Life Time Wellness Clubs Are Offering Spartan Classes
Workouts inspired by the world-renowned obstacle races are now available at Boston locations.
Photo by Rick Bern
If the word “Spartan” has you dreaming of matching your wits and strength against intense obstacle races involving fire, mud, and barbed wire, you might be interested in a new fitness class being offered outside Boston. Spartan Race, the wildly popular obstacle race brand, intends to bring the strength of a spartan into your everyday life. And they’ve partnered with Life Time wellness clubs to do it. Now available at greater Boston locations, Life Time clubs around the country will offer an exclusive group class based on the Spartan brand. Its name echoes its objective: Spartan Strong.
Spartan Strong classes aim to challenge participants both mentally and physically, utilizing a combination of resistance training, bodyweight moves, dynamic stretching, and cardio drills. The hour-long class will increase your strength, endurance, and athleticism—sometimes with the help of the Spartan Pancake, a weighted circular sandbag. Instructors, many of whom compete in Spartan Races, have completed rigorous training by both Spartan Race and Life Time to be able to best prepare you for your own challenges, on or off the course.
“Spartans learn to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals on the race course, often doing more than they believe possible,” says Spartan Vice President of Training John Gauch. “Our goal is to bring that same sense of accomplishment to people off the course through Spartan Strong.”
Alongside the class, fitness challenges will be available on a quarterly and monthly basis to check participants’ progress. Spartan Races are timed, encouraging competitors to measure progress against themselves each race. Spartan Strong classes aim to continue this initiative with the fitness challenges.
Challenges will involve balance, stamina, and power. The first challenge is familiar to any Spartan Race alumni: the infamous burpee. After the first month, participants of Spartan Strong see how many burpees they can do in one minute. After the second month, it’s a three minute cap, and at the end of the quarter, participants attempt the five minute burpee test. Challenges like these allow Spartan Strong participants to track their progress and see how they measure up against their peers in an encouraging, welcoming community.
“Whether training for a Spartan race, or tackling everyday life, Spartan Strong will push participants’ mind and body to achieve optimal performance on and off the race course,” says John Reilly, President of the Fitness and Nutrition Division at Life Time.
The training classes are available only to Life Time members, but you can find them at a few locations around town. Classes run on select days and times at the Chestnut Hill and Boston Metro West locations, and soon in Westwood.
Photo by Rick Bern
Photo by Rick Bern
Photo by Rick Bern
