Understanding The Strength Continuum

When Phillip and Dr Jackie Mills launched the very first BODYPUMP™ class back in December 1991, few could have predicted the global shift it would spark – helping millions of people build strength, confidence, and connection through movement.

To this day, strength training continues to grow. The HFA 2025 Global Report confirms strength as the number one category driving fitness growth. Meanwhile, the Les Mills 2026 Global Fitness Report shows that strength – paired with broader wellness outcomes – will drive the next wave of member engagement.

But despite this growth, barriers still exist. The same report highlights that:

• 58% of lifters are confused by conflicting strength advice
• 50% of aspiring lifters feel intimidated by the gym floor
• 54% simply don’t know where to start

As Instructors, you can play a powerful role in helping members find the right entry point – and ultimately transform how they experience strength training.

The Strength Continuum

Les Mills offers five strength-themed programs that sit across a strength continuum – from muscle-building development, through strength endurance, to high-intensity interval conditioning.

Let’s explore each program, how they differ, and how you can use them to reduce confusion, build confidence, and provide members with the best possible starting point on their strength journey.

BODYPUMP HEAVY™

Intensity: Medium–High
Impact: Low
Equipment: Barbell, weight plates
Duration: 30 / 45 / 55 minutes

The strength continuum begins with BODYPUMP HEAVY – a tempo-based strength training workout using moderate to heavy loads, traditional lifting techniques, and extended recovery periods. 

Like BODYPUMP, BODYPUMP HEAVY is choreographed to music, but with slow tempos. 

BODYPUMP HEAVY focuses on building lean muscle and improving lifting performance through controlled movement patterns and challenging loads. It is the closest to traditional weight training of all the programs, featuring squats, presses, deadlifts and cleans, performed at slow tempos to support technical mastery and muscle growth. Results come primarily from the load lifted rather than high repetition volume.

The structure is simple: two moves per track, three sets of eight repetitions, and up to two minutes of recovery. This creates space for deeper coaching, technique refinement, and heavier lifting.

Great For Instructors Who Like To:

• Coach technique and strength fundamentals
• Support members progressing beyond traditional BODYPUMP
• Prefer a slower, more considered coaching style, using the long rest windows to educate members on technique

‍Geena and Glen talk about BODYPUMP HEAVY.

‍

LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT™

Intensity: Medium–High
Impact: Low
Equipment: Barbell, step, bench
Duration: 45 minutes

LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT is a scientifically structured, off-the-beat strength training experience that takes participants through strength, muscle building and power training within a single workout.

Each class is built around three training phases:

Block 1: Strength 

This block improves strength, as the body’s tolerance to move heavy resistance improves over repeated exposures and neurological efficiency improves.

Block 2: Hypertrophy

This block focuses on hypertrophic adaptations to muscle, leading to increased muscle mass and subsequent strength improvements. This occurs through placing muscle under tension over multiple repetitions. 

Block 3: Integrated Training

This block blends strength, control and speed, helping participants apply their strength training to the world outside the gym.
‍
Music supports the training rather than dictating movement tempo, allowing participants to focus on lifting quality, control, and personal progression.

Great For Instructors Who Like To:

• Focus on progression, load, and movement mastery
• Develop members’ confidence with barbells and resistance training
• Blend strength science with motivating group energy

LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT explained.

BODYPUMP

Intensity: Medium–High
Impact: Low
Equipment: Barbell, weight plates, step, or bench
Duration: 30 / 45 / 55 minutes

Sitting in the middle of the strength continuum under ‘strength endurance’, BODYPUMP is the original Les Mills barbell workout and one of the world’s most widely taught strength programs.

The workout is built on high-repetition resistance training – known as The Rep Effect – which improves muscular endurance, overall fitness and bone health, while making strength training accessible to large, diverse groups.

Research has shown that faster-tempo reps performed with lighter weights generate a higher caloric burn than slower tempos with heavier weights.

Across 10 high-energy tracks, all choreographed to music, participants train all major muscle groups using proven strength exercises including squats, presses, deadlifts, plus clean-and-press movements.

Great For Instructors Who Like To:

• Thrive on managing high-repetition volume (800–1,000 reps per class)
• Coach to the beat, with choreographed moves
• Keep large groups synchronized and energized
• Like teaching a highly recognised program

All you need to know about BODYPUMP.

LES MILLS CEREMONY™

Intensity: Medium–High
Impact: Medium–High
Equipment: Functional training stations (rowers, ski trainers, air bikes, sleds, kettlebells, battle ropes and more)
Duration: 45 minutes

LES MILLS CEREMONY is a 45-minute functional training circuit that blends strength and cardio conditioning for a total-body workout.

Participants move through eight stations using a mix of cardio machines, strength equipment and bodyweight movements. Each workout is scientifically designed with varied exercises and tailored work/rest intervals to deliver progression and variety.

The structure remains consistent – introduction, station setup, warm-up, workout, and core/stretch – while the interval design and exercise selection change with each Release to keep training fresh.

Instructors act more like coaches, leading from the floor rather than performing the workout, using precise, purposeful cues to maximise safety, performance, and connection. The result is a community-driven training experience that attracts both traditional group exercisers and those new to studio-based training.

There are two versions:

LES MILLS CEREMONY: The full equipment package, delivered in a dedicated or multi-purpose functional space with screens. Equipment includes ski and bike trainers, as well as rowers, battle ropes, sleds, kettlebells, and more.

LES MILLS CEREMONY STUDIO: Uses traditional group training equipment typically found in studios, such as benches, barbells, weight plates, bands and mats.

Great For Instructors Who Like To:

• Deliver functional strength and conditioning training
• Coach PT-style, working one-to-group and embedded on the floor
• Move around the room guiding and supporting individuals rather than leading a “follow-me” class
• Create strong, community-driven training experiences
• Use precise, concise coaching and motivational skills to push participants for “one more rep”

LES MILLS CEREMONY explained

‍LES MILLS GRIT™ STRENGTH

Intensity: High
Impact: High
Equipment: Mixed equipment and bodyweight
Duration: 30 minutes

Sitting on the “resisted cardio” end of the strength continuum, LES MILLS GRIT Strength is a cardio workout that incorporates light to medium weights, producing significant changes in body composition (fat loss) and improvements in VO₂ max (fitness). Like the other LES MILLS GRIT programs, it is scientifically designed to keep participants in the 85% heart-rate zone for two-thirds of the class.

The result is increased aerobic fitness, conditioning of fast-twitch muscle fibers, and fat burning.

Off the beat, the program incorporates bells and timers to encourage participants to max out in short bursts of effort. It uses fast movements, resistance, and bodyweight exercises to create a maximum training stimulus in just 30 minutes.

Weights are typically kept lighter to allow for fast, powerful movement, focusing on improving fitness rather than building strength.

Great For Instructors Who:

• Prefer short, high-impact 30-minute formats if time to teach is limited
• Like having more opportunity to move around the room to coach and motivate individuals
• Prefer simple, easy-to-learn movement patterns rather than choreography-based teaching
• Love to use their motivational talents to push participants through discomfort and fatigue