Resistance training is one of the most effective ways to increase muscle strength and build resilience, along with many other benefits. And while there are numerous ways to incorporate this type of training into your routine, one simple approach — particularly if you’re newer to it or want someone else to do the programming for you — is taking a strength-focused group fitness class.
Life Time offers several options for classes in which instructors guide you through efficient strength workouts that challenge your upper body, lower body, and nearly everything in between. By stimulating more muscle groups, you get more bang for your buck, so to speak, when it comes to how much time you spend exercising.
“You can get a lot done in 45 to 60 minutes,” says Emma Graves, studio master trainer and Dynamic Personal Trainer at Life Time River North at One Chicago in Illinois. “Taking the time to invest in strength-training efforts can help you see real changes in your life, including more ease in your daily activities and higher levels of confidence. I love seeing the positive ways these classes can change lives!”
We’ve rounded up five full-body strength classes on Life Time’s schedule to help you choose one (or more!) that’s right for you.
1. LIFT Barbell Strength
LIFT Barbell Strength is a helpful class for learning the foundations of strength training and for focusing on proper form for basic weightlifting moves. You’ll use weighted equipment — including a barbell and various dumbbells — to efficiently target all your major muscle groups.
What to expect: You’ll move through movements including squats, lunges, chest and overhead presses, triceps dips, bicep curls, and more. The movements are synced to the beat of the music, with each new song introducing a new muscle group, allowing you to find your groove.
Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, mat, bench
Length: 45 or 60 minutes
2. LIFT Strictly Strength
LIFT Strictly Strength skips any cardio to focus solely on the strength of your muscles from head to toe. With moderate weights, you’ll move through high-rep exercises to test your muscular endurance.
What to expect: Move through several exercises — deadlifts, squats, lunges, rows, bicep curls, chest presses, and more — using a wide variety of equipment. The goal for each class is to lift a little heavier and to feel a little stronger than before.
Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, gliding discs, weighted bars, resistance bands, mat, bench
Length: 45 or 60 minutes
3. SHRED
SHRED is an easy-to-follow, full-body strength class suitable for all fitness levels. Each class features simple, yet effective, strength-training exercises mixed with athletic cardio drills to condition your cardiovascular system and muscular endurance.
What to expect: Move at your own pace through a timed, circuit-style workout comprised of exercise sets that target your upper body, lower body, and core. While the focus is strength, you’ll rev up your heart rate with one-minute athletic cardio drills after completing the muscle-burning strength sets. SHRED offers scalability to meet your needs, meaning this class is for everyone from beginners to experienced athletes.
Equipment: Dumbbells, barbell, kettlebells, resistance bands, mat, bench
Length: 45 minutes
4. MAXOUT Mashup
If you’re looking to step out of your comfort zone and do some heavy lifting, MAXOUT Mashup might be your new go-to. This full-body workout combines strength training for all muscle groups with the added challenge of metabolic conditioning.
What to expect: MAXOUT Mashup is a 50/50 blend of MAXOUT Upper Body and MAXOUT Lower Body. From squats to overhead presses, no muscle gets left behind. Every class finishes with a round of high-energy metabolic conditioning that challenges your aerobic capacity.
Equipment: Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbell, resistance bands
Length: 60 minutes
5. GTX
GTX is one of Life Time’s signature group training programs, and each class blends your strength-training and cardio efforts into one challenging workout. With a 50/50 blend of progressively planned cardio and strength, it offers a formula to help you continuously improve your endurance, strength, and overall fitness.
What to expect: You’ll experience zone-interval training on a treadmill as well as total-body strength training off it. This class is progressively programmed over a 12-week training cycle, so participants avoid any plateaus. GTX is an all-levels experience that can be adapted for wherever you are on your fitness journey.
Equipment: Treadmill, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbell, resistance bands, bench
Length: 60 minutes
