F45 Training: Never Heard of It? You Will — and Soon

F45 Training is deceptively simple: the "F" stands for Functional and the 45 for the number of minutes of the workouts from start to finish. The workout is a combination of circuit, HIIT, and heavyweight training with a dash of CrossFit. Like CrossFit boxes, the F45 style is minimalist by design, with white walls emblazoned with the company logo as the only decoration.

The eye candy is the equipment, which is as diverse as the workouts: rowers, stationary bikes, benches and steps, kettlebells and free weights, TRX and battle ropes, BOSUs and medicine balls . . . multiple fitness tools to keep muscles confused and participants engaged.

One of the big differences between F45 and other small-format gyms is its content. The fitness teams at the mothership in Australia work with a bank of over 3,000 exercises to design 27 different workouts that are then delivered to each studio on a quarterly basis. The workouts — sporting hardcore names like "Althetica" and "Romans" — change daily and are described in sweat-soaked detail on F45's website. The intervals, rest periods, sets, and stations are preprogrammed in advance. Work intervals are typically under 45 seconds with shorter rest intervals with three or more rounds per station.

There can be as few as a handful of stations to several dozen, which would be a recipe for chaos but for the numerous flat-screen televisions ringing the studio. These screens handily display the exercise and its station number along with a recorded video of the move required. The screens also display the timing of each interval with a countdown and the number of sets per station. Each session depends on the screens for the content, but there are two coaches on hand to encourage and monitor for safety and form. Participants can also elect to do heart rate monitoring during class, allowing the coaches to help them reach target zones as the results are posted on screens visible to everyone. It also adds some healthy competition, which the coaches and participants seem to love. The hands-on coaching, team atmosphere, and screen prompts make this an appealing option for those who want their workouts to feature technology and human interaction.

These are small-footprint studios with just enough space to fit the equipment and participants, so they easily fit into shopping centers and strip-mall locations. (This makes rapid growth possible with less space required than a CrossFit box.) Most locations offer at least a one-week (or possibly two-week) free trial period. After that, rates vary by location. At the F45 I visited in West Plano, prices start at $35 for a drop-in class, $99 for an eight-class pass, or weekly/month unlimited passes at $50 and $200 respectively.

It may not be as affordable as some big-box gyms, but keep in mind that due to space limitations, most classes are capped at fewer than 30 participants (with two coaches), so the feel is more personalized than a typical group exercise class. Because they observe and don't have to lead the work, the coaches are 100 percent focused on the participant. My coaches were positive and encouraging, but weren't about to let me shirk out of any aspect of the work. Accountability with a smile. Most studios will offer five classes a day — two early morning, two evening, and one mid-morning session. Online booking secures your spot in a particular class.

For participants that want even more from their experience, they can join the F45 Challenge, an eight-week program that includes strict nutritional planning. Before and after shots and/or body scans are taken, and each studio has its own method of measuring body fat. Prizes are awarded for best transformations. Currently there are four eight-week programs with different nutritional coaching in each phase including meal plans, shopping lists, and educational support. The nutritional goals include decreasing water retention, lessening sugar cravings, losing fat, and adding lean muscle. Participation in the challenge is free and most of the support is web-based, though the studios encourage three to four sessions a week to achieve optimum results.

What about results? In Australia, the most vocal promoters are professional athletes, with many national-level rugby and football players owning their own franchises and singing their praises. My session coach told me that F45 caters to people that are looking for functional athletic workouts. The exercises can be modified (or "regressed") for someone just getting back into shape or "progressed" for someone at the top of their game. Even outside of the F45 Challenge, participants attending at least three sessions a week have seen noticeable fat loss, muscular toning, and increased cardio and muscle endurance. It's different than typical group exercise and has endless variety that keeps them coming back. And because the work comes in high-intensity bursts, the fat burning continues after the workout ends. What's not to like about that?

Now that you're excited to try it, look for studios coming near you soon. While already in many countries worldwide, F45's US presence is growing, with several studios already in California, Colorado, Texas, and New York — and several more on the way. Like CrossFit, F45 has its own branded competitions, called the F45 Playoffs. This franchise appears to be going all in, so stay tuned as this Australian hit spreads across America!