Which Training Style is Right For You?

Whether you’re new to fitness, returning after a break or craving a new challenge, finding a training style you enjoy is the first step to unlocking the joy in movement.

It’s so much easier to create a workout routine that works for you and achieve your fitness goals when you love what you’re doing. That’s why when it comes to maintaining motivation, finding the right training style is so important.

You might find it useful to start by writing down what you want to achieve or what kind of movement makes you feel good and then use this guide to help you choose which Sweat program might best help you get there! Whether you want to start each morning with a bang, are looking for something more low intensity to round out your day or would prefer a gentle yoga flow to de-stress, there are so many training styles, programs and on-demand Sweat workouts to choose from.

Training styles for all women

You might be at a beginner level, enjoy cardio and prefer to work out at home, while your best friend might be at an advanced fitness level, smashing out weights workouts in the gym. No matter what life stage and fitness level you’re at, there’s a movement style for you at Sweat.

Strength training

So many women in the Sweat Community are passionate about strength training, and it’s not hard to see why! There are plenty of strength training options available in the Sweat app for at-home and gym-based workouts, as well as options for bodyweight, free weights and gym machines - whatever takes your fancy. From helping to boost your mood to its positive effect on bone health and ability to promote cardiovascular health, strength training comes jam-packed with benefits.

Trainers Kelsey Wells and Katie Martin are both huge fans of the hypertrophy style of strength training, which you can find in their programs PWR and Strength & Sculpt.

After effective and efficient workouts that don’t involve much equipment or big chunks of time? Bodyweight Strength with Anissia is a great option if you’re new to strength training with workouts that will take you less than 20 minutes, while Ignite Strength with Britany Williams has been designed for both beginners and intermediates alike.

Prefer to train in the gym? Strength & Resistance is the perfect introduction to weight-based gym training. If you’re more advanced, and serious about lifting heavy, BUILD is Sweat’s powerbuilding program (more on that later) designed to develop strength, improve lifting performance and increase muscle mass. We’ve also got LIFTING at Home available if you can’t get to the gym or prefer your home set-up.

If you’re looking for something low impact, Kelsey and Chontel Duncan have you covered with their programs, Low Impact Strength with Kelsey and Low Impact Strength with Chontel Duncan.

There are also a number of high-intensity programs that incorporate elements of functional strength training, such as High Intensity with Kayla, High Intensity Strength with Cass, Elite Conditioning, Strength & Cardio with Marilyn and FIERCE.

And if you’re all about boosting your mental wellbeing while strength training, why not give Kelsey’s Redefine Fitness program a go? Mindfulness meets movement in this four-week program.

High-intensity training

You’ll find a few different examples of high-intensity training in the Sweat app, including high intensity interval training (HIIT), high intensity circuit training (HICT) and high intensity resistance training (HIRT).

High-intensity interval training can be done anywhere, using just your bodyweight. It’s a fantastic way to get an effective workout done in a short amount of time — and you don’t need equipment to get started.

You’ll find this style of training often includes plyometrics (aka jumping exercises) and explosive movements that get your heart rate up quickly. With workouts that will typically take you between 20 and 45 minutes, this fast-paced style of training involves short, intense bursts of movement.

If you’re a beginner or haven’t tried HIIT recently, you may find you need to slowly ease into it as it can be challenging and requires a higher level of foundational strength, fitness and coordination.

Sweat has a number of beginner-friendly HIIT programs, including Low Impact HIIT with Samantha, HIIT with Samantha, HIIT with Monica Jones and Energising HIIT with Fleur which will help to build your strength and cardio fitness.

For those who have an intermediate to advanced fitness level, you can try HIIT in Chontel’s FIERCE program, Full Body HIIT with Chontel, High Intensity Strength at Home with Cass, High Intensity Strength with Cass, Dynamic High Intensity and HIIT Cardio & Abs with Kayla.

High-intensity circuit training (HICT) can help you build strength while improving muscular fitness by combining resistance exercises that use your bodyweight or free weights, together with high-intensity movements.

High intensity is Head Trainer Kayla Itsines’ signature style, and the first-ever Sweat program was High Intensity with Kayla, which now has over 90 weeks worth of high intensity circuit training workouts! Both High Intensity and High Intensity Zero Equipment with Kayla include beginner weeks to help you to build your foundational strength and fitness.

Similar to HICT, high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) utilises your bodyweight or weights as resistance and is combined with high-intensity exercises to build strength and muscular fitness.

HIRT differs from HICT as it includes a more varied training approach utilising techniques like AMRAP, Tabata and supersets to help increase muscle and endurance. You can train at home using equipment like a barbell, dumbbells or a medicine ball, or use larger equipment at the gym.

You’ll find high-intensity strength training in High Intensity Strength with Kayla and in Cass' High Intensity Strength programs.

Powerbuilding

This form of strength training combines elements of powerlifting and bodybuilding, using three specific exercises (the deadlift, bench press and squat) to help you build strength, lift heavier and increase your muscle mass.

Powerbuilding workouts use gym equipment and a mixture of low and high-repetition exercises to build muscle strength and size. The workouts include primary movements which are your main lifts, followed by accessory movements that will help to add volume to your session.

If you want to try powerlifting, you can get started with Sweat’s BUILD program.

Low-intensity cardio

Low-intensity cardio such as walking, cycling,swimming or jogging is a great way to start moving your body regularly when you first start working out and is included in most Sweat programs. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), it can help improve aerobic capacity if included in your routine alongside other training styles at least once a week — even when you start to incorporate more intense workouts in your schedule.  

ACE states that while low-intensity cardio places less stress on your joints when combined with other training styles in a well-structured workout program, it is still an effective way to maximise the health benefits of enhanced aerobic capacity.

Low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio means you’re working out for a steady and sustained period and is one of two available cardio components provided in all Sweat programs.

Boxing

There are a few different styles of boxing you might be familiar with including kickboxing, shadowboxing and bag boxing. It’s a great way to improve functional strength while building cardio fitness and (anecdotally speaking!) is known to be a cathartic way to release stress.

If you have an intermediate level of fitness and want to master your technique, try Monica’s Boxing Fit Challenge. This progressive, four-week program includes explosive, high-intensity movements designed to raise your heart rate as you go from the fundamentals to more complex combinations.

Yoga

Almost anyone can try yoga and this practice can help improve your balance, flexibility and holistic health.

There are different yoga programs you can try on Sweat that focus on your mind and body connection through controlled breathing — some are faster-paced Vinyasa styles of yoga, while others include relaxed Yin yoga and elements of meditation.

If you’re a beginner, Yoga with Phyllicia Bonanno is an accessible program that uses slower exercise sequences, giving you time to find stability in each pose or posture.

If you prefer a challenge, you can find more athletic flows in BAM with Sjana Elise and Yoga with Ania Tippkemper.

Pilates

This low-impact training style was first developed in the 1920s by physical trainer Joseph Pilates to help rehabilitate injured dancers and athletes. Today, the practice has been adapted with the creation of different styles such as reformer, mat and contemporary and would suit anyone who wants to improve their balance, strength and flexibility in a low-impact way.

Joseph Pilates based his method on the principles of breath, concentration, centring, control, precision and flow and during a typical session you’ll maintain a focus on breathing techniques and precise movement.

Sweat’s Pilates with Sara Colquhoun program combines traditional and contemporary Pilates to create a holistic approach to the Pilates practice. It challenges you by fatiguing specific muscle groups through time under tension, with foundation weeks available if you’re new to Pilates.

Barre

Barre can be another great option if you're looking for low-impact exercises but love variety and high-energy workouts. It's a hybrid training style that combines elements of classical ballet, dynamic stretching and Pilates, where you’ll learn to master foot positions and feel the burn with high repetitions using small weights.

Barre with Britany Williams is suitable for all experience levels to help improve muscular endurance, stabilisation and flexibility — and if you’re ready to take your barre journey to the next level, you can step up your training with High Intensity Barre with Britany.

Pregnancy and post-pregnancy

While they’re not technically training styles, we’ve got you covered if you’re looking for ways to move with confidence from bump through to birth and beyond with a number of pregnancy and post-pregnancy programs available.

If you’re currently expecting and your healthcare provider has given you the green light to exercise, Pregnancy with Kayla and Pregnancy with Kelsey are two 40-week programs that will see you through your entire pregnancy.

There are also nine weeks of Pregnancy Barre with Britany available if you’re looking for low-intensity barre workouts designed for each trimester that focus on posture and alignment.

Ready to return to exercise after welcoming your little one? Once you’ve been given the all-clear from your doctor, we have two programs available, Post-Pregnancy with Kayla and PWR Post-Pregnancy.

Try a new training style today

Whether you're new to fitness or looking to mix up your routine, there's never a bad time to try a new training style. It can help you rediscover your love of exercise, vanquish workout boredom and make it easier to break through a plateau. Not sure whether you want to commit to a new Sweat program just yet? Try a new training style on for size when you choose individual workouts from Sweat's On Demand dashboard. 

With over 8,500 on-demand workouts to choose from, you're bound to find something you genuinely enjoy doing.