JOIN THE JOURNEY · Up to 45% off your first 12 months
· Limited time, while the transformation is underway · Find out more about our next chapter
Les Mills GRIT is a 30-minute high intensity interval training workout designed to build lean muscle, improve cardiovascular fitness and burn fat. Using a combination of barbell, weight plate and bodyweight exercises, GRIT pushes you through short, intense work intervals that deliver serious results in half the time of a standard class.
This is not a class for easing in gently. GRIT is designed for members who already have a good base of fitness and want to take it further. If you are comfortable with high intensity exercise and want a short, focused session that delivers maximum output, GRIT is built for exactly that.
Each GRIT session follows a Les Mills format with professionally choreographed exercises set to a driving soundtrack. The class is structured around intervals: short bursts of maximum effort work followed by brief rest periods. This pattern is repeated across multiple rounds that target different muscle groups and energy systems.
You will use a barbell and weight plates for compound strength movements like squats, deadlifts, presses and rows. Bodyweight exercises like burpees, mountain climbers and plyometric jumps fill the cardio and power intervals. The pace is relentless, and the 30-minute duration reflects that. There is no filler. Every minute counts.
Your instructor coaches you through each interval, driving the pace and intensity. The music is specifically chosen to match the effort levels, building through each round to peak intensity before pulling back for recovery.
GRIT at Iconic Health Clubs runs as a single format session. The Les Mills GRIT programme includes Strength and Cardio variants globally. Check with your instructor or reception for details on which format is scheduled.
GRIT is aimed at members with an established fitness base. This is an advanced class. The intensity is high throughout, the rest periods are short, and the exercises demand good movement quality under fatigue. If you are new to group fitness, we recommend building your foundation with classes like BodyPump, Bootcamp or Functional Strength before stepping into GRIT.
That said, if you have a reasonable level of fitness and are willing to work hard, GRIT is one of the most effective and time-efficient formats on the timetable. The 30-minute duration makes it ideal for members who train before or after work and want a session that fits into a tight schedule without compromising on results.
GRIT is particularly popular with members who train multiple times per week and use it as a complement to longer strength or cardio sessions. Adding one or two GRIT sessions to your weekly programme can accelerate your fitness gains without adding significant training volume.
High intensity interval training works by pushing your body into its anaerobic training zone during the work intervals, then allowing partial recovery before going again. This pattern creates a metabolic stimulus that is different from steady-state training.
During GRIT, your muscles work under both high load (from the barbell exercises) and high speed (from the plyometric and bodyweight movements). This dual stimulus builds both strength and cardiovascular capacity in the same session. Research on HIIT shows that this approach improves VO2 max, increases lean muscle mass and enhances fat oxidation more effectively than equivalent time spent in moderate-intensity exercise.
The afterburn effect is also significant. After a GRIT session, your body continues to burn calories at an elevated rate as it repairs muscle tissue and restores energy systems. Studies on high intensity protocols show this elevated metabolic rate can persist for 12 to 24 hours after the session ends.
The 30-minute format is deliberate. Les Mills designed GRIT to deliver the maximum effective dose of HIIT in the shortest possible time. Going longer would push into diminishing returns and increase injury risk from accumulated fatigue. Thirty minutes at true GRIT intensity is enough.
Smithfield (Dublin 7) GRIT runs twice per week at Smithfield: Tuesday early morning at 06:15 and Friday lunchtime at 13:10. Both sessions take place in Studio 1. The early morning slot suits members who want to fit in a high intensity session before work. The Friday lunchtime slot works well for a short, sharp end-of-week push.
Book via the Iconic Health Clubs mobile app or check the full Smithfield timetable for current times.
Dartry, Camden Street and IFSC GRIT is not currently on the timetable at Dartry, Camden Street or IFSC. If you train at these locations and want a short, high intensity workout, HIIT Spin offers a similar 30-minute interval training format on the bike. Functional Strength also delivers a high-output session, though at 45 minutes it is longer than GRIT. At Dartry, the Bootcamp class provides a circuit-style alternative with comparable intensity.
Iconic offers several high intensity formats, and they overlap in some ways. Here is where GRIT fits.
GRIT vs HIIT Spin: Both are 30-minute HIIT formats. HIIT Spin is exclusively bike-based cardio. GRIT combines barbells, bodyweight and plyometrics for a full body strength and cardio session. If you want pure cardiovascular intensity, HIIT Spin is focused and effective. If you want strength and cardio together, GRIT covers both.
GRIT vs Bootcamp: Bootcamp is a 45-minute circuit class that mixes cardio and strength with varied exercises. It is intense but broader and more accessible. GRIT is shorter, more structured and aimed at a higher fitness level. Bootcamp works for everyone. GRIT is for members who already have a solid foundation.
GRIT vs Functional Strength: Les Mills Functional Strength is a 45-minute barbell class focused on building athletic power through heavy, compound movements at moderate tempos. GRIT uses lighter weights at faster tempos with shorter rest periods, emphasising metabolic conditioning over maximal strength. They complement each other well across a training week.
Les Mills BodyPump – The original barbell class for total body toning. Available at all four locations.
Les Mills BodyCombat – A high energy martial arts cardio class. Available at Smithfield and Camden St.
Les Mills Functional Strength – A 45-minute heavy-lifting class for athletic power. Available at all four locations.
For the full range of Les Mills classes, visit our Les Mills Classes Dublin page.
All classes at Iconic Health Clubs are included with your membership at no extra cost. To book your place, download the Iconic Health Clubs mobile app and reserve your spot in advance. GRIT sessions are limited in capacity, so booking ahead is recommended.
We ask that you cancel at least 2 hours before the class if you cannot attend, so other members can take your spot.
Not a member yet? Book a free club tour to see our facilities and speak to the team about which membership option suits you best.
