Les Mills On Demand

Les Mills On Demand gives you access to authentic studio-quality workouts that you can follow anywhere—at home, the gym, or outdoors.

This fitness platform claims to utilize the same techniques Les Mills used to get to the Olympics. He opened his first gym in Auckland, New Zealand in 1968, and the workouts are offered in more than 15,000 gyms across the world today.

Les Mills On Demand claims to work best for anyone without access to studio classes or who want more control over the type and timing of their workouts.

There are a lot of options in the home fitness market today—does Les Mills stand out from them? I gave this fitness program a run-through and learned where it excels, and where I wish it offered more.

Read on to find out what I thought of this fitness program, to get a better idea of whether Les Mills On Demand makes sense for you.

How Does Les Mills On Demand Work?

All Les Mills workout videos are filmed in closed set gym facilities throughout New Zealand, and the program is currently available across much of Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.

The only way to join Les Mills On Demand is through a subscription.

This gives you access to more than 1000 workouts in 13 programs based around the brand’s most popular classes so that you can work your body in dozens of different ways.

The workouts range from 15–55 minutes, and they vary in intensity and difficulty level. Most are led by Les Mill’s Program Directors, who are the people responsible for training all Les Mills instructors in gyms around the world.

Once you sign up, you can browse the entire content library through your TV, laptop, phone, or tablet. The app is also compatible with Airplay and Chromecast.

While you can stream the workouts at any time with a Wi-Fi or data connection, it’s also possible to download videos for situations where you won’t have service.

Up to three devices can access the workout content through one subscription at one time.

Workout Types

After I signed up, I was able to browse the following programs:

BodyPump: Designed for anyone looking to get toned and lean, BodyPump workouts require a barbell and a bench for optimal effectiveness. As these classes are designed to challenge your muscles and make you sore, the company suggests following them no more than two or three times a week.

BodyFlow: These workouts blend traditional yoga moves with Tai Chi and Pilates to strengthen your body, lower your stress levels, and balance out your mind to leave you feeling calm and centered. All that’s necessary is a yoga mat.

Les Mills Grit: HIIT workouts from Les Mills are 30-minute intensive circuits that focus on improving your cardiovascular fitness and maximizing your calorie burning. Though the routines are challenging, the instructors offer options to modify the moves so you can achieve the right intensity.

CXWORX: Designed to target your core, these exercise classes will help you develop a stronger, leaner body. Each move can be tailored to your preferred intensity, and all that’s necessary is a resistance tube and single weight plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell.

BodyStep: Tone your legs and glutes with simple step movements on a height-adjustable step that gives you a complete cardio workout. You’ll need a designated step or low bench to complete these workouts, and it’s best to use a step that you can increase the height of as the exercises become easier for you.

RPM: Les Mills’ cycling workouts are designed to deliver a quality cardio workout without stressing your joints. You’ll need a stationary bike, and the rides will take you through different cycling intensities to mimic hill climbs, intervals, and flat roads.

BodyCombat: These high-energy martial arts-inspired workouts act both as a calorie burner and a stress reliever to get you in better shape. Previous martial arts experience isn’t necessary, and instructors offer modifications for every move.

Les Mills Sprint: 30-minute HIIT workouts that take place on a spin bike.

The Trip: This digitally-immersive indoor biking class consists of 40-minutes of multi-peak cycling for an intense, engaging workout.

Body Attack: A high-energy cardio fitness class designed for beginners and workout experts alike. The classes combine moves like running, lunging, and jumping with push up and squats to get you sweating hard.

Les Mills Barre: These classes put a modern spin on traditional ballet training with a 30-minute workout that tone and shape your muscles for better core strength.

Sh’Bam: These dance-inspired classes are designed for all fitness levels and can be performed as many times a week as you prefer. No dance experience necessary; comfy clothes and space to move are all that’s required.

Born to Move (Kids and Teens): Featuring kid-approved music, these classes are for anyone under 16 who can benefit from self-esteem boosting workouts, and they provide an opportunity to build life-long positive habits for physical exercise.

What It’s Like to Train with Les Mills on Demand: My Experience

With such a range of classes to choose from, it can be a challenge to know where to start. But as a spin cycling enthusiast, RPM was a natural choice for me.

I had dozens of classes to look through. They ranged from 20–60 minutes, and hovering over each class’s description allowed me to look at the music playlist and class setup.

I choose to follow RPM #84, a 30-minute class. It began with a quick introduction to using a spin bike and then launched into a warmup with two instructors in a dark studio filled with mood lighting.

From the start, I found the New Zealand accents charming, if slightly distracting, until I adjusted to them.

The pump-up music and camera angles worked well together to keep me engaged with the class at the start, but the music started getting repetitive throughout the class.

At times the audio quality was inconsistent and sometimes was slightly muffled.

Thankfully, the instructors kept the class content varied by moving us from sitting to standing positions and through sprints and hill climbs.

Sometimes I wished the instructions were visible on the screen, as I occasionally missed the audio cues.

The studio’s background graphics remained impressive throughout the class, and I appreciated that each workout section included a countdown clock, so I never felt lost in the workout.

Some times the camera would pan to other class participants, which helped me feel like I was working out in a room of friends.

Overall, I liked the interplay between two instructors more than expected and found the class left me sweaty and exhausted after 30 minutes. For those who like indoor spin classes, Les Mills replicates the feel of an in-studio class well.

One thing this class seemed to lack, though, were metrics and specific instructions. The instructors led by feel and music intensity rather than specific cadence callouts, like I’m used to with Peloton App.

This might make it difficult for beginner cyclers to know whether they are pushing themselves hard enough during each class.

Workout Plans

Les Mills On Demand also offers workout plans with built-in schedules to give you guidance for your fitness journey.

I signed up for the six-week Recreate Yourself course to see what it offered. This plan promised to challenge me with a variety of intense cardio, ballet-inspired fitness moves, and strength training through weights-based exercises.

It encompasses twelve workouts pulled from a variety of Les Mills programs, including BodyCombat, BodyFlow, Les Mills Barre, Sh’Bam, BodyAttack, and BodyPump.

The key to the program is the downloadable workout plan.

This three-page PDF guide highlights the program goals (build a fitness foundation with workouts that gradually increase in difficulty), the number of workouts I needed to follow per week (2–4), and necessary equipment (a barbell and weight plates).

Browsing the program schedule, I appreciated that Les Mills alternated workout days for the first two weeks, meaning that there was a rest day between each one. This prevents the workouts from becoming overwhelming.

But, for some reason, the first class didn’t start until day 4. This makes no sense to me, as enthusiasm for new exercise programs is often strongest at the beginning and wanes over time.

Why make program participants wait almost half a week before even completing their first workout?

Regardless, I appreciated that the program allowed the flexibility to add other activities to my rest day schedule, and even to practice meditation.

Many of the assigned workout days also included class alternatives for extra selection. For example, on Day 4, I could follow Bodybump #90 or CXWORK #32.

The workouts themselves were valuable, but they felt disjointed from each other. Why was I only lifting weights twice a month? Why did I sometimes have two workout days in a row followed by two rest days? The program offered minimal explanation.

In all, I felt I could get similar value from creating my own workout program from the Les Mills classes that interested me. The programs offered and rationale for them seemed slightly simplistic for what it promised.

However, I’m a home workout veteran and have a lot of confidence in choosing my own workouts. Fitness novices will likely appreciate the structure more, as basic as it is.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

My experience is just one perspective on this program. More than 3,700 the Les Mills On Demand users have shared their experience on Google Play for an average ranking of 4.7-stars. Here are some key takeaways:

Common Compliments:

• Great support community and Facebook group
• A flexible program for getting in quality workouts at home
• Engaging, supportive instructors
• An excellent alternative to gym classes
• Good music selection
• Easy to stream the app at the gym to use with equipment
• Ability to download workouts a plus

Common Complaints:

• Some users struggled to get refunds when they reported they were charged before the end of their free trial
• Many users found they stopped using it after the first few weeks
• Not compatible with all devices
• Camera angles aren’t always helpful for understanding what the instructor is doing
• Not enough longer workouts

Pricing

Les Mills on Demand currently offers three subscription options:

• Monthly: $14.99/mo.
• 3-Month: $11.99/mo. ($35.97 total)
• Annual: $9.99/mo. ($119.88 total)

New members will receive a 14-day free trial when they first sign up.

Each of these plans enrolls you in a recurring subscription. You’ll need to cancel before the renewal date to prevent future payments. If you cancel early, you won’t be reimbursed for any unused time.

The following equipment is also available for purchase: A Smartstep ($139), Smartbar Set ($399–$479), hand weights set ($17–$34), Smartband ($34), and MBX Mat ($65).

The company offers a 30-day return policy for unopened merchandise, and a three-year warranty backs its Smartbar.

Alternatives to Les Mills On Demand

There is no shortage of options for streaming fitness routines at home for $13–20 per month.

Les Mills On Demand is a slightly different setup than Daily Burn and Peloton App, as those two platforms record live studio classes that you can watch in real-time or find later in their video library.

Les Mills videos, in contrast, are filmed on a closed set and designed to replicate the studio experience without the variability that comes from live classes.

This can be positive or negative for you depending on your priorities. Some people thrive on streaming live classes because they like the accountability to show up at a particular time.

However, Les Mills On Demand videos are edited before they are shared, meaning that they might offer higher production quality than streaming live classes.

I personally am willing to sacrifice production quality for the “in the moment” feel of a live class, as it more closely replicates the feeling of working out with other people at the gym.

The Bottom Line

Les Mills is a popular studio workout style around the world, and Les Mills On Demand promises to give you a similar workout at home. Paying the monthly subscription fee lets you access to the entire library of classes and programs, meaning that you can exercise in different ways each day.

This program gives you a great workout, however, the pre-made workout programs aren’t my favorite, and I prefer other platforms for my home workouts.

My favorites, like Peloton App, better replicate the feel of being in a studio and offer more specific guidance as to how hard I should work during each part of the class.

But despite my experience, customer reviews from Les Mills On Demand subscribers showed us that the app delivers on its content quality.

Both Les Mills fans and new exercisers can find value in using this program. It is an excellent option for experimenting with a variety of different workout styles so you can discover what works best for you.