Les Mills Asia Pacific Launches A Training Breakthrough To Inspire The Next Generation Of Fitness Club Members

Gen Z and Millennials represent a major opportunity for fitness club operators but engaging them remains a challenge. As strength workouts soar in popularity among younger exercisers, could a pioneering approach to group training crack the code to this vital demographic?

For fitness operators, each high season represents a major opportunity to attract new members and inject fresh impetus into a facility.

But what would winning an entire generation of fitness fans do for your facility’s bottom line? That’s the size of the prize for fitness clubs that can cut through the noise and connect with Gen Z and Millennials – known collectively as ‘Generation Active’ for their love of movement and workouts.

This demographic now accounts for over 80% of the total fitness market, yet many fitness clubs still struggle to win their share. Those that do, often find it tough to engage these members beyond the gym floor, making it harder to secure long-term loyalty from this famously fickle fitness generation through ‘stickier’ retention drivers like group workouts. But despite such challenges, this market offers latent potential, with appetite for workouts among ‘Generation Active’ showing a strong upward trajectory. According to the 2022 McKinsey Future of Wellness Survey, 40% of Gen Z deem achieving better fitness a ‘very high’ priority, compared to 35% of Millennials, and 32% among the rest of the population.

If the pandemic was defined by clubs’ use of technology to keep members moving, the next phase of club growth will undoubtedly be driven by operators’ ability to win their share of ‘Generation Active.’ This is now the key battleground.

Strength in numbers

We know from previous research that community, intelligent Instructors, omni-fitness experiences and great content are all important to ‘Generation Active’, but right now there’s a red-hot training trend they can’t get enough of.

Strength training is back in a big way, with a recent MindBody report declaring it the most popular fitness genre of 2022. Again, Gen Z are driving this trend, with strength training identified as their favourite way to work out, followed by cardio and yoga / Pilates. And for a generation that grew up on social media and have a passion for inclusivity, it’s no surprise hashtags like #girlswholift are inspiring growing numbers of young women to take up strength training.

Clubs can tap into these trends to win with this key demographic by using Limited Edition Collection.

What is the Limited Edition Collection?

The Les Mills Limited Edition Collection offers modernised workouts, crafted for a younger audience, coached by certified trainers.

Fill the timetable, book out classes

• Help remove stale timeslots with dynamic and new additions to the schedule.
• Removes barrier to entries to younger Movers by offering a variety of classes they can join each week.

On trend

• A new chapter in group training, these programs offer progressive boutique-style workouts for the next generation of Movers to future-proof your club.
• Anchored in the most popular fitness styles amongst Gen Z and Millennials including strength, cardio, and mind/body, all underpinned by a greater focus on connection and mental health.
• These innovative and challenging workouts are scientifically tested in our living labs around the world.
• Quick and easy to launch
• Provides a new model to recruit and upskill new and existing Instructors at pace. Certified Instructors can start teaching within a week.
• One-off full set of program Releases with autonomy to run whatever way works best for your club’s timetable.
• Supports experimental programming that is reactive to consumer trends and needs.

The rollout of this Limited Edition Collection commences with two key programs called: LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT™ and LES MILLS SHAPES™.

LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT is a 45-minute workout structured to build strength in science-backed phases. Whether a new or seasoned lifter, your members will build muscle, improve technique, and increase confidence. LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT comprises of 12 workouts, which are provided to Instructors as a ‘full set’, enabling clubs to schedule the workouts in whatever way it best suits you and your members.

LES MILLS SHAPES™ is a strength-based workout inspired by Pilates, barre, and power yoga. This is a full body dynamic and targeted workout that is mixed intensity and suitable for all fitness and ability levels. Created in an interval training structure, it is a concentrated workout that remains connected to the floor – so there is minimal impact on joints. Participants will find their hot spot and stay there for as long as possible, to improve strength, coordination, and flexibility.

READY TO UNLEASH YOUR NEXT GENERATION OF MEMBERS?

Les Mills Asia Pacific’s Limited Edition Collection, comprising of LES MILLS STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT™ and LES MILLS SHAPES™, have been crafted to meet the specific demands of ‘Generation Active,’ and will put your club in the fast lane for growth. To discover how to tap into these innovative new programs, contact your local Business Partnership Manager in Australia or Southeast Asia, or visit www.lesmills.com/clubs-and-facilities/innovation/gen-fit-training/.