Honest Review of Les Mills On-Demand Home Workouts

My home screen in Les Mills

First off, I want to say that I am not affiliated with nor sponsored by Les Mills. I'm writing this post simply because it needs to be said: purchasing Les Mills On-Demand is hands down one of the best things that has happened to me during the COVID-19 lockdown.

How I Even Heard of Les Mills

I belonged to a gym that had Les Mills-trained instructors teaching BodyPump classes a few times a week. I'm a middle-aged woman who isn't crazy about weight training, but I learned through trial and error that nothing, no other workout including Zumba, yoga, kickboxing, Pilates, or getting on the machines in the main area toned my body and burned calories like two BodyPump classes per week. I also did Zumba, yoga, and the occasional kickboxing class at the gym, between 4-6 classes total per week, but if I left out (substituted something else for) BodyPump, I'd immediately start losing tone and gaining weight.

When my gym shut down, I tried just making up my own BP class at home, but it wasn't the same. The music, energy of the instructor, and honestly just having someone telling and showing you what to do so you can just be in the moment all make BP class magical, even for an old woman who doesn't like lifting weights. And isn't frankly that good at it. :)

After gaining a few pounds of pure flab and feeling like a low-energy lump, a desperate internet search turned up Les Mills' On-Demand service. It's currently $14.99 per month if you want to pay month-to-month, or $119 for 12 months up front ($9.99 per month.) They offered a 14-day trial, so I signed up.

Holy Smokes

Les Mills' site was like walking into a Workout Candy Store. There are so many different types of workouts, so many talented instructors, so many different lengths of workouts, I just didn't even know which piece of candy to eat first.

I didn't know they had yoga.

I didn't know they had dance.

I didn't know I was going to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this service so much that I'm literally praying to God they never go out of business because that would be a huge loss in my life.

I canceled my gym membership. Screw getting dressed, getting in my car, and driving somewhere. I can just log in and get what I consider to be the world's best workouts right here in my apartment. If it sounds like I'm exaggerating, all I can say is, try it for yourself and tell me I'm wrong.

BodyPump (Weight training)

I guess there are 112 different BodyPump workouts, since they are numbered. I'm quite stuck on BodyPump #98, so I'll never live long enough to eat all the BodyPump candy. A team of fantastic instructors with New Zealand accents, great music, moves I can't do yet because it's challenging, and I am in heaven. You can do hour-long workouts or various other shortened versions. I've stuck to the hour-long twice-per-week thing I was doing at the gym so far, but I might try some other options soon to vary it up. I do the entire workout with a couple of 5 lb dumbbells, and when they get too heavy, I use canned olives. :)

Sh'Bam (Dance)

Choreographer "Rach" is from the UK. If I ever get in good enough shape to dance like her, I will die a happy woman. Her attitude is so fun and engaging, the dance moves vary from easy to No Way, and the whole workout is just beautiful to stare at and attempt to imitate. I'm mostly doing Sh'Bam #30, a 45-minute workout at the moment. It's hard but I can't get the songs out of my head so I gotta get my fix.

BodyFlow (Yoga with Tai Chi here and there)

I don't know if all the BodyFlow workouts use a team of instructors from all over the world, but Flexibility #87 does, and these people are all amazing. I had been putting off trying Les Mills' BodyFlow classes because I felt like I needed to "get back in shape," but the pace and the techniques they use in #87 is such that I am breathing hard within a few minutes. Awesome, and you feel soooooo good afterwards from head to toe, mind and heart included. :)

All of the workouts I've tried (the list above) are challenging but not impossible, especially since they offer modifications and you are free to work as hard or as gently as you like.

The Bottom Line

For anyone looking to shape up, gain strength, tone, and feel better overall, I highly recommend Les Mills On-Demand. It's a tremendous value, and it keeps me motivated and coming back for more. It's not drudgery like a lot of other workout programs, it's science-based, and it delivers results. (Again, I'm not sponsored by them nor do I benefit if you click those links. I don't think they even do affiliate marketing...I am purely a user of their service and a Les Mills fan who wants to give credit where credit is due.)

Hope this helps whomever needed to see this! :)

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