Meet Beatrice, a Virgin Active team member, who hit a wall with her wellness routine. Everything changed when she joined Lift Club – this is her story of rediscovering strength, community, and joy in movement.
I don’t consider myself your typical group exercise girlie, choreographed steps set to pop hits are not my idea of a good time or even a good workout. Not to yuk anyone else’s yum but it’s just not for me. This is mostly because my brain does not compute, and my body will not follow the instructions. Typically, in the gym I like to lift some weights and feel strong, and outside the gym I dabble in running. However, in the last few months of 2024, I had been in an exercise (and if I’m honest health) rut, but as January, and resolution season rolled around I decided I was sick of my own BS and it was time to get back into the things I love. But, where to start?
Even though I’m not into group classes, I have been known to frequent a running club and was even part of the kipping cult in a previous life. So, part of the problem with the rut was that I missed the energy and community that comes with sweating and struggling together towards a shared goal.
Luckily for me, Virgin Active launched two new classes that hit the sweet spot for me. Lift Club, a 45-minute class that helps you build strength by focusing on compound movements and heavy weights. Strength and Conditioning, a mix of resistance training, HIIT and functional movements designed to tone muscle and boost metabolism in a 45-minute group class – more on S&C soon.
I had read the packaging before tentatively jumping in to Lift Club – movements including squats, deadlifts, bench press, and some accessory movements with kettlebells and dumbbells – let me tell you it’s definitely been more than I bargained for. The smaller classes and programmed workouts are the perfect place to build not only strength, but also confidence. Every coach is knowledgeable and supportive, and the classes are small enough that they can actually coach, and not just instruct. As someone who fell into the ‘kinda knows what she’s doing’ category of gym goers, I can honestly say I now feel more confident in my ability and form when lifting heavy weights.
Beyond the muscle gains and ego boost, the 6-week programming cycle has been a game changer for keeping me motivated and working towards my goals. It’s designed to meet you where you are in your fitness journey and build on that over the six weeks.
And what of the vibes and community I was looking for? You would be forgiven for assuming that because we are lifting heavy in the ‘boet’ section of the gym that it’s competitive and serious. While that’s not entirely off base, there is more to it. There are no stereotypes in this class, everyone is there to work competitively towards their goals and are seriously supportive. I have found some unlikely friends who I look forward to seeing each week. The excitement of watching them progress towards their goals, encouraging them to push themselves, and having the same energy returned for me, is possibly my favourite part of being part of the (Lift) club.
With all that said, Lift Club has successfully helped me emerge from my rut. I religiously book my classes every week and look forward to ‘PB week’ so that I can feel like a total baddie smashing out my 3-rep max and cheering on my fellow lifters.
If you have ever looked at the free weights section and thought ‘that looks awesome but where would I start’ or if you (kinda) know what you’re doing but are looking for more structure in your workouts, Lift Club is for you.
You can find Lift Club classes at:
Claremont, Moses Mabhida, Stellenbosch, Centurion, Faerie Glen, Menlyn Maine, Bedfordview, Little Falls, Melrose Arch and Randburg