IDEA Summer Games by Les Mills
The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of LES MILLS.
Hi there! I’m so excited to give you all the info on what I did and what I learned this year at Blogfest at IDEA world! But before I go into all the sessions and takeaways, I wanted to highlight one special event I got to attend while there: The IDEA Summer Games by LES MILLS GRITTM.
If you are unfamiliar with LES MILLS GRITTM, it’s the newest LES MILLS program designed to attract a hardcore fitness participant. It’s actually divided into three formats: strength, plyo (plyometric-based workout) and cardio. Unlike other LES MILLS programs, which usually follow a 55 minute format, GRIT is only 30 minutes because it uses HIIT principles to get you fit faster. The idea is that you push yourself hard in those 30 minutes to get an effective workout in less time. HIIT training has been praised a lot recently because of its efficiency and appeal to those who are time-poor. Plus, it helps you burn calories for hours after the workout, grow lean muscle tissue and burn fat. LES MILLS has a great article on GRIT and HIIT training that you can read here. Let me tell you, after experiencing the Games, there is no way that this workout wouldn’t get you fit! But just in case you don’t believe me, here is a short video about how the program uses fast-twitch muscle fibers to help you get fit:
The LES MILLS GRIT Summer Games were divided up into four different events:
- Runners Revenge
- Strength and Conditioning Match-Up
- Speed, Agility and Quickness Challenge
- The LES MILLS GRITTM Games Competition
All of the events used moves that you might see in a LES MILLS GRITTM class but in competition format. For example, in Runners Revenge, we focused on cardio drills that help you build endurance, strength and agility in addition to increasing your cardio capacity. We did sprints, knee jumps, double foot hops, push-ups, burpees and shuttle runs. This was my favorite event because it relied on your body weight to improve your fitness but was still so challenging.
The idea was to do as many reps of the prescribed exercises in the time limit but the key was that you had to maintain proper form or your move would be DQed (and they were going around looking for good form). The top three men and top three women with the most reps then competed for the medals. So hardcore! This workout is really butt-kicking!
The other events focused on different LES MILLS GRITTM areas like strength and conditioning and plyometrics. For example, Strength and Conditioning used barbells (LES MILLS Smart Bars) and plates to perform moves like the push press, clean and press, overhead squat and wide row. While in Speed, Agility and Quickness challenge we saw moves like box jumps, plyo pushups and burpee hurdle.
The Games Competition at the end was cool because it was kind of a combination of all the other events and it was all out war! Ok not really but the competition was fierce and you really got a feel of how a LES MILLS GRITTM class would push your limits to increase your fitness. It made me want to set goals to bust through all my old fitness plateaus and create a plan to train harder!
What I loved about this event was that even though it was a competition, the teams were all incredibly supportive of each other. The two guys on my team were counting off my push-ups and cheering me on for the run. It felt great to be cheered on and acknowledged for pushing your own limits, even if you weren’t one of the gold medalists. Speaking of gold medalists, the ladies were pretty dominant! They swept the medals in the Strength and Conditioning event. Now that’s the definition of girl power (especially if you saw what the guys looked like!).
This was the inaugural Summer Games event and I have to say that as much as I love the concept, I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who is new to exercise or who is not extremely fit. You definitely are there to compete and not to get the kind of support in terms of form and modifications that you would get in a class. Also, I would not recommend competing in all of the events because these workouts are designed to push you to your limits.
While I’ve done some HIIT training in the past, this type of training that was really focused on athletic training was so different from anything I have tried previously. I think this would be the perfect class for someone looking to take their fitness to the next level and for those who really need a great workout in less time. I would recommend it to all my runner friends looking to add in some strength and cross-training or any of my friends looking to get bikini-strong (these GRIT people have awesome physiques with enviously toned muscles). Check to see if there is a local class in your area!
Readers, have you ever tried LES MILLS GRITTM? What do you think of HIIT training? Which of these events would you have liked to compete in?