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Best Fitness Training Programs for Women

In a fitness world where we’re bombarded with constant claims of the best deal and the most fun and the best results and the easiest plan… how are you supposed to know how to sift through it all to find the best for you? Because it’s all about YOU. Your friends, family, teammates, coaches, chiropractors, physical therapists might make recommendations, but in order to bring YOU toward YOUR goals, it has to be about YOU. YOUR body, YOUR mind, YOUR goals. So just like always, if you ask me the question, “Hey Carina, what’s the best women’s fitness program out there?” I’d reply with more questions: “where are we starting from? Where are we going? Most importantly, what do YOU like to do?” And then we start sifting.

As women, we need different principles in our training and should consider our options differently. Because it’s not just about how fast or how heavy or how long we’re at the gym or how much we can pack into our workouts. (Shouldn’t be for guys either, but that’s another article…)

So. What DO we look for? Let’s come up with a checklist. Check most of these items off the list, first one for sure, and you’re on the right track.

  • It’s something I like to do and it fits. Fitness has to be fun. Has to, otherwise it’s a chore. You dread it, or even during the workout you can’t wait for it to be over. There are many many modes of exercise, activities you can choose to bring more fitness to your life. But something about it has to feel good as you lay out your clothes the night before. Something about it has to boost you to push a little harder mid-workout. Something about it needs to pull you back to train again. If you hate running, running is a terrible fitness regime for you. If the only pool for laps is 30 minutes in the wrong direction after work, swimming isn’t going to cut it. If it’s at 5 am but you’re up till 11 every night, it won’t work long term. Trust me, I’ve been there. It has to FIT into your life.
  • Find a TRIBE. I love this, not only because I come from team sports and great family and have always loved being part of a network of love and support through ups and downs, but because TRIBE means the team, it means we fight together and work for each other and we all grow because of it. Your workouts can be solo if that suits you better, your tribe will be in another aspect of your life. As women, we crave connection and community and we thrive when helping and supporting as much as when we need and feel the support from others. We also need a place where it’s ok to be vulnerable, to strive, to fail, to need help, and to ask, to yearn. This has always been a huge challenge for me. To let others know about my needs must mean I’m lacking something: strength, knowledge, experience, capability… But really, finding a place (online training communities are amazing for this for many folks) where you can be real and honest and ask for help means you too get to learn and grow and actually achieve what you set out to do! Reach out, lean in, and go for it.
  • It’s not just men’s training in a cute outfit. We have different bodies, different minds, and things we don’t even notice set us apart so drastically that we can’t follow what the guys do. It’s NOT that women need lighter weights, or less intensity, or a less competitive environment. No, no, no. We DO need to lift heavy, to push hard, and to let those around us and that badass athlete between the ears to take us to another level. (And of course, it’s FINE to train with guys! Mixed classes like boot camps are super fun, very effective, and with a completely different energy than when it’s just girls. But you asked about women’s fitness, so…).
  • Hormones should be considered. Yes, it’s OK to talk about your cycle and you should. Any trainer or coach who asks you about it is not getting unnecessarily personal. He or she is really wanting to tailor your training so you get the best out of each session, which will change week to week and day to day. IT MATTERS. So pay attention. The detail is a topic for another article (if you want more, let me know) but this is the gist of it: https://www.facebook.com/glamour/videos/10154657322060479/
  • It’s got to taste good and be real. Nutritional guidance comes along “included” with many fitness programs these days, and often there are recommended supplements that go along with it. Just wanted to bring this up, since sometimes the focus becomes promoting products rather than promoting YOU. Keep your nutrition plan simple, because your food should be. “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” Michael Pollan has said a lot of other interesting things about food, but these 7 words might be his most powerful. Nutrition can be complicated, but shopping and prepping shouldn’t be. Get stuff that’s as close to its natural state as possible. Corn on the cob? Awesome. Corn that’s been ground up and smashed into a tortilla? Good, as long as it doesn’t have much else added to it. Corn that’s been diluted with other fillers then fried and doused in colorful flavorings I can’t pronounce and put into a snazzy bag? No thanks. If you have young kids just learning to read, take them shopping. If there’s an ingredient they don’t know or can’t sound out, it’s not food and it should stay on the shelf.

So really, if you want to search for info on women’s fitness programs, there are as many options as there are colors in a farmers market in the summer. You’ll be met with hundreds claiming The Answer: the cheap, fast, easy way. Well, you are what you eat, so don’t be cheap, fast, or easy. Be real, be honest, be whole.

So think it through, test the waters, check off the list, and have some fun!

Here’s to you,
Coach Carina

You can find more information from Carina Abrams over on her on Instagram @drivesportslab or on her YouTube Channel Drive Sports Lab!

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Kaia Tri is a ten-week triathlon training program with workouts three times a week, which is an optional extra during our spring and summer CORE sessions. We swim, bike, and run, with some cross-training classes too. By being able to set a personal pace, our triathlon training program is suited to beginners tackling their first race and intermediate athletes looking to improve their finish time.

Our mock triathlons run several times to familiarize women with the course route. We finish the season with a Triathlon Training Camp which includes paddle boarding and power workouts. The next day is our exhilarating and fun Triathlon race day for all Kaia Tri women to enjoy working out in a beautiful location. Friends are welcome too!

SANDBAG

Kaia Sandbag combines traditional fitness with unconventional training methods. With sandbags, the weight shifts and moves in an unpredictable fashion. This piece of equipment is integrated into our conditioning & strength building workouts to simultaneously develop strength, power, endurance, mobility, and balance – with an additional emphasis on developing overall core strength and stability.

New to sandbag training? No problem! Beginners are always welcome.

TRX SUSPENSION 

TRX® Suspension Training® body-weight exercise simultaneously develops strength, power, endurance, mobility, durability, balance, flexibility, and core stability. Whether you’re younger or older, out of shape or a pro athlete, injured or at the top of your game, TRX Suspension Training meets you where you are and takes you where you want to go. TRX Suspension Training leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to enable hundreds of exercises that can be instantly scaled for any user to reach any fitness or training goal. The easily-scalable nature of TRX Suspension Training makes it a practical solution wherever you are on the fitness continuum.

Need a little extra boost to keep your body guessing? Our TRX/Cardio class is an excellent complement to any Kaia FIT session. TRX workouts, which can be used by anyone at any level, builds true functional strength and improves flexibility, balance and core stability all at once. Mixed with cardio, the classes give every member the perfect balance of challenge and success.

*TRX classes not available in all areas. Please contact us your local studio.

CROSS-TRAINING

Our trademark Kaia Cross-Training™ classes are a unique mix of cardio, functional movement, and both weighted and non-weighted exercises.

Cross-Training benefits:

Each day brings a new workout. We have an elite group of advanced coaches who infuse each workout with their own flair and focus, meaning you’re never going to repeat a workout, avoid burn-out, and fitness plateaus.

Keeping the body guessing is key to sculpting lean muscle mass. We also have a 3-part modification foundation: Balance (non-impact); Strength (mid-impact) and Kaia (high impact). Each exercise has its own progression so that everyone can feel successful.

As a part of our program, we also offer nutritional guidance to help you make healthy food choices and keep your fitness on track.

What are you waiting for? Join us today!

BARRE

Our barre-based class is a unique combination of postures inspired by ballet, yoga, Pilates and Kaia. Using the barre as a prop to balance, you’ll complete a series of isometric holds combined with high reps of small range movements to elongate and tone your major muscle groups.

In addition to the barre, classes incorporate pilates balls, yoga blocks, and/or resistance bands for increased endurance, challenge and focus. Following each set of holds, you’ll rest and recovery with a short series of stretches and poses to increase flexibility prior to advancing.
Kaia Barre is a low-impact class that perfectly complements our program offerings. Meet us at the barre and try your first class for free!

Participating locations may vary. See the schedule page for more details.

DANCE 

Our dance fitness class is rooted in traditional dance. We use those foundational moves and offer a class that is easy enough for beginners yet challenging enough for the more seasoned dancer. The simplicity of the routines allows you to keep moving with ease. Although this is a workout, it feels more like a dance party with your girlfriends.

RUNNING 

Improve your speed, skill, endurance, stamina, and strength with our Kaia running program. The program works on developing running skills that can increase speed, endurance, and overall fitness. The program is designed for you to run at your pace and and help you see improvements every step of the way.

The Kaia training is a simple, progressive program designed for women of all ages and all fitness levels. Whether you are a walker, jogger, or runner, you will be able to join this program and move at your own pace. Research has shown that even 20 to 30 minutes of running (two to three times per week) is enough to help you lose or maintain weight and improve many other important health markers, i.e. your cholesterol, blood pressure and insulin response.

Don’t be intimidated by the Kaia Run program name, each class will have walkers, joggers and runners. Keep in mind that the first mile is the hardest mile you will ever run. Once you get off the starting block, things only get easier. All you have to do is be patient and disciplined in your training, and that is where Kaia

POWER YOGA

Kaia Yoga combines mind and body with a power yoga and core-strengthening weekly workout with Pilates-style techniques. We focus on balance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness through stretching, strength training and dynamic movement to improve overall fitness levels.

By creating long, lean muscles, Yoga promotes improved coordination, greater flexibility and a fuller range of motion, with a strong body that’s less prone to injury. Yoga keeps the mind centered and reduces stress through positive thoughts and a sense of mindfulness, which also inspires mental strength and confidence.

Yin Yoga, or restorative yoga, is a quiet contemplative practice. It targets the deepest tissues of the body, our connective tissues – ligaments, joints, bones, and the deep fascia networks of the body. Poses are held for 1 minute or more and transitions between poses are gentle and slow. This class is an excellent compliment to our other classes, provides dedicated stretching, and is known to reduce stress and anxiety.

6-WEEK BRIK BOOTCAMP

Our BRIK Bootcamp sessions are offered three times a year and are designed to help you reach your health and fitness potential, and you’re welcome to start anytime!

Our BRIK Bootcamps are six weeks long and feature classes daily.* This programming fits in seamlessly with our regularly scheduled classes, and it’s as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Register for BRIK Bootcamp HERE (included for Platinum & Gold Memberships)
  2. Book your classes through our branded app and Show Up
  3. Let our expert coaches do the rest!

These sessions offer great results in weight and body fat loss and an increase in strength and cardiovascular endurance. Our nutritional support will boost energy, help you de-bloat, increase sleep quality, and enhance your overall glow.

BRIK Bootcamp includes:

In between BRIK Bootcamp, we offer a variety of classes to meet you at your level! We also have nutrition and fitness challenges, in addition to fun opportunities to spice up your routine. What are you waiting for? Join us today!

CYCLE

Cardio based, calorie torching workout with certified spin instructors. It’s a party on a bike!

Try a Week Free

WHAT IS KAIA FIT?