I've Been Part of the Problem

And it pains me to say it.

I've been a group fitness instructor since the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

I started as a member of Les Mills in Christchurch and absolutely fell in love with group exercise. All of it. The music. The energy. The people. The feeling of walking into a room full of strangers and leaving feeling like a team.

I bought into it completely.

I was in the cult.

And honestly? I was pretty happy about it.

The thing is, I'm still in the cult. I still believe group exercise is one of the best things we've ever created. It gets people moving. It builds confidence. It creates community. It makes exercise fun.

But as I've got older, and as my own needs have changed, I've realised something.

It's not enough.

For years I relied on group fitness classes for my strength training. Because that's what I loved. It's fun. The music is loud. Your friends are there. Nobody is staring at you. You don't have to think too hard.

But if we're talking about building real strength, improving bone density, increasing muscle mass, supporting our hormones, protecting our joints, and maintaining quality of life as we age, we need more.

And to be honest, it's a bit disappointing that women have spent the last 20 years being told that pumping a light barbell to dance music is all the strength training they need.

Don't get me wrong. Those classes have value. They are an amazing place to start. They teach movement patterns, confidence, coordination, and consistency.

But somewhere along the way, many women were told that strength training belonged over there in the weights room.

It doesn't. It belongs to all of us.

The women who are seeing incredible strength gains, improving their body composition, increasing bone density and feeling more capable in everyday life aren't doing it because they found a secret workout.

They're doing it because they're lifting heavier things. Progressively,

Consistently.

For years.

Why Strength Training Matters

The science is pretty clear.

After the age of 30, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass. If we don't actively work against it, that process accelerates as we age.

Muscle isn't just about looking toned.

Muscle helps regulate blood sugar.

It improves insulin sensitivity.

It supports metabolism.

It protects our joints.

It improves balance.

It reduces injury risk.

And perhaps most importantly for many women, strength training is one of the most effective ways to increase and maintain bone density.

As we age, particularly through peri-menopause and menopause, bone loss becomes a very real concern. Reformer Pilates is fantastic for movement quality, mobility and core control, but when it comes to creating the mechanical loading that bones need to stay strong, we need resistance.

We need weight.

We need challenge.

We need strength training.

Reformer Pilates Is Part of the Puzzle

At Brisbane Pilates, we've never pretended Reformer is the answer to everything.

We love it because it works.

It improves mobility.

It improves flexibility.

It develops core strength.

It helps with injury prevention.

It supports rehabilitation.

It teaches body awareness.

It makes movement feel good.

But it is one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

Strength training fills in another piece.

Together, they create a stronger, more resilient body.

One helps you move better.

The other helps you become stronger.

And when you combine the two, that's where the magic happens.

Why We're Doing Small Group Training

If lifting weights is so important, why not just tell everyone to join a gym and go for it?

Because most people won't.

Not because they're lazy.

Because it's intimidating.

Walking into a weights room for the first time can feel overwhelming. There are exercises you've never heard of, equipment you've never used, and a lot of conflicting information online.

That's where small group training comes in.

We don't want to create another intimidating fitness environment.

We want to create a safe place to learn.

A place where technique matters.

A place where questions are encouraged.

A place where coaches actually know your name.

A place where someone can help you understand the difference between "working hard" and "working smart."

Because strength training isn't just about lifting heavier.

It's about lifting well.

Good technique allows you to train longer, stay injury-free, and continue making progress for years.

The goal isn't to smash yourself into the ground for six weeks.

The goal is longevity.

Stronger Together

The other thing we've learned over the years?

People need people.

The fitness industry often celebrates individual achievement.

But most of us do better when we're surrounded by others.

We need our mates.

We need encouragement.

We need someone to celebrate the wins with.

We need someone to tell us we've got one more rep left when we'd rather quit.

That's the part we refuse to lose.

Our small group training won't be twenty people moving to the beat of the music.

But there will still be music.

There will still be laughs.

There will still be support.

There will still be community.

You'll be challenged by the weight on the bar, not by trying to survive until the end of the track.

And your program can be adjusted to suit you, because no two bodies are the same.

The Best Of Both Worlds

If there's one thing the gym girls of the 2020s have taught us, it's that women absolutely belong in the weights room.

Lifting heavy can be empowering.

It can be fun.

It can build confidence in ways that have nothing to do with appearance.

And if there's one thing group fitness has taught us, it's that exercise is better when shared.

So we're taking the best parts of both worlds.

The coaching, progression and results of strength training.

The community, energy and support of group fitness.

And we're creating something that feels uniquely Brisbane Pilates.

Because being stronger shouldn't feel intimidating.

It should feel exciting.

And everyone deserves the chance to discover just how strong they really are.

Bex 💋