What workout plan is best for me?

Hi friend!!!

Happy Monday and beginning to a whole new week and end of February.. Isn’t it insane that we are already headed into the third month of the year? CRAY! I just finished my BBG 12 week workout plan and my #30daychallenge to close my rings and am so proud and pumped to keep going down this fitness journey. The end of this challenge also has me thinking about what workout plan I want to begin next\. I am working on my tri training, but strength training is also needed.

With this in mind, I wanted to focus today’s blog on talking about different gyms/workout options and about my experience with several different plans throughout the past years, as it is a common question I get when I am going to a new gym.

I most commonly get asked which gym/workout plan I think produces the best results. I would like to start by saying ALL gyms and plans WORK if YOU do! Plain and simple. If you are putting in the consistent work and are following a healthy meal plan, there is no reason why one workout plan won’t work for you vs the other. Remember, working out is truly a treat. Our bodies are strong and able enough to workout and we should be grateful for that, therefore make working out a FUN time in our days! Investing time in finding which plan makes you HAPPY and keeps your engaged is worth it!  

Here are my thoughts on different studios and workout plans which I hope will help you navigate the hundreds of classes going on right now.

• F45  
  • Pros: It is mainly weight based. There are cardio days, but they are bodyweight and isometric type of workouts. You will get stronger and more fit by lifting. They give you workout towels and cool down towels after your workout. It is quick and only 45 minutes!
  • Cons: They only use bikes and rowers, no treadmills (for some, this is a pro). There is no cool down stretch. If you want to stay after and stretch on your own, you can but it isn’t something that is guided or done as part of the class.
  • Price: Unless there is a sale, they are the priciest gym that I have seen out there for $45 per week.
• Orange Theory Fitness
  • Pros: You do a little bit of everything. It is a rotation of three main stations: treadmill, rower and weights. This gym helped my running pace get so much faster because of the different intervals from every class. These are pretty intense classes, so you really only need to go 4 times per week. The gym I went to had a great community, events outside of class and every 2 months there was a 90 minute class which was a nice challenge.
  • Cons: I am not a big fan of the rower; however, you will row every time. The weights are only dumbbells so you have to limit you workouts to those types of weights.
  • Price: Higher side – Typically $170/month + your initial heart rate monitor investment of $60.
• Yoga
  • Pros: I have gone to several bikram yoga studios including Corepower and other local ones. Hot yoga is SO relaxing, challenging both to the body and mind and overall great for you. Even if you aren’t doing yoga as your primary workout, it is so helpful and needed for recovery. I hurt my ankle and went to yoga for a month and was a whole new human both inside and out because of it.
  • Cons: It is low intensity. The highest intensity class I have found was the sculpt class at Corepower which was intense, but it is yoga and lower intensity that your normal cardio class.
  • Price: Depends on the studio, but usually around $120 per month.
• Pure Barre
  • Pros: Multiple repetitions and you get stronger with a lot of isometric work. Your booty is being worked out A LOT, so it helps in that area (which I need) for sure! You also work on your posture and breathing, which overall is great for you.
  • Cons: It is a slower paced workout. As you can tell by now, I am more of a high intensity workout person, so the classes that I took were too slow for my taste.
  • Price: $120-$140 + socks, but you can get those on your own.
• Title Boxing
  • Pros: High intensity, dynamic moves that help release aggression and get your blood flowing. Depending on the gym, you can take classes that are more or less physical with the bags. Title isn’t just boxing. You can take boxing, kickboxing or MMA classes, all which are a mix of body weight, cardio and punching bags. Here, coaches make a big difference compared to other gyms I have attached because they are typically pushing you harder and are very encouraging which make me want to push my limits and get ouside my comfort zone. They’re even willing to take you aside and work with you on improving your technique.
  • Cons: Washing your equipment after class. I know this sounds lazy, but your hand wraps and gloves need to be washed and disinfected after class. It is just one more step that you need to take care of after class.
  • Price: Depends on the sales, but typically $70 per month + initial gloves and wraps which total can be ~$30, depending how fancy you want your gloves.
• At-home – BBG, TIU, Beachbody (and others, but I have only tried these three)
  • Pros: You workout at your own time, at your own pace and they aren’t very long (typically). For the most part, not much equipment is needed and you can workout in the comfort of your living room not caring what you look like and nobody needs to know. It is very convenient, and there are online communities to keep you accountable. My favorite combo of these is either pure Beachbody, or BBG workouts following the TIU meal plan and recipes.
  • Cons: There are no in-person trainers to push you. If you are working out at home or following these self-guided programs, you need to motivate yourself, and/or be active on social media with these communities. If you have access to a gym and can do them there, sometimes that is better if you want to increase your weights and not spend on buying a heavier weight set.
  • Price: Depends on the plan. BBG now has the Sweat app that you can get for $20 per month, TIU also has their workout app, but not sure how much that is and it is offered in addition to SO many free resources online. Beachbody varies and I only did it back when the DVD’s existed so they vary. In addition to this, you may need a starter kit of weights and a few other things, but no more than $50.

A few ways to get started on finding what fits your schedule without spending a ton of money:

• Classpass – they usually have a free month for new members
• Groupon – a lot of gyms use it to give you a lower priced first month
• Gym’s/programs actual site/app – Orange Theory only uses their one free class. Other gyms have even better sales through them, so try them directly. The at-home workouts also typically have a 1 week – 1 month free trial.

I am yet to try a cycling studio, pilates studio and Barry’s Bootcamp to review those. Have you tried them? What feedback do you have about these gyms and workout programs? What is your favorite?

Leave your comments below! 🙂

XO,

Gina