Les Mills Asia Pacific recently transformed the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre into the epicentre for the live revival of group fitness, thanks to the LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne event on the 13th and 14th of August.

This unique two-day event saw 1,200 Les Mills instructors and exercise enthusiasts come together under one roof, to participate in their choice of 14 group fitness sessions, in programs such as BODYPUMP®, BODYCOMBAT®, RPM®, BODYBALANCE® and BODYATTACK®.

Ryan Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Les Mills Asia Pacific says:

“All the classes were incredible. The energy was off the charts, and you really can’t imagine what it’s like to be in a room of 500 people all moving in unison and cheering each other on. Every session was like a cross between a rock concert and the greatest exercise class you’ll ever experience; it was absolutely mind-blowing.”

In a health club or fitness facility environment, THE TRIP® is a fully immersive workout experience that combines a 40-minute multi-peak cycling workout with a journey through digitally created worlds. Using a cinema-scale screen and sound system, this IMMERSIVE FITNESS® workout takes motivation and energy output to the next level, burning serious calories in the process.

Ryan adds:

“THE TRIP at LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne was an absolute highlightThere is no comparison to an immersive fitness experience like THE TRIP anyway, but when you then go and introduce a Body Bike – the Rolls Royce of indoor cycles – and an LED screen that is 22m wide and 5m high, there’s simply no fitness experience that can compare!”

Claire Stark, Operations Manager at Les Mills Asia Pacific explained:

“The size of the screen at LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne meant that THE TRIP content took about 12 hours to download, before the content producers at Les Mills International could then stitch it together to fit the 22m long screen.”

LES MILLS+ is the award-winning fitness app, which enables exercisers to supplement their in-gym training by enjoying the Les Mills programs they love at their gym, in the comfort of their own home or while on-the-go

“It was awesome to have so many of the Presenters that people see on the LES MILLS+ app, deliver classes at LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne. The official ‘meet and greet’ session where people could have their photo taken with the LES MILLS ‘celebrities’, was extremely popular. We are so grateful to have such wonderful presenters who are so generous with their time and knowledge.”

The event required incredible muscle-power to bump in and out.

Claire says:

“A typical AV (audio visual) bump-in is completed in a few hours; ours was a 12-hour job and done at a lightning pace. To accommodate our equipment-based classes such as BODYPUMP, LES MILLS GRIT® and LES MILLS TONE®, we also had to bump-in and move around hundreds of SMARTSTEPs, SMARTBARs (barbells) and 1,800 weight plates (equating to 5,100kg in total weight)! Add to this the 4,560kg worth of Body Bikes (indoor bikes for the Les Mills cycling programs), and our staff and volunteers undertook one serious behind-the-scenes workout during the weekend!”

The majority of participants came from within Australia, but we also saw attendees travel from Southeast Asia, including fromIndonesia, Maldives, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

Ryan says:

“We had a great contingent from Western Australia, which was fantastic. And we even had some club members from Malaysia come along to support their local Instructors who were on the main stage, presenting the sessions.”

Martha lampropoulou even travelled from Greece to attend the event. Of her experience, Martha said,

“I enjoyed LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne so much! It was really one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had! I first found out about Les Mills when the first lock down came, and then I could never stop; I fell in love! Les Mills helped me discover who I really am – I became a personal trainer and Les Mills Instructor! Through BODYCOMBAT mostly, I got through rough times! When I heard about LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne, I said ‘I can’t miss that!’, so I combined the trip with a visit to my grandparents and uncles who live in Sydney. I feel so grateful to be part of this family and for being able to attend this event – thank you!”

Ryan says:

“We thank all our sponsors – Body Bike, Reebok, Fitness Audio and AUSactive – for their generous support. On all levels, this event was a resounding success, Our Global Fitness Report released in 2021, indicated that a live revival was on the cards and after LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne, I can 100 per cent confirm that live is back, it’s stronger than ever, and it’s definitely here to stay!”

To check out the LES MILLS LIVE Melbourne photo album and highlights video (coming soon) visit the Les Mills Asia Pacific Facebook and Instagram pages.

To experience the live revival first-hand, click here to find a live Les Mills class at a club near you. Or, if you’d like to help others fall in love with fitness by becoming a Les Mills Instructor or by adding another Les Mills program to your teaching repertoire, click here.