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By Retail Verdict Editorial · Last Updated July 2026 · 12 min read
Les Mills Review: Best Classes, Streaming, and How to Get Started
If you have ever stared at a gym class schedule, seen names like BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT, and thought, I have absolutely no idea where to begin, you are not alone in that. Group fitness has a specific kind of intimidation that is hard to articulate but very easy to feel. Everyone seems to already know the choreography, the instructor, and exactly which spot in the room is informally reserved for regulars. That particular barrier is one of the most common reasons women who want to be consistent with exercise end up sticking to solo workouts they quietly stop showing up for. Les Mills is one of the few fitness brands that actually removes that barrier. The programs are structured, the classes run to music that makes 45 minutes feel considerably shorter than they are, and the same formats are taught in gyms and streamed at home worldwide. This guide covers the programs worth knowing, how the streaming platform works, and how to figure out which class is actually the right starting point for you.
Source: Les Mills
Les Mills at a Glance
- Best for building strength: BODYPUMP
- Best for cardio and energy: BODYCOMBAT
- Best for flexibility and stress relief: BODYBALANCE
- Best for short, intense training: LES MILLS GRIT
- Best for sculpting: LES MILLS SHAPES
- Best for at-home streaming: Les Mills On Demand
What Is Les Mills?
Les Mills started as a single gym in the 1960s, founded by Olympic weightlifter Les Mills Sr. What grew from that location is now one of the most widely offered group fitness systems in the world, with more than 21,000 gyms across over 100 countries licensed to teach its programs. The model runs on instructor-led classes set to curated music, with choreography that updates on a quarterly release cycle. Every format has a specific purpose: BODYPUMP builds muscular endurance, BODYCOMBAT delivers cardio conditioning, BODYBALANCE works flexibility and recovery. That consistency is why the classes hold up as a system: whether you take a class at a gym or stream one at home, you are following the same program.
The Best Les Mills Classes for Every Fitness Goal
Les Mills offers more than a dozen workout formats, each built around a distinct goal. These are the programs most worth knowing.
BODYPUMP: For Strength Without the Learning Curve
Best for building strength
BODYPUMP is the class most people start with, and for good reason. It is a barbell-based strength workout set entirely to music, running about 45 to 55 minutes. The format uses light-to-moderate weight with high reps across a series of tracks, each targeting a different muscle group. You choose your own weight, the instructor leads the movement, and the structure does the work. There is no programming to figure out, no intimidating equipment setup, and no prerequisite experience required. For anyone who wants strength training results without navigating the weights area solo, BODYPUMP removes that obstacle entirely.
Source: Les Mills
BODYCOMBAT: For Cardio That Keeps Your Attention
Best for cardio and energy
BODYCOMBAT pulls from martial arts disciplines including boxing, karate, Muay Thai, and capoeira, combining them into a non-contact cardio class that runs about 45 to 55 minutes. No equipment, no experience required. The appeal is that it is too physically engaging to be boring. Combinations shift with the music and the instructor cues you through everything in real time. It is one of the higher-intensity formats in the Les Mills lineup, which makes it a strong option for anyone who wants cardio they will actually push through rather than pace gently around a track for 40 minutes and call it done.
Source: Les Mills
BODYBALANCE: For Recovery, Flexibility, and Actually Slowing Down
Best for flexibility and stress relief
BODYBALANCE blends yoga, Pilates, and tai chi into a 55-minute class that works on flexibility, core strength, and balance while doing something most fitness classes skip entirely: helping you slow down and recover. The intensity is lower than other Les Mills formats, which makes it worth pairing with higher-effort sessions during the week rather than treating it as a filler. No equipment is needed beyond an optional mat. It is also one of the most accessible entry points in the Les Mills lineup, which makes it a strong first class recommendation for anyone not yet ready for the higher-energy studios.
Source: Les Mills
LES MILLS GRIT: For Short Sessions With High Returns
Best for short, intense training
GRIT is Les Mills’ high-intensity interval training format, and it is deliberately short at around 30 minutes. The program comes in three variations: GRIT Strength (barbells and bodyweight), GRIT Cardio (plyometrics and functional movement), and GRIT Plyo (athletic conditioning with agility and jumping). All three are demanding in a way that feels proportional to the time commitment. If you are already comfortable with group fitness and want something with a higher ceiling, GRIT is where the Les Mills lineup shifts into a different category, built around hard-interval training rather than sustaining moderate effort for an hour.
Source: Les Mills
RPM: For Indoor Cycling With Structure
Best for sculpting
RPM is Les Mills’ indoor cycling program, following the same format as the rest of the lineup: a structured class set to music, with instructor coaching through simulated terrain and varying intensities, running about 45 minutes. Because it is equipment-dependent, RPM runs on a cycle studio schedule at partner gyms and requires a stationary bike for home streaming. If cycling is your preferred form of cardio, the structured group format tends to make sessions more consistent than solo rides without external accountability.
Source: Les Mills
LES MILLS SHAPES: For Sculpting and Resistance Work
Best for at-home streaming
LES MILLS SHAPES is a newer format in the lineup, using resistance bands, light weights, and bodyweight movement in roughly 45-minute sessions focused on controlled muscle engagement. The emphasis is on smaller, sustained movements targeting the glutes, core, and arms rather than heavy compound lifting. The resistance band component makes it easy to adjust intensity without swapping equipment mid-class. SHAPES occupies the space between a yoga sculpt class and a barre workout, and benefits from the same music-driven, instructor-led structure that makes Les Mills formats easier to maintain consistently than solo programming.
Source: Les Mills
Les Mills On Demand: Workouts on Your Schedule
Les Mills On Demand is the brand’s streaming platform, carrying the full class library across formats, accessible by app, browser, or connected TV. New class releases drop on the same quarterly cycle that keeps gym-based programs fresh, so the platform does not feel like a static library. The catalog includes both full-length classes and shorter Express formats running between 15 and 30 minutes, which makes it practical for schedules where a full session is not always possible. One of the more useful features is the built-in workout planner, which generates a weekly training schedule based on your goals rather than leaving you to build your own programming from scratch. For BODYPUMP and BODYCOMBAT at home, the equipment requirements are minimal: BODYCOMBAT needs nothing at all, and BODYPUMP works with a barbell setup or adjustable weights.
Check lesmills.com/us/ondemand for current plan details and available trial offers.
Source: Les Mills
Les Mills Classes at a Glance
A quick comparison of the main programs to help narrow down a starting point.
Class | Best For | Intensity | Duration | Equipment | On Demand |
Strength and toning | Moderate | 45–55 min | Barbell and weights | Yes | |
Cardio fitness | Moderate–High | 45–55 min | None | Yes | |
Flexibility and recovery | Low–Moderate | 55 min | Mat (optional) | Yes | |
HIIT training | High | 30 min | Varies by format | Yes | |
Sculpting | Moderate | 45 min | Resistance band | Yes | |
RPM | Cardio endurance | Moderate–High | 45 min | Stationary bike | Yes (bike required) |
Les Mills Equipment: What You Need for Home Workouts
For anyone setting up BODYPUMP at home, Les Mills makes its own SmartBar system: a barbell and interchangeable weight plate kit designed specifically for the class format. The plates use a cam-lock mechanism rather than traditional collars, which makes switching weights between tracks faster and quieter in a home environment. Beyond BODYPUMP, most Les Mills programs need little to no setup: BODYCOMBAT and BODYBALANCE require nothing beyond an optional mat, and SHAPES uses a resistance band. The full range is available through the Les Mills shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Les Mills On Demand?
Les Mills On Demand is the brand’s streaming fitness platform, giving subscribers access to the full library of class formats, including BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, BODYBALANCE, GRIT, SHAPES, and more. Classes can be streamed via the app, browser, or connected TV, and the library includes both full-length sessions and shorter Express formats for time-constrained days.
Is Les Mills good for beginners?
Yes. Most Les Mills formats are designed to be scalable, meaning you control the weight or resistance level while the instructor leads the structure. BODYPUMP and BODYBALANCE are the most beginner-friendly entry points, both because of their pacing and because they do not assume prior experience with the movement patterns.
What is BODYPUMP good for?
BODYPUMP is a barbell-based class that builds muscular endurance using high reps with light-to-moderate weight, working through the whole body across music-driven tracks. It is well suited to anyone who wants consistent strength training results without needing to design their own lifting program.
Can I do Les Mills classes at home?
Yes, through Les Mills On Demand. BODYCOMBAT, BODYBALANCE, and GRIT Cardio require little to no equipment and translate well to home workouts. BODYPUMP benefits from a barbell setup, which Les Mills sells through its equipment shop.
How much does Les Mills On Demand cost?
Les Mills On Demand offers both monthly and annual subscription options. Visit Les Mills On Demand for current pricing and to check whether a free trial is available for new members at the time you sign up.
How often should I do Les Mills workouts?
Most general fitness guidance recommends three to four sessions per week, and the Les Mills On Demand workout planner can build a schedule around your specific goals. Pairing formats, such as BODYPUMP with BODYBALANCE, naturally covers both intensity and recovery across a weekly routine.
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Retail Verdict may earn a commission on purchases made through links in this article. This does not affect our editorial recommendations; we only write about brands and products we genuinely stand behind.
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