A first hand look at Les Mills GRIT
6 March, 2020I’ll be honest, I had to psych myself up for this one a little bit. Even before the class started, one of my cohorts spotted me in my “not work clothes” and said, “You look like you are getting ready to do something you don’t want to do!” Okay, so unnamed coworker may have been right (knowing that yours truly isn’t in the best shape to begin with), but I was willing to try for the benefit of the masses.
Phase 1 of GRIT Plyo for me was making sure the defibrillator outside of Studio 1 was in fine working order … check!
Phase 2 of GRIT Plyo … make sure to have enough H2O!!! … check.
Phase 3 of GRIT Plyo … be mentally ready for the 30 minute challenge. … check.
GRIT Plyo — one of three phases of the new GRIT series from Les Mills that also includes strength and cardio — is a 30 minute whirlwind of a workout that will test you both physically and mentally. The high intensity interval workout is meant to burn calories quicker, and put your metabolism into overdrive to get you fit, FAST!
First things first, this is not another group fitness class, it is a small group training session. The smaller setting allows for the GRIT Coach (or in the case of the demos, two coaches) to get around the room and offer not only instruction, but also words of encouragement. I told Coach Ty after the class that his motivation is what kept me going.
Did I go at their pace? No. Was I supposed to? No. I went at my own speed and made sure I still did every component of the workout to get the most out of the experience that I could. The workout included burpees, planking, squats and some intermittent weight work to engage every muscle of the body.
Phase 4 of GRIT Plyo … finish. … check.
It was hard. I am not going to lie, but I urge you over the next few weeks to give the free demos a try. Coaches Marissa, Ben and Ty have put in a lot of work to make the latest Les Mills program a huge success and it shows. Their positive attitude towards every class — before, during and after — make it that much more enjoyable.
Each coach will have their own “teams” when the actual classes start sometime in March (stay turned for further details). The cost of the six week session (two classes/week) is $99 for members.* That is a bargain – when you break it down it equates to just over $8 a class. Money well spent people, money well spent.
For me it is an opportunity that I simply cannot pass up. As I get ready to turn 40 this summer, there is a little voice inside my head that keeps telling me to get my butt in gear and do things the right way. This class may very well have been the catalyst for me to take the next step.
Stay tuned for more info in the coming weeks and if you have any questions regarding the program don’t hesitate to ask Fitness Director Laury Dennis or any one of the three coaches when you see them in the club.
By: Jon Yun