."

According to the Cleveland Clinic, jogging/running is the one of the biggest calorie burners. In one hour, a 200 lb man will burn an estimated 900 calories. But in 4 minutes, he will only burn about 60 calories. The MetaFit European community also strongly suggests a minimum of 25-30 minutes to achieve maximum calorie expenditure in many of their suggested MetaFit workouts.

Here's a credible program from the folks at FitnessBlender, the workouts are composed of HIIT (the premise of Jim Saret's 4-minute workout), strength training, at home cardio, pilates, kettleball, yoga, circuit training, low impact, stretching and more for literally every fitness level from the novice to the incredibly advanced.  No 4 minute bullcrap here!

ADVICE: To exercise for health, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. However, to effectively lose or maintain weight, some people may need up to 300 minutes a week of moderate physical activity according to recommendations by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

PASS IT ON: Thirty minutes of vigorous (metabolic) exercise a day works just as well as an hour of moderate exercise for weight loss, a new study published in the Aug. 2013 issue of the American Journal of Physiology.

The White House is now engaging a campaign of physical activity to fight epidemic obesity problems in the US with Let's Move! The national program encourages daily 30-60 minutes of physical fitness activity fully supported by professional sports leagues from the NBA, NFL, NHL, and the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

I hope this blog will alert the Philippine media, and the numerous wellness and fitness communities in the Philippines to start fact checking Jim Saret's claims and cross-reference it against reputable sources. Jim Saret claims to be certified in the United States and I think it's a shame that he's using that to further his agenda to make himself sound more credible!

His school, Brigham Young University (BYU) Exercise Sciences dept would be simply be ashamed if one of their graduates continues to peddle this false claim under the school's name and degree. The religious college expects nothing but 100% integrity and character from all of their graduates around the world. I am appalled that he collects $$$ from endorsements and his "FitFil workouts with Jim Saret" (which, if you do a currency conversion; his 2 hour workout fee is twice the amount of an average gym membership in the US).

I encourage wellness and health among my fellow Filipinos, but we need to call out self-promoting quacks like Jim Saret. It's too bad that ABS-CBN isn't exactly the epitome of responsible journalism in the first place. So for the people reading this, especially other Filipino fitness coaches and enthusiasts, lets get the word out there. Social media can play a very big part in exposing shams and the pundits who are only out to make a quick buck, preying on the public's low health and fitness information and gullibility.

Stay fit, Filipinos (and lay off on the rice, Cokes & beers, lechons, bread and desserts)!

In life, "You must make a Choice, to take a Chance, or your life will never Change."

Recently, I spoke with a friend who's a vascular surgeon and associate professor from Stanford University School of Medicine. I asked him if it's possible to burn 600 calories in a four minute workout. He said: "From a physiological perspective, no way! It's not possible." 

Last thought about Saret's 4 minute workout, it is a good set of warm up exercises before engaging in 30 to 60+ minutes of rigorous fitness/sports activity like swimming, tennis, soccer/football, basketball, racquetball, squash, mountain biking/cycling, running/jogging and metabolic fitness conditioning workouts (MetaFit). See the studies and clinical research about the Metabolic Effect published in 2002.

MEMO to Celebrity Fitness "Experts": It takes 31 minutes of any metabolic workout, NOT 4 minutes, to generate increased fat burning for 48 hours after the workout ends. Stop engaging in fraud and deceit!