Spartan Race is adding another product to its lineup: a studio-based fitness class called Spartan Strong, and it is partnering with Life Time Fitness to roll out this experience to athletes around the country.
Spartan is not the first race series to move into the fitness training world; last month Tough Mudder announced that its Tough Mudder Bootcamp gyms would be opening soon. Spartan’s approach is different. Rather than build from the ground up, it has developed a class that can be held at any gym with minimal equipment. The model is similar to, say, Zumba: coaches are trained and certified, and the class can be offered anywhere with adequate space and a sound system. At first these classes will be appearing at about 100 Life Time Fitness gyms around the country, and eventually, they will show up at any gym interested in offering the class.
Spartan pancake. No syrup.
The class lasts about an hour and consists mostly of cardio movements and body-weight strengthening. The only equipment needed is the Spartan “pancake,” which many of you will have met as you hauled one up and down a mountain in the course of a Spartan Race. The class breaks down into five phases: “Readiness” (think warm-up), “Stamina” (cardio), “Accountability,” “Tenacity” (it wasn’t exactly clear to me how those concepts translated into a class setting) and “Resilience” (cool-down).
I got to try the workout last week at the product launch in New York, and I will vouch for the fact that it gets your heart rate up quickly and consistently. I emerged sweaty and out of breath, good signs of an exercise class.
There were burpees (because, Spartan) and bear crawls, and the pancakes were used effectively. The classes are designed to be large, from 20 to 40 participants, and I was reminded of the exercise classes I took in the 90’s (please, don’t call it aerobics), where several dozen adults, led from the front, tried to move a great deal in a confined space without bumping into each other. This is not the same kind of atmosphere you get in your typical high-intensity interval training class or a CrossFit box.
Spartan is dedicated to ripping people off the couch and out of the house onto trails and mountains, so why are they going back inside? Because that’s where the people are, apparently.
Joe De Sena is determined to change the lives of 100 million people, and he has come to the conclusion that changing lives is more important than being a purist about how that gets done. If he can reach people by offering a class format rather than chasing people up a mountain, the outcome can be the same. His flexibility in this regard reflects a sincerity in his mission. A-roo.
While the Spartan Strong classes can exist as a stand-alone product, they are still part of the Spartan universe. Life Time will be integrating the class into participation at Spartan Races, and there will be periodic testing so that participants can track their fitness progress – think monthly tests to see how many burpees you can do in a minute.
How do you get to try Spartan Strong? By the end of 2018, it will be available at almost all Life Time Fitness gyms.
For those unfamiliar with the brand, Life Time is an upscale brand, comparable to, say, Equinox, or if you prefer, it’s part of the category of “gyms that smell nice.” They recently opened up their first New York City branch in a skyscraper on 42nd Street, and the setting is grand. For the launch, they set up a rope climb and a monkey bar rig so that the invited Spartan Pro athletes (Amelia Boone! Kevin Donoghue!) could strut their stuff next to the two rooftop pools.
Going forward, trainers will be able to sign up for the workshop that certifies them as Spartan Strong instructors and offer the class anywhere. The soundtrack and workouts are developed by experts at Spartan and Life Time and are distributed along with guidelines to keep the workouts fresh.
Spartan Strong is not the only way to get fit the Spartan way. In order to build the brand and/or change the lives of 100 million people, Spartan fitness products also include online classes on Daily Burn, the SGX program of certifying instructors, and a brick and mortar Spartan-branded gym at a hotel in Miami. These products are not going away. For those who want to get their fitness in a class setting, this is another option that is available and another gateway into the Spartan way of life.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Spartan and Life Time Transform Gritty Race Experience into New Intense Group Fitness Class—Spartan Strong
Exclusive class, launching at 100 Life Time destinations across the U.S. by 2018, helps participants discover their inner Spartan
BOSTON, MA (August 9, 2017) –Inspired by Spartan’s world-renown obstacle race events, where competitors face fire, mud, and barbed wire, Spartan Strong, a new, intense group fitness class is debuting exclusively at Life Time destinations. Created by Spartan and Life Time®, Spartan Strong focuses on studio-based exercises that challenge the body and mind, helping individuals conquer life’s everyday challenges. More than 100 of Life Time’s premium athletic resort destinations across the country will offer the class, rolling out now throughout 2018.
“Spartans learn to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals on the race course, often doing more than they believe possible,” says Spartan Vice President of Training John Gauch. “Our goal is to bring that same sense of accomplishment to people off the course through Spartan Strong. Life Time’s shared philosophy and team of dedicated instructors, coupled with their impressive destinations, create a perfect collaboration as we make the world a healthier place and impact how people live healthy balanced lives.”
The high-intensity hour long journey will push participants to their limits and unleash their inner Spartan by increasing strength, endurance, and athleticism through a combination of resistance training, bodyweight moves, dynamic stretching and cardio-focused drills. With the help of the Spartan Pancake, a weight-based circular sandbag, the class will leave participants feeling invigorated, empowered, and better prepared to battle the trying tasks of daily life. Members will also be tested with periodic fitness challenges to measure their progress.
“With the explosive growth of obstacle course races, this first-of-its-kind, race course meets group fitness class brings our members the best of both worlds,” says John Reilly, President, Fitness and Nutrition Division, Life Time. “Whether training for a Spartan race or tackling everyday life, Spartan Strong will push participants’ mind and body to achieve optimal performance on and off the race course.”
Available to Life Time members as part of the Company’s Featured Format classes, Life Time’s Spartan Strong instructors—many of whom compete in Spartan Races—received rigorous training and certification by Spartan’s and Life Time’s team of experts.
ABOUT LIFE TIME® – HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE
Life Time® is a privately held, comprehensive healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment lifestyle company that offers a personalized and scientific approach to long-term health and wellness. Through its portfolio of distinctive resort-like destinations, athletic events and corporate health services, the Healthy Way of Life Company helps members achieve their goals every day with the support of a team of dedicated professionals and an array of proprietary health assessments. As of August 9, 2017, the company operates 127 centers in 27 states and 35 major markets under the LIFE TIME FITNESS® and LIFE TIME ATHLETIC® brands in the United States and Canada.
ABOUT SPARTAN RACE, INC.
Spartan Race is the world’s largest obstacle race and endurance brand, and the first in-sport to feature timing and global rankings. With more than 200 events across more than 30 countries in 2017, Spartan Race will attract more than one million global participants offering open heats for all fitness levels, along with competitive and elite heats. The Spartan Race lifestyle boasts a community of more than five million passionate social media followers, health and wellness products, training and nutrition programs, and a popular NBC television series, which has made obstacle racing one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Spartan Race events feature races at three distances, 3+Mile/20+ Obstacle “Sprint,” 8+ Mile/25+ Obstacle “Super” and 12+ Mile/30+ Obstacle “Beast,” culminating in the Reebok Spartan Race World Championship in Lake Tahoe, Calif. Visit http://www.spartan.com for more information and registration.
Christopher Stephens
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