Let your muscles boost your immune system

Under training stress, your muscles release chemical messengers called myokines. Myokines protect you from illness because they are literally the "charging station" for your immune system. They have a holistic, positive effect on your body by promoting muscle recovery, boosting your metabolism, and acting as an anti-inflammatory. The Immunity Boost training program has a unique intensity and progression to support the release of myokines. At the same time, it prevents overexertion, which could expose you to an increased risk of illness. In this way, your muscles contribute to a strong immune system.

How strength training strengthens your immune system: 

The immune system is your body's first line of defence against infections. It attacks potential pathogens and helps us stay healthy. A strong immune system minimises the risk of infection and helps the body fight off illnesses, making the course of an illness milder. An important part of your immune system is the lymph. It consists of white blood cells that fight infections and are transported throughout the body via the lymphatic system. Muscle lengthening exercises and muscle contractions act like a pump, promoting lymph flow and contributing to a properly functioning system (Havas et al. 2002).

The effectiveness of your body's own defence system largely depends on your lifestyle. Aside from nutrition, exercise is one of the most important levers to boost your immune system (Nieman 2020). Hormone-like myokine messengers are released through strength training and have a protective, rejuvenating effect on your immune system (Nieman and Wentz 2019). The higher the training intensity, the more myokines are released and the more resilient your immune system becomes. Strength training with the right training stimulus also increases your muscle mass, and more muscle can in turn release more myokines! 

However, training can also cause the so-called open-window effect. Shortly after training, immune system function is temporarily weakened, increasing the risk of upper respiratory tract infections. A higher training intensity can widen this immunological gap even further. On the other hand, a light cardio session after training and a balanced diet can help minimise this effect and speed up regulation and recovery (Hooren and Peake 2018).

The EGYM recipe for sustainably strengthening your robust immune system 

The EGYM Boost Immunity Training Programme offers the optimal intensity and progression to strengthen your defence system without increasing your risk of infection through overexertion. Every Immunity Boost workout consists of a warm-up, strength training, and a gentle cardio cool-down. During the warm-up, muscle lengthening exercises stimulate lymph flow and deepen your breathing. This activates your immune system, leaving you fully prepared for the strength training that follows. The strength training section is designed to maximise myokine release without overloading you. The cardio cool-down speeds up your recovery and reduces the open-window effect.

Optimal strength training 

Strength training is the core part of the Immunity Boost program and follows EGYM principles to guarantee effective, safe, and standardised training with predictable results. You achieve the greatest effect using EGYM Smart Strength equipment. 

EGYM intensity control: Training too intensely carries the risk of overloading the immune system. "Bootcamp-style" training programs in particular, which push you to your limits, can present a high risk to your immune defences. With EGYM Smart Strength equipment, you complete an isokinetic maximum strength measurement after every six training sessions, which is used to automatically set the appropriate training weight. This allows the training stimulus for high myokine release to be controlled very precisely. Additional short breaks after a few repetitions within a set allow the muscles to "breathe," reducing the perceived strain.

 EGYM program standardisation: The entire workout is systematised, and execution is controlled via live feedback on the EGYM curve, making it child's play to follow the program. This makes training particularly motivating and appealing for all user groups, especially members aged 50+. Our system ensures that every repetition, set, and progression strictly follows our training principles. Compared to traditional paper planning, you will find it much easier to stick to your workout plan and achieve your goals. 

Unique program design: If you train twice a week, the full strength training plan spans twelve weeks. It consists of four phases, each taking approximately three weeks. Intensity increases across the phases to ensure training effectiveness and keep you consistently motivated.

Boost Immunity Training Phases