Let’s clear something up, because this gets confusing fast.
A lot of things get labeled as “strength training” these days. Pilates, Solidcore, HIIT-style classes, bootcamps, circuits with weights — all of those involve effort, muscles working, and usually a good sweat. And they can all have a place.
What we do in our sessions is a little different, and that difference matters depending on your goals.
When we talk about strength training here, we mean training specifically to get stronger. That usually looks like squats, deadlifts, presses, bench, rows, and other heavier compound lifts.
The goal isn’t to move nonstop or to burn as many calories as possible. The goal is to apply enough load, with enough intent, for your body to adapt and get stronger over time.
Group fitness classes tend to focus more on endurance, conditioning, coordination, and fatigue. The weights are usually lighter, the reps are higher, rest is limited, and the goal is often to keep your heart rate up. That doesn’t make them bad or wrong, they’re just training something different.
Proper strength training requires progressive overload, adequate rest, and attention to technique. You need time between sets. You need weights that are heavy for you. And you need consistency week to week so your body has a clear reason to adapt.
Classes like Pilates, Solidcore, and HIIT can be great for core endurance, movement quality, general fitness, and feeling good in your body. Strength training fills a different role: building the kind of strength that makes daily life easier, supports your joints, and carries over long term.
One isn’t “better” than the other. They just do different things.
If your goal is to feel stronger, lift heavier over time, and build confidence with loaded movements, that’s where structured strength training shines. And if you enjoy mixing in classes you love alongside it, that’s usually a great combination.
We’re not here to replace the things you enjoy. We’re here to make sure you’re actually training strength when strength is the goal.
