This week, my roommate and I decided to try out “Squad Training” from the #UTrain on-demand YouTube video workouts. The class sounded pretty similar to what my roommate was used to when training in the gym with her Varsity team when the facilities were open — indeed, the description wrote, “Detailed programming + a personalized coaching experience + the camaraderie of a team = you training like a pro in no time.”
I was really intrigued by how they were going to achieve the personalized training and team camaraderie virtually, and I was excited to give it a try.
In order to achieve more of a trainer-trainee dynamic, this class was offered very differently from past classes I have done. There were two instructors: Trella, who would perform the movements, and Beth, who would talk us through each exercise that Trella was performing.
The two instructors really did make you feel like there was personalized training happening. Beth would instruct and correct Trella, creating a ‘squad’ dynamic.
One good thing to note is that if you run out of classes on YouTube, there are lots more like this one available on the @uoftfandp Instagram page. This class was originally filmed on Instagram Live on September 28. It was clear that it was the end of a quarantine routine series during the summer, but it felt strange watching it as we now enter lockdown again.
The class required two sets of weights, but the instructors were flexible about substitutes as Trella herself was using laundry solution containers for some of her own exercises. We began with a warmup, which led into three circuits, all of which involved squats.
The general structure of the circuits were two or three movements with rest between, all repeated three times. One of the circuits started with 15 seconds on, 15 seconds rest, with each round increasing the “on” time. The movements in this circuit involved some brutal jump squats, so be warned. Most of the circuits were full body, but the last circuit focused more on the core.
I really liked the music, but overall, the experience was not one of the best that UTrain has to offer. I really liked the structure of the class and the movements they chose, but unfortunately, the Instagram live structure made the quality less than ideal, and I found myself getting distracted often.
