To tone up should I use the gym or classes?

Gym classes don't have to be cliquey though, you won't know unless you try. I have been a member of my gym for 3 years and it took me over 2 years to pluck up the courage to do some classes. I so regret not doing it earlier now as I absolutely love them. I went 15 mins early to the Pump class and someone helped me with all the equipment, I stayed at the back (still do) and so no-one sees if you make a mistake.

Honestly do try it, of course there are people who are friends and who have known each other years but I am gradually getting to know people and say hello and I am not the most confident of people by any means.

Stay at the back and smile that's my advice and don't miss out on something which is great fun and so very good for you .

egym

Egym is in our local leisure centre, they have a normal gym and egym as well. Its included in membership of £45 a month.

I prefer insanity classes but dh like the at home version so definitely an option

Do you have an egym close by. Ive just started using one and its perfect for me. All the machines are set up at induction, then when you touch your card to it, it move to your settings. Then you are one minute on then have one minute to move to the next one.
Ive been going every other day for a week and already list an inch round my waist. Also did a fitball pilates and aqua this week no cliques.

Try a Metafit class

Pilates and body pump and you will be rockin!!

When I was doing insanity 3 x a week & wasn't carrying any extra weight like I am now I had a 6 pack, really toned arms and firm legs plus was pretty fit. I'd honestly try a class if not insanity then some similar sort of body strength or maybe consider cross fit which is meant to be awesome for strength & toning.

Seriously don't worry about the whole not knowing anyone - get there just before it starts & scarper straight after like 90% of us do

there are loads of classes on www.fitswarm.com. You can do them in your living room and a trainer can see you and you can see the trainer. They cost £10 or less and you get a full-body workout. Everything from HIIT to yoga and post natal.

To begin with, leggings or longer shorts should be fine for learning spins, but once you advance to more difficult moves you will need to wear hot pants or short running shorts for your skin to grip the pole properly.
You can get sticky leggings, but they're not cheap. I want some for cold days.

Have you considered pole fitness? I've been doing classes for a while, I now go twice a week, and I can really see a difference. Like you I don't need to lose weight. My arms are toned and I even have little muscles there. I'm starting to get a line down my stomach too, and I don't do any other exercises either.
It's really good fun and a proper buzz when you nail a new move :)

I've yet to have a single conversation in any of my classes...

I honestly just blunder through it and go home

I totally felt the same as you with regards to classes OP.

I nearly walked back home again rather than go into my first one.

But I forced myself. I have to give myself a bloody good talking to in my head. I basically just keep turning up! I do barre, body balance and body conditioning. Barre is cliquey, but it's the one I enjoy the most, so I don't care. 8 weeks in now, 3-5 classes a week (I do cardio at the gym aswell) and I must say I'm looking quite lithe

So I still don't like it exactly but it has become part of my routine, which helps. And really no one is looking at you fuck up. Which you will, at some bits, but so did/does everyone, it's no biggie. People are just concentrating on themselves.

Still too scared to try body pump because I won't know what equipment to get out etc, but I'll get there. I honestly think the weight based parts of my classes are the bits that have made a lot of difference.

If you have a twingy back, many standard ab exercises may make your back worse. Look up "Stuart McGill core exercises" on youtube. He is a world renowned kinesiologist, and probably the foremost authority on spine health. He recommends safe exercises for strengthening your core.

Also - if you are looking to strengthen your core, then it's exercises, but if you want visible abs/flat tummy then that is based on your bodyfat percentage, and no amount of ab exercises will bring those results.

The saying goes - "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym"

If you get back ache the worst thing you can do is to develop your abs without counterbalancing and working on your lower back muscles too so that you are in balance ....

Weights and also pump class

You should be able to get an induction at the gym and ask the person doing the induction what they recommend. I had a Google and some of these looking pretty terrifying!