Lori Lowell, a Gold’s Gym Franchisee, understands the importance of staying ahead of the Group X curve. Considering Lowell assisted in developing GGX and began her run in the fitness industry as a Group X instructor, she understands what members are looking for in new fitness solutions.
“Music in time with the movement, which in my opinion, is essential for a successful group fitness class format,” she said. Lowell has been working with Les Mills for a new Group X class she hopes to launch in her clubs later this year.
The CX30 class was the best class Lowell found in her research. “The Les Mills CX30 program takes rigorous scientific research and translates it into a group fitness class that annihilates your core,” she said. “During the 30 minute class, all core muscle groups are targeted, including slings to maximize functional strength.”
According to Lowell, the exercises are split into two groups. “The two groups are isolated exercises and integrated exercises,” she said. “The isolated muscle exercises will be things like traditional crunches, oblique twists, back extensions and bridges that isolate load in the individual muscles.
“Other exercises combine these muscles with upper and lower limb strength to produce our integrated exercises. With these integrated exercises, we really get into functional movements and these exercises in the class really allows us to strengthen the muscles of our core and or arms and legs at the same time.”
Accompanying the class are six separate musical tracks. “Each track represents a different exercise and region,” she said.
CX30 was tested by Dr. Jinger Gottschall, Ph. D., at Penn State University. “The exercises in CX30 are more diverse than your typical core class,” Gottschall said. “Therefore, the program is much more comprehensive for improving total body strength and functional stability.”
“There has been some criticism that core conditioning programs don’t have enough functional carry-over to influence the way we stabilize our spin in life and during athletic activities,” Lowell said. “The research performed with CX30 demonstrates that this is clearly not the case with this program.”
Lowell said internal education is almost complete in her clubs and she hopes to launch the class in the next couple of months.
By: Tyler Montgomery
