Have you ever walked onto the workout floor, scanned the rows of machines, weights, and exercise tools with curiosity, only to then take your usual spot on your go-to equipment? You’re not alone in feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the options and how to use them.
“The workout floor can be an intimidating space,” says Ryan Sonnenburg, director of customer engagement for Life Time Training. “Our challenge is ensuring every member feels confident and competent in leveraging all of our state-of-the-art equipment.”
For this reason, Life Time offers four different experiences members can take advantage of to get a more tailored introduction to the workout floor. “Our goal is to help every member understand what to do and how to do it,” says Sonnenburg.
Have you taken advantage of any of these experiences yet?
1. Intro to Personal Training. In this session, you’ll meet one-on-one with a certified personal trainer and have the opportunity to discuss your past efforts — including anything that has or hasn’t worked for you — and set new, achievable goals, while also walking through a customized workout plan the trainer develops for you.
2. Workout Workshop. Choose from four different class options, each led by a certified personal trainer and centered around a specific focus or piece of equipment:
- Intro to TRX: This suspension equipment can offer hundreds of strength-building exercises adjustable to your needs. A personal trainer will teach you the basics of the TRX and take you through a 30-minute workout so you leave understanding how to use it to maximize your time and results.
- Intro to Kettlebell: Kettlebells are a versatile tool that can benefit nearly everyone in building strength, endurance, and mobility. You’ll learn the fundamentals for using them, including how to use to optimize muscle mass, before going through a 30-minute kettlebell workout.
- Intro to Foam Rolling and Recovery: The foam roller is a key pre- and post-workout tool. It’s a form of self-myofascial release that delivers benefits such as increased circulation, decreased soreness, and improved range of motion. You’ll learn how to perform this recovery technique and go through a 30-minute recovery session.
- Intro to Core and Abs: Core muscles act as mobilizers and stabilizers, supporting nearly every move your body makes. You’ll learn and walk through safe and effective core movements to improve strength, ease back pain, correct posture, enable better breathing, and make everyday tasks easier.
3. Equipment Orientation. Gain more confidence on the workout floor with this one-on-one session in which a certified personal trainer will go over how and why to use different free-weight and machine-based equipment. They’ll show you how to adjust the settings and add or reduce weight specific to your current fitness level. You’ll be able to try exercises you’ve never done before and ask questions so you feel comfortable using the space on your own.
4. A Week of Group Training. There’s no better way to learn if a program is right for you than to try it. Experience one week of complimentary group training classes, selecting from GTX, Alpha, or Ultra Fit — or go all in and try all three.
- GTX offers a 50/50 balance of cardio and strength work.
- Alpha is a strength-training-focused class complemented by metabolic conditioning.
- Ultra Fit combines sprint-interval training with strength and balance work to push the limits of your body’s abilities.
