Workouts to Try in 2023: Part 1

I’m the biggest proponent of exercising for enjoyment. I say it all of the time: find what you enjoy. And that could take time to try various workouts. My goal with the blog has always been to show you different workouts to save you some of that time. Excuse me, while I get a little bit preachy on you: Exercise does not have to be a chore, and it certainly should not be a punishment. Exercising should not only make you feel good after you are done, but also while you are doing it. And, if that’s not the case, it’s time to ditch your current workout and go find another one more suited for you.

That’s why I love this annual spotlight of the workouts that I am currently loving and hoping to do more of in the new year. Last year, I focused on two specific classes: 1) Hot Sculpt at LVX Fitness, located on the Main Line, and 2) Hype and Tone, a virtual class that I stream from California. I wanted to pick a local class for Main Liners and a virtual class for the rest.

This year, instead of highlighting two specific classes, I am sharing two types of workouts that I recommend for you to try in 2023. I’ll let you know where I’ve been going in the area, but you can likely find these workouts anywhere. Also, the instructor is crucial to your success and enjoyment, so keep that in mind if you don’t live in the Philadelphia region and can’t get to the places that I am recommending here. I’m including lots of details about these workouts so this post is coming at you in two parts.

My recommendations are also based on trends that I see in the fitness industry. And female strength training has been on the rise in recent years. I have written several articles about it. (Here is one). Lean and fit female figures are stomping on the false belief that lifting heavy causes women to get bigger. Our bodies just aren’t made to bulk up without the assistance of something unnatural. Instead, strength training makes us fit and strong and slim.

Wanna improve another sport? Strength train. Wanna look and feel young? Strength train. Wanna gain results fast? Strength train. But many women hear the words “weight lifting” and they immediately say no way. Maybe they don’t know where to start or what to do. Up until recently, there were not a lot of places to go for strength work instruction without paying for a personal trainer. Recently, places like Orange Theory, Tribe ML, and f45 Training have sprung up in the area to give their members the opportunity to get their hands on some bigger weights and to learn proper form. But going into a regular gym, or even the smaller studios that I just mentioned, can still be intimidating. For one, the larger class size often comes with less instruction, which may result in improper form or injury. It also can cause feelings of discomfort and insecurity that likely result in the lack of consistency and commitment for this type of exercise. So for someone newer to strength training or looking for more one-on-one guidance, personal training may make the most sense. But personal training is expensive and not for everyone. So where to go from here?

Enter Engage, a small group strength training gym that recently opened in Malvern and Wilmington, with plans of more growth in the area— maybe because they realize they are onto something really good here. Another way to describe Engage is “a personal training gym.” And I even like that better because that’s the intent. The goal of Engage is to get the benefits of a personal trainer in a very small group setting to decrease the cost.

Over the past few months, I joined several classes at Engage in order to get a real sense for the workout. Every time I attended, there were only 3 or 4 other women in the class, all ranging in abilities and fitness levels. Seven people is the max per class. The studio limits its total membership in order to keep the classes small enough for that personal training feel. And the Malvern location is nearing capacity.

Class always starts with a dynamic warm up, led by the trainer. The workout always consists of 3 exercise groups done in about 12 minute chunks. Each exercise group contains 3 exercises that work various body parts. And the goal is to get through 3-4 rounds of each exercise group. The trainer walks the class through each exercise at the start of each exercise group, showing proper form and offering modifications.

This is an example of what a class may look like. The gray and blue are nearly the same with slight variations for different levels.

During all of the classes that I took, I never repeated any exercises (except for Hank the Tank because he is special. I will explain below). Some days, the last exercise group was an EMOM workout (“every minute on the minute”) but again, the exercises within the EMOM were always different. This was usually the part of class with more high impact exercises (such as the Assault Bike or jumping jacks or ropes) but most of the workout at Engage is low impact. Each class included at least one slower, more controlled exercise to really focus on balance and mobility. And Hank the Tank made an appearance at two of the classes I attended.

This is Hank. (I am told he is dressed as Rudolph right now).

Hank is a multi-surface push sled on wheels. This sled differs from the ones you may have seen (and used) before because the person pushing or pulling the sled adjusts the level based on their individual strength— i.e., how hard they push or pull. No weights to add or remove, which works well in a group setting where people have different abilities. Hank is what you could call a smart sled.

While the class is working, the trainer is actively watching, guiding and helping each person in the class. It’s a very accessible environment. A place to ask questions and learn. I found it to be very comfortable and not at all intimidating. The members were always quite chatty with the trainer and each other.

Warm up.

Tricep pulls.

Single leg deadlift.

Since I can’t show you it all here, be sure to check out my Instagram to see more of the workouts in action.

Co-owner and head coach, Katie Boyle, is really focused on the community at Engage by offering nutrition programs, collaborations with other studios (such as local yoga studios) and friendly competitions among the members.

What I love about this place:

Engage offers low impact, full body workouts each and every day. Other gyms with a similar weight lifting format have different body part workouts each day of the week, making a full body workout only achievable with 3-5 days of classes at that specific gym. I love that you can get a full body workout here every single time that you go, whether it’s one day or five days. (Most members I talked to go 3 times a week).

The environment is very comfortable. The groups are friendly with each other and the trainer leading the class. The trainer seems to really know all of the members and understands each person’s abilities and constraints. There is zero intimidation about this place.

I love the one-on-one attention. When I took Katie’s class and put it in a time-lapse you can see her bopping around the room. She really does have her eyes on everyone, checking form along the way.

I love that they only offer big weights. Try to find a dumbbell below 10 pounds in this place. They believe everyone can and should lift big with proper guidance.

This gym is truly appropriate for all levels. There are life-long exercisers and new-to-exercising members mixed in each class. There are always modifications to level up or down. I should note that most of the membership at the gym in Malvern is female. While there are some members in their twenties and thirties, most members are over 40 (the website even says “personal training program specifically built around busy adults over 40”). I’ve been in class with a woman in her 70’s who was doing the same exercise as me but with appropriate modifications. And that’s a beautiful thing!

I do have two minor complaints that are easy fixes. Look, the workout is the crucial part and Engage has that down. But the music could use some help here. I just have not been feeling the 80’s (sometimes even older) pop and rock music that has been playing when I have been in class. But maybe that music is catering to the audience of the specific class that I attended (mid-late morning during the week). The other thing I immediately noticed is that the Malvern studio doesn’t have any mirrors. Some places do that on purpose and I do think this is intentional at Engage. They don’t want that vanity piece that is present at most gyms. And I get that, but mirrors do help with form. On the flip side, Katie’s response to my complaint is that the trainer leading the class is able to check all members’ form during class. Fair enough. So I’m not sure this would change. But I am also not sure that the members would agree with me and actually want a mirror in the studio. So I may have the unpopular opinion here.

To get started at Engage, you can enroll in your first class here. There is no introductory class, so just jump into a small group workout. And your first class is free. And for you guys, Engage is offering a FREE 2 week trial period before joining (just mention this article when you sign up). During your first few classes, the trainer will really focus on your form and the appropriate weights for you to use for each exercise. The original members did a “test week” during the first month of opening, where a series of exercises (bench press, dead lift, squat, plank hold, and sit ups) were incorporated into the classes that week to get a baseline workout. There will be “test weeks” each quarter so members can reassess their weight amount and push themselves to the next level as they progress.

Membership at Engage is a month-to-month commitment and varies in cost based on the number of days a week you want to workout (2, 3 or 4 times). If this workout sounds like something you want to try, I wouldn’t delay because there are only a few limited spots left at Malvern. Fingers crossed for an eastern Main Line location next! I think it would do great there.