Burning fitness question time! “Do I really need to lift weights to lose weight?” And for the ladies out there, this is usually chased with: “I don’t want to get too bulky!”

No, you don’t need to lift weights to lose weight. All you really need to do is eat properly and get regular exercise. But for many, it’s not just losing weight – it’s changing your shape to something fit and lean and strong. And that, my friend, requires resistance training. But if the gym isn’t your thing, you’re in luck. You don’t have to hit the iron at the gym to practice resistance training. Freestyle Fitness has this part mastered, with two of our three fitness classes involving resistance. Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

In our sixty-minute Total Body, we work the major and supporting muscle groups (not to mention the old cardiovascular system) with traditional weight-lifting exercises like squats, lunges, rows and presses. Instead of traditional weights, however, we use resistance bands, medicine balls, sandbags, punching bags and your own body weight to create the kind of resistance your muscles need to grow. Combine this with a heart-pumping pace set by your instructor, and you have a killer class that’s as effective as it is challenging.

For those short on time, our thirty-minute Fighter Physique is the definition of interval training. MMA-inspired exercises, movements and combinations tax your muscles while firing up your heart and lungs. It’s the ol’ work-rest formula – going all out for a period of time and then resting briefly before you’re at it again.

The benefits of resistance training aren’t limited to aesthetics though. In no particular order and backed up a zillion studies (seriously, google it), strength training has been linked to:

• A longer lifespan. That is, the greater your muscle mass, the lower your risk of premature death.
• Better sleep. Those who work out hard tend to report more restful sleep.
• Stronger bones. Resistance training is thought to increase bone density, reducing the chance of fractures and breaks.
• Increased happiness. It’s been linked to reduced anxiety and improved self-esteem.
• A faster mile or more chin-ups or improvement in insert fave activity here. Strength training builds stronger muscles everywhere, which will come in handy when you’re showing off.
• Fewer injuries. Strength training can lessen the likelihood of injuries in other athletic pursuits by helping to correct muscle imbalance that can negatively impact your form.
• Lowered blood pressure. Booyah.

Now that you’ve scrolled through the lengthy answer above, here’s where we give it to you short and sweet – kickboxing is great (especially if you’re doing it at Freestyle), but to start seeing a real change to your arms, shoulders, backs, waist, thighs and booty, resistance training is a necessary component. So get your bands and gloves, and let’s get to work. Remember, first week of all our fitness classes is always free.