Les Mills Adds Heavy Lifting Class Amid Strength Training Surge

With Bodypump Heavy, Les Mills aims to make lifting heavy weights less intimidating, thanks to the power of group fitness

Les Mills’ trademark virtual Bodypump program is getting an upgrade to heavier weights in a new program capitalizing on the strength training wave. The new class, Bodypump Heavy, shifts away from the original’s higher-rep, lower-weight program — targeted at building muscular endurance — to focus instead on slower movements with heavier weights.

“Strength is now the biggest category in fitness, but our research shows many people are being held back by gym floor intimidation and queues for equipment, plus challenges with technique or motivation,” said Les Mills managing director Phillip Mills.

Adding heavy weightlifting to its virtual group program offerings could help gym members feel more comfortable with an often intimidating modality — especially for women. A study from earlier this year found that 40% of women feel they don’t belong in the free-weights section of gyms.

Les Mills’ new program is a push to make lifting easier to include in anyone’s routine, especially given the well-known benefits behind strength training, including increased lean muscle mass, decreased visceral fat and improved bone density.

“Bodypump Heavy is a turn-key solution for clubs to maximize their strength offering by making it accessible to all members, reaping the rewards of in-studio workouts, while freeing up capacity on the gym floor,” Mills added.

The classes are structured to have a slower tempo than the original Bodypump, with longer recovery periods as members work on mastering technique, form and building muscle to lift heavier.

After a testing period in Les Mills New Zealand (LMNZ), the company reported that 82% of participants were highly likely to recommend Bodypump Heavy to their friends, 80% of participants were highly likely to continue doing Bodypump Heavy and 79% of participants expressed total or very high satisfaction with the quality of the program.

The program could also be helpful in getting more males interested in group fitness.

“It’s been particularly popular with males — who are inherently hard to get into the studio — and a massive success with new members,” said LMNZ national group fitness manager Geena Pannett, who helped create Bodypump Heavy. “It gives them a place to learn basic lifting techniques without paying for a personal trainer or facing the intimidation of being on the gym floor by themselves.”

The Bodypump Heavy launch follows the recent addition of a four-part yoga series to help gyms find success among the boutique studio boom. Both programs are now available for clubs to add to their Les Mills roster of programs.

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