Like any American, I can be a bit impatient and find myself regularly short of “free time,” whatever that means. So the idea of going to the gym and spending an hour or more on the treadmill or puttering around without a plan completely turns me off. In fact, it usually convinces me to skip my workout altogether.
When I’ve worked with a trainer these past few years, I’ve loved having the guidance — especially because I’ve been resistant to working out most of my life. It also why I love group classes at Life Time Fitness: I just have to show up and follow along.
As I got stronger, I decided to try T.E.A.M. Boot Camp, which was awesome in the most challenging way. It’s circuit-style training, with some workouts similar to HIIT or metabolic resistance training: work hard and fast and/or lift heavy, rest, and repeat. (Of course, each instructor is different, but you can find examples of exercises on the Boot Camp by Life Time Facebook page or their website.)
In honor of this week’s Try-It Tuesday events, either a T.E.A.M. Fitness or Ultimate Workout class, I challenged myself in Boot Camp on the clean and press and managed to hit a new PR (personal record): 55 pounds! Up until this week, my muscles could only handle 35 pounds — that’s a 20-pound difference in a matter of 3 to 4 weeks! Go Courtney’s muscles!
I’ve written about my love of group fitness before, and if you are short on time like me and want a specific plan with super-effect results, I think you’ll be happy with one of the T.E.A.M. classes, either Weight Loss, Fitness, Boot Camp, or the Ultimate Workout. And there’s always group-fitness classes to try as part of your membership.
If you enjoy working out alone, keep it up! Whatever works best for you. But if you’re curious about working with a partner or group, give it a shot. (Read more about the benefits of exercising with friends in “Group Effort,” from the May 2011 issue of Experience Life.) Like me, you might find yourself more motivated to work out.
Have you tried one of the T.E.A.M. classes or group workouts?
For those of you looking for more info on metabolic resistance-training programs, check out our video below. And read more about how lifting weights can boost your weight-loss progress in our September 2012 article, “Lift to Lose Weight.”
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlgJscA-9vQ]
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