Why research underpins our every move

We live in a time of unprecedented information. The size of the digital universe is doubling every two years and yet it can sometimes feel harder than ever to access reliable facts on the internet.

This is particularly true of our industry. It can be easy to laugh off the latest questionable fitness fads, superfood sensations and tacky trends, but when it comes to exercise, bad advice for gymgoers can quickly shift from hilarious to dangerous.

In an age of self-proclaimed fitness gurus, influencers and experts – where anyone with a smartphone and a Twitter profile can shape opinion – the role of science in separating fact from fiction has never been more important.

As a result, Les Mills partners with universities around the world to conduct research which delves deeper into exercise science and tests the effects of Les Mills programs on key community health factors such as obesity and heart disease. The research is independent, peer-reviewed and industry-recognised.

Under the microscope

To date, there have been 13 articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals investigating the efficacy and impact of various approaches to fitness. These studies have ranged from the effects of high-intensity training on heart disease, hormonal and physiological responses to BODYPUMP, behaviour change, and how to get kids motivated to exercise.

As well as bringing new insight into the physiological impact of different training types, these academic partnerships help to refine the development of Les Mills programs and ensure they’re underpinned by science.

Les Mills Head of Research, Bryce Hastings, explains: “When we’re creating a workout, for example, our HIIT offering GRIT, we design it to take the heart-rate above 85 per cent as much as possible across 30-minutes – so you have very high spikes of intensity, followed by periods complete recovery. It’s those spikes that generate the types of biochemical responses that are very specific to a HIIT workout.

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