Do I need HIIT classes to get toned?

Nikkiey explains on Ep. 141 that group classes like CrossFit, F45 and Orangetheory do include strength work, but they don't prioritize muscle growth. Everyone walks in and does the same workout together, so the classes aren't built to progressively challenge your muscles. That progression is what builds the shape you're after. Her recommendation: make the majority of your training, about 80%, progressive overload lifting. You can still drop into a class on other days or one week here and there.

She also flags injury risk. High intensity, complex movements and a fast pace leave less room to control your speed and form. That matters most for beginners and for women with old injuries, which she says she's seen flare up again in CrossFit. The competitive atmosphere adds to it. Nikkiey admits that even with years of lifting behind her, she found herself chasing deadlift reps against the clock in a CrossFit class and stopped paying attention to her form.

Emily's story shows what this looks like in practice. She used to chase the sweat and the calorie burn in HIIT classes. Then she moved upstairs to the weights and lost fat while tracking her macros. A trainer at her gym, the one who measured her body fat, told her she had shown you don't have to do classes and HIIT all the time to get toned. Her take now: lift weights, and add one HIIT session a week if needed, depending on your body type.

So if classes haven't given you the toned look you wanted, you haven't failed. The plan was built around sweating, not around building muscle. Classes can be the fun extra. Structured lifting that gets progressively harder is the main event.