Which gym classes you recommend

[ShastaBeast]

I have a sore lower back & pelvis post kids (had surgery and loads of physio before anyone suggests seeing GP or physio) but can run and hope to be back to close to 5km again when it’s spring/summer (asthma in the cold air). I do weights and cardio in the gym twice a week but have the go ahead to try some classes.

Any idea what all the classes actually are, which are less impact, although I can do moderate impact hence the running. I’m not crazy fit although aiming to improve fitness and muscle strength, especially upper body and torso. Aiming for fit and strong rather than fat loss, that’s just a bonus.

Any gym classes that fit the bill? I’ve had body combat suggested so far by the only class is weekday morning and I work 9-5ish most days. Box fit is on offer but I don’t know what that involves and I’m very antisocial and struggle with left and right.

Please no Pilates (or yoga etc) - I’ve been kicked out of Pilates twice due to my bad back. But I’ve found a different class for that type of work.

For what you say your goals are I would say body pump. It's high rep, low(ish) weights. Great class.

Spinning is also low impact.

For your back/pelvis I would also say body balance and/or Pilates.

X post with your no Pilates update.

My physio advised me to do Pilates for a bad back. I found it boring but it helped. Body balance keeps my interest more as it's choreographed to music.

And no aqua fit. I can’t be bothered getting wet as it’s a long walk to the gym.

I’ve tried Pilates at the suggestion of many a physio and both times told off for being there.

I can’t force a gym to allow me to participate. The most recent eviction was last week. I’ve been regularly working out for well over two years, plus started running in June. I just am too sore to lie down on my pelvis since the second birth/pregnancy many years ago. And I suspect spinning for the same reason would be too painful down there.

Body balance is the class I’m happy to do. But its not getting me fitter.

I go to a Pilates class that's specifically for people with back problems and is run by a physio so you can definitely do Pilates but might be worth looking to see if there are specialist classes in your area as it sounds like the ones you've tried haven't been the right fit. It's done wonders for my posture and strength and I'm noticing less pain as a result so I'd definitely recommend it if you can find a similar class.

Please no more Pilates. I really want fitness and will do body balance instead for that purpose. I work and can’t fit in much extra. Plus I did a one off physio led session and ended up in agony. Pilates is not right for me. Being on my feet is much better than on the floor.

I’d also recommend body pump

I’d second what Nico said Body Pump and RPM (Les Mills version of Spinning) 👍🏼

And there’s no miracles - my spine is permanently fucked. I don’t need any back care advice. I’m an expert already, I’ve tried or researched everything. It’s been seven fucking years. It’s not getting better. I’m ok with that fact and am not asking for advice for that purpose - I have an expensive physio for that. Just on exercise classes that are less/moderate impact and don’t need super fitness to participate, while not being too tame they won’t increase my fitness. When it’s summer I’ll add in two half hour runs.

RPM or spin I just love them also Zumba!!

Do you sit on the seat for spinning? I don’t think I can sit on a bike. I should try but it was very painful last time. The back of my pelvis and coccyx is tender to touch - no exercise will help that so I’ve got to work around it. I use a rucumberant bike in the gym.

Is Zumba not high impact? There’s loads of older ladies in the classes, which is reassuring. But I never fancied it. Maybe because my mum has done it.

Absolutely try spin. I’m an instructor so I would say that but it’s non impact, generally only a 45 min class so great if your time is limited, fabulous for your cardiovascular health, burns lots of calories and because you control your own resistance you work to your own level.

Bodypump. No jumping and it will certainly help with strength.

Try spin wearing padded cycling shorts and see how your body takes it. I love combat but it’s moderate impact, although you can always take the low impact version (but then tbh it is less cardio and less fun). Zumba varies depending on instructor, so worth giving it a go- a good class is full on cardio, but some are very gentle!

Pump would probably be your best fit, and some conditioning type classes (often called conditioning/ core/ legs bums and tums/ etc) might work- I would try everything but explain to the instructor before so you can leave if it is wrong for you without worrying them!

My coccyx is crazy sore, a quick google suggests spinning aggravates this. I had a back to back labour first time - induced, epidural on my back. I also have super tight legs. Plus ten mins on the bike in the gym is enough for me, an hour would kill me. I like weights and moving on my feet more.

No body pump classes on offer, but they do have body conditioning, legs bums and tums, core conditioning and step and tone for example. Body pump is available at a gym a train ride away, plus body combat. A detour on the commute.

I don't think body pump is a good idea. I have seen women doing squats with far roo heavy weights wrecking their lower backs using bad form.... and instructors not saying anything.

You definetely need a good instructor for pump. Problem is you don't know what you don't know. My regular instructor is amazing and very hot on perfect technique. Some other instructors are shocking, even in their own form never mind not correcting participants. And if those people aren't told then they're oblivious.

Agree, be careful with pump, make sure you source a good instructor

zumba can be a high impact class or a low impact class but you can go at your own pace if that suits you better, most instructors tell you this

Any class is susceptible to good/bad instructors. Branded franchaises such as Les Mills (Body pump/ balance/ combat), Zumba, Clubbercise only require their own courses to teach. Most instructors of them will have better training than that including anatomy, so that isn't to say avoid, just be aware. Independent classes should have an appropriately qualified instructor.

I've been to a Zumba class watching a lady obviously in a state of advanced pregnancy being allowed to do deep squats (risk of exacerbating an unstable pelvis) and deep bends with head low down (risk of going light headed) with the instructor offering no pregnancy appropriate adaptions. The hardcore circuits class I go to where the instructor is a competitive weight lifter, there have been pregnant women, on good form long before pregnancy, being facilitated in adapting the class apropriately as long as they felt able.
My point being standards differ. If you know your own limitations, you may be much better informed than the instructor and a good instructor will work with you to adapt to those needs.

What's on the timetable when you're avaliable?

Have you seen any Kangoo Jumps classes nearby? Not sure how widespread they are in the UK.

Absorb any impact on joints, so low impact. I have no issues with an old knee injury, although I’ve not had back injuries to test it out on.

Seems to be doing a good job of toning my legs and backside.

Does your gym do TRX?
It might have other names [sorry, not sure] but you use straps bolted to the wall and exercise against your own body weight resistance.
At the gym I go to this seems to be taught by the most clued-up instructors.

Classes tend to depend on a few things - how good the instructor is, especially in giving different options for things like bad back etc, how much you actually enjoy it (very important) and what it’s doing for you. Of course it also depends what’s available. Plus, for me, how good the music is!

My favourite class is Body Attack - high impact aerobics with interval training, a running track, press up track, abs track etc mixed in. The ideal combo would really be also doing Pump (very popular but I cba.

My instructor is excellent at giving options for those with injuries. She also teaches other classes including Pilates as a PA and I doubt would turn anyone away with a bad back as she is also talking about how good it is for strengthening the back and improving pelvic floor muscles.

Other options - Tone (lower inmpact but good) Balance (good for toning but not cardio) Combat and Zumba (cardio) RPM (more legs than anything). Step is energetic. LBT helped me develop stomach muscles I never knew I had. I stopped doing it a few years back, and when I recently did a class found there were 2-3 tracks using hand weights which I thought a good idea.