I wasn't exposed to Les Mills until I moved to Gainesville in 2006. At the time, a friend invited me to a BodyPump class at our local club, Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, and the rest is history. Not long after, another friend introduced me to BodyFlow and I knew I had found something special. It wasn't until I discovered Flow that I really investigated what these "body" classes were about and in the process discovered the wonderful world of Les Mills. I'm a die hard tribe member and have become so passionate about the programming and mission of Les Mills.
As with anything, you either are already familiar with the concept, product, or brand...or you have no clue. This is for my peeps who have no clue.
I have so many members ask me if I choose the music and design the choreography for these classes. I'm always happy to receive these questions since it's the perfect opportunity to open their eyes to the wonderful world of Les Mills. This company has created not only an amazing community for instructors of their programs but also the participants in the programs as well. So, grab your protein shaker, kick back, and enjoy a little education on the amazing tribe that is Les Mills.
Who is Les Mills?
Les Mills is a former Olympic track and field athlete from New Zealand. The brand was developed by Phillip Mills, his son, and holds his namesake. Les Mills International is based in Auckland, New Zealand, and is considered the worlds largest distributor of fitness to music based group fitness programing consisting of 14 current formats. According to current statistics shared on the Les Mills Global website, Les Mills classes are currently offered in 80 countries, by over 15,500 health clubs, and presented by over 100,000 certified instructors, for an estimated 3.8 million workouts per week. Pretty. Darn. Amazing.
What is the Mission?
This is probably my favorite part of the Les Mills culture. Their missions is simply stated as "for a fitter planet"... "we're on a mission to create a fitter planet. That doesn't mean making people workout. It means helping people fall in love with fitness so they want to work out". The ultimate goal and mission of Les Mills is "to fight globesity". They believe that "global sustainability starts with our own health, fitness, and wellbeing. Simply put - fit body first, fit planet next". Powerful stuff! See for yourself here (now tell me this doesn't make you want to get your booty to a class and feel the energy and community!):
Want to know even more? Head on over the the Les Mills Global website to immerse yourself in the companies culture and learn more about all of the integral players and missions.
What are the Formats?
There is LITERALLY a program for EVERYONE. The brand offers formats in line with all of the major group fitness training concepts including step aerobics, resistance training, athletic training, flexiblity/yoga/pilates, group cycling, and even programming for kids! Rather than go into an exhaustive discussion of each format, I'd like to list them for you here and offer a link which will allow you to head on over to the each program specific website and immerse yourself in the details of each class format. Each link will guide you to a class description, FAQ's, teaser videos, current track lists, testimonials, technique videos, and a class finder to find a class near you. For my local Gainesville, Florida friends...the club I instruct at, Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, currently offers 3 programs. Our Tioga Town Center location offers BodyFlow, our Main Center location offers BodyCombat, and our Women's Center location offers BodyPump (several of the Pump classes at women's ARE OFFERED AS CO-ED so please check the schedule). We may have some exciting new class offerings on the horizon but nothing to report yet. I'll let you know as soon as I find out!
Group Fitness Classes:
BodyPump
BodyBalance/BodyFlow (same thing, different branding for the USA)
BodyAttack
Sh'bam
BodyStep
BodyCombat
CXWORX
RPM
BodyJam
BodyVive
Small Group Training High Intensity Interval (HITT) Training:
LES MILLS GRIT Strength
LES MILLS GRIT Plyo
LES MILLS GRIT Cardio
Youth Training:
BORN TO MOVE
2-3 Years
4-5 Years
6-7 Years
8-12 Years
13-16 Years
Who Designs the Programs and How Often Do They Change?
Each program is led by a Program Director. On the links above to each program specific page, you'll get to learn a little bit more about these amazing individuals. These directors are responsible for the overall development of each release including music selection, choreography, and training principles. Of course, each program director has an amazing support system from a strong network of national trainers and presenters as well as creative direction and research from the Les Mills office. Each quarter (every 3 months) new music and choreography is made available which is dubbed as a "new release". Until recently, certified instructors received physical "program kits" which included the CD of music for class as well as a masterclass DVD, and a booklet containing choreography notes. Now the releases contain the same information and components but are only available as a digital download. Each quarter, program directors in New Zealand invite elite instructors from around the globe to participate in the filming and presentation of each new release. The instructor at home then receives the new material, including downloadable choreography notes, music track list to upload to their iPod, and a digital video of the full master class. (The videos are offered in two different file sizes to view on your desktop computer or mobile device). The instructor at home then watches the video of a full class start to finish to learn all of the cueing and choreography to teach the new class. The masterclass is complemented by pages of notes for each track included with the release which breaks down musical counts, timing, repetitions, exercise sequences, and cueing structures. Some complain that this takes the creativity out of group fitness instruction and is a "class in a box". While this may be true, and while it's not freestyle development of your own group fitness class, I love this concept as it ensures a high quality product and experience each and every time. Members know that they will be receiving a class based on the most current training and safety principles to get them results. The structure of each class is designed with science in mind and countless hours of research and development go into the class sequence and structure to maximize your results. Thankfully, music and moves are refreshed often enough, and should be mixed up by your instructor, to keep the class fun, fresh, and interesting. Here is a fabulous video to give you a glimpse of all of the passion and hard work that goes into the development of your programs:
Wasn't that incredible? It is my secret dream to be a part of filming one of the master classes some day. A girl can dream!
How Can I Get Started?
Great question. For starters, check out each program link above and use the search features on the website to see if your local health club offers Les Mills programming. If not, give them a call and start the conversation to see if you or someone you know can bring these amazing formats to your community. Already have Les Mills at your local club? Great. Stay tuned for my post tomorrow where I will discuss how to get started on your journey into group fitness with Les Mills programs and an introduction to the Smart Start program.
I NEED to Become an Instructor!
Again, head on over to this page if you are "ready to join the tribe". Here, you can locate a local club for sponsorship and schedule your initial training modules. I'd highly recommend connecting with current instructors either as a participant in class or reaching out via social media. If you don't have programming in your area, it might be wise to try to travel to a gym that offers the programs you are interested in to try them on for size, pick the instructor of group fitness managers brain, or contacting your local Les Mills agency office for more information.
Finally, does this chick (me) work for Les Mills? No! I WISH! I have not been compensated in any way to promote or endorse the programming or training discussed in this post. I am simply a certified group fitness instructor in the formats mentioned at the beginning of this post and I am employed by my local health club that offers the classes. I am a die hard tribe member and in LOVE with the Les Mills brand and culture. This post hopefully helps my current group exercise participants, new friends, and those around the world understand a little bit more about the classes they take and love. Stay tuned for more Les Mills love where I'll discuss the Smart Start program, pull from my personal archive summarizing my BodyPump initial training over two years ago, and upcoming training and experiences with Les Mills.
ONE TRIBE!
So tell me. Do you take or teach Les Mills classes? What are your favorite formats? Can't wait to chat all things Les Mills!
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