Les Mills Smart Start Program

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

This post is for all of you who are new to exercise...especially group fitness and Les Mills programs. This program also serves you well if you've been on a fitness hiatus for at least 3 months and are looking to get back into the swing of things.

One of the aspects I LOVE about being a Les Mills instructor is having the knowledge that the programs I teach are backed by solid and current scientific research and development. Les Mills puts countless hours into testing programs, designing workouts based on current exercise science principles, and bridges the gap between the physical AND mental nature of fitness. They put equal emphasis not only on the physical aspect of the workout but on the mental aspect as well...what keeps you coming back to class feeling energized and like you are getting results...it seriously often boils down to music selection and training their instructors to deliver the hallmark "fitness magic" which is the buzzword that described how we are guided to create a completely immersive experience for you.

Recently, Les Mills embarked on some research focusing on helping participants who are new to group exercise gain the confidence and skills to begin coming to classes and most importantly, building their fitness to keep returning and reaping the ultimate reward which is SIGNIFICANTLY improved health and fitness. I adore that this brand places such emphasis on affording you the proper tools and encouragement to be energized and successful on your fitness journey.

What came out of this research was a program dubbed the Smart Start program. I'd like to quote the following brief blog post from the Les Mills website regarding the development of the Smart Start program:
"This new year, thousands of well-meaning rookies will join gyms and fitness facilities with their resolutions at the ready.
By the end of 30 days, almost half of them will be back to square one, defeated, discouraged and no closer to a healthier life.
It turns out that fitness is just like any addiction - it all starts with a small dose. Too many people make the mistake of leaping into exercise when baby steps are what’s needed. Here are three key things to keep in mind:
  • Start slow – Don’t push your body too soon, leave classes when things are feeling tough
  • Build gradually – Aim towards staying for a full workout as your fitness builds
  • Mix it up – Include a mix of strength, cardio and flexibility training
But don’t take our word for it, we’ve got the science to prove it.Get Fit Together, a study conducted by Pennsylvania State University, followed 25 sedentary adults through a 30-week program of LES MILLS Group Fitness classes including a mix of cardio, strength and flexibility.The group saw awesome results – so awesome that they extended their life spans by an average of 3.6 years. You can read more about the results of the study here.But the really interesting news was that over the 30 week study, 20 out of 25 study participants never missed a workout – a compliance rate of 98.8 per cent – almost unheard of in studies of this type.Despite each of these programs being highly engaging, the real key was the gradual way in which the exercisers adapted to their new routine. An initial six week period encouraged them to “dip their toes” into fitness before ramping up the intensity with a full six-day-a-week exercise schedule.So instead of being overwhelmed by it all, feeling sore from overworking unfit muscles and giving up, they actually enjoyed it."

For my local friends, you're in luck. If you are looking to get started with Les Mills group fitness programing, we offer just enough programs through the local club I teach at to fulfill the requirement for cardio, strength training, and flexibility. At Gainesville Health and Fitness you can find BodyCombat, BodyPump, and BodyFlow. I'm pretty sure I can speak for any instructor on our team that we would LOVE to chat with you about getting started in each class. Most of us teach several formats and are happy to chat with you before or after class to offer advise, form pointers, modifications, weight selections, and guide you through the program. We love to keep you accountable and have fun doing it! Some of my participants have become great friends not only with each other but you with me and I with you.

Ready to get started? Les Mills has created a fabulous guide to help you plan your workouts and track your progress. I've included them below or find the Smart Start guide here. 




So, what are you waiting for! There is no time like the present. Please don't hesitate to comment here or email me (thefirstrepblog@gmail.com) with any questions on how you can get started. I'd love to help reach all of your goals this year. You can do that and so much more by coming to classes. Improved fitness, check. Improved mental health, check. More confident in your appearance, you will be! New friends, absolutely!!! Can't wait to see you at class.

I have not been compensated or otherwise encouraged to promote my local health club or the Les Mills Smart Start program. Just a passionate Les Mills instructor sharing awesome tools with her participants and readers. 

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