Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed by world-class fitness experts and credentialed coaches to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Cycle Sync Strength, a four-week program developed in collaboration with leading female physiology expert Stacy Sims, PhD, and led by four female Tonal coaches: Ash Wilking, Kendall Wood, Tanysha Renee, and Kristina Centenari.

Who It’s For

Cycle Sync Strength is designed for people with periods looking to make the most of their training. Whether you ovulate naturally, use oral contraceptives, or have an IUD, you can make this program work for you. 

This is an advanced-level program, and you should have some lifting experience before starting. 

The Goal

During your menstrual cycle, levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone fluctuate. In addition to their reproductive functions, these hormones affect numerous aspects of training including muscle protein synthesis, stress resilience, recovery, and strength and power development. 

By aligning your workouts to these hormonal changes, the Cycle Sync Strength program is designed to optimize your training by working with your cycle—not against it. You’ll push for strength and power PRs when your body is most resilient and primed for muscle development, and focus on endurance and recovery on the days when you’re lower on energy and less capable of handling stress. 

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As a result, you’ll be able to make bigger gains in your training and lower your risk of injury. It’s important to note, though, that training is different from performance. You can give your best performance in a race or competition at any point in your cycle. Training with your cycle is simply a way to get more out of your training by taking advantage of hormonal changes.

How It Works

To train with your menstrual cycle, you’ll need a brief understanding of its different phases and how hormone levels change. The first day of your period marks the start of your cycle and the beginning of the follicular phase. During this time, hormone levels are relatively low. 

In the days leading up to ovulation (the release of an egg from your ovary, typically on day 14 of your cycle), estrogen levels begin to climb and reach a peak. After ovulation, the luteal phase begins. In this phase, levels of both hormones rise before dropping off for the cycle to begin again.

Weeks one and two of Cycle Sync Strength coincide with the follicular phase when estrogen and progesterone levels are both low, and you’re most primed for stress, recovery, and adaptation. “From a physiological standpoint, when those hormones are low, we are able to really hit high intensities,” says Sims. “We have more carbohydrates available for hitting those high intensities, and we have more water available for sweating so we have better thermal regulation.” 

To take advantage of those benefits, you’ll concentrate on strength and power in these workouts with an emphasis on low-rep/heavy-resistance sets, high-intensity intervals, and plyometrics. Now’s the time to max out the power meter and give your 10 out of 10 effort in intervals. According to Jenna Moore, a certified strength and conditioning coach and Programming Specialist at Tonal, these are the “hardest-hitting weeks” of the program. 

If you feel fatigued or achy at the start of your period, don’t hesitate to turn on recovery weights in the first couple of workouts. Sims explains, though, that high-intensity work actually boosts anti-inflammatory and antioxidative responses, which can reduce cramping and pain. 

Although estrogen begins to rise toward the end of the follicular phase, estrogen on its own is anabolic (meaning it promotes muscle growth) according to Sims, so you’ll see a decrease in reps and an increase in load during week two for more strength gains. 

The training focus switches in week three following ovulation as you enter the luteal phase. “The body starts to shift from relying primarily on carbohydrates for fuel to relying on fat,” says Moore. She explains that while carbohydrates are excellent a fueling short bursts of high-intensity activity, fat takes longer to break down and, therefore, is best suited for sub-maximal effort activities. 

Therefore, these workouts emphasize endurance and stamina instead of all-out efforts that are more stressful and difficult to recover from. That means higher reps, lighter load, and longer but less intense intervals. Progesterone, which Sims explains is catabolic, meaning it breaks down lean muscle mass, also rises during this phase making strength adaptations more difficult. She says that keeping the intensity moderate this week lowers cortisol levels, inhibiting muscle breakdown. 

In the final week of the program, hormone levels peak and then begin to drop, which can make you feel sluggish and cause PMS symptoms. Since your stress resilience is at its lowest and your inflammation levels are high, this week serves as a deload with workouts that include mobility exercises, unilateral moves for building symmetry, and lifts with recovery weights. Light movement during this week can help you feel better without putting unnecessary stress on your body. 

The work you do in improving your range of motion, joint mobility, and balance during this phase will benefit your performance in heavy lifts later on. “There’s some skill acquisition you’ll do this week which is great because it’s not as taxing from a strength perspective,” says Moore, “but then you can take those new skills into your next phase.” You’ll finish the week feeling rested, recovered, and ready to push hard when your cycle begins again.  

If you still feel like you can hit big PRs during weeks three and four, go for it. Everyone responds differently to hormonal fluctuations, and ultimately you’re the one in charge. “There’s power in knowing your cycle and knowing the [typical] reaction to those phases, but there’s also power in being attuned to your body, listening to your body, and paying attention to the symptoms that you have,” says Moore.

The Key Moves

Week 1: Barbell Sumo Deadlift

Big, heavy compound lifts are a staple of week one, which is led by Coach Ash Wilking, and the barbell sumo deadlift (her personal favorite) is no exception. 

Since you’re primed for serious strength and power gains during this week, you’ll do this move with Chains mode activated to emphasize acceleration and power generation. It’s part of a power block full of other challenging lower-body moves that’ll fire up your legs and glutes. 

Week 2: Barbell Squat to Press

Coach Kendall Wood leads the workouts in week two, and she says this “powerhouse” move is perfect for tapping into your capacity for high-intensity work in the mid-follicular, low-hormone phase of your cycle. It’s also done with Chains mode for maximum power development. 

“It’s a great exercise for drilling the connection between the lower and upper body, generating power from the legs to transfer it to the core and arms,” she says. “The barbell squat to press not only makes you more aware of the kinetic chain and the power it holds but also makes you feel like a badass.” 

Week 3: Resisted DNS Star

The workouts in week three, led by Coach Tanysha Renee, are slightly less intense than in weeks one and two, but the movements are still challenging. She loves this exercise that trains hip abduction, which is essential for moving your legs away from the midline of your body. 

“Say hello to healthy hips and knees for greater ease of walking, running, and getting out of bed,” says Renee. “You also activate the core and the muscles that support the spine for improved posture.” 

Week 4: Single-Arm Rotational Punch

During the high-hormone luteal phase when you’re least resilient to stress, week four is all about movement quality and mobility. While you won’t be lifting as much resistance in these workouts, which are led by Coach Kristina Centenari, you’ll be priming your body to go heavy again once hormone levels drop. 

“It’s a move that’s not going to be loaded too heavily–perfect for my deload week–but still allows you to work through some sort of loaded spinal rotation,” she says. “This is so important for the overall health of our spine, and we don’t do it enough.”

When to Do It

With this program, timing is crucial for lining up the workouts with the phases of your cycle. Tracking your period and estimating when you ovulate will help with scheduling your workouts. 

Cycle Sync Strength consists of 16 workouts meant to be completed over the course of four weeks (four workouts per week) or 28 days, the length of an average menstrual cycle. Generally, you’ll start the program on the first day of your period. If you are on oral contraceptives, you’ll start with Week 2 Day 1 (Workout 5) on the first day of your pill pack and complete the weeks in this order: 2, 3, 4, 1.

If you ovulate naturally (that is, you’re not on oral contraceptives), you’ll want to complete the last workout of week 2 (Workout 8) 24-48 hours before ovulation. Because most cycle length variation occurs during the follicular phase, you may have to spread out or compress the workouts in the first two weeks of the program if you have an especially long or short cycle. That might mean taking an extra rest day if you have a longer cycle, or skipping a workout if you have a shorter cycle. 

As for what to do on your program off-days, Moore says it’s best to rest or consider gentle recovery sessions since these workouts are demanding. If you’re experiencing any PMS symptoms, try Yoga for PMS. With light movement and focused breathing, this session is designed to ease cramps, bloating, and lower back pain.  

Refer to the two calendars below to see how to fit these workouts into your schedule. 

Cycle Sync Strength Calendar Option 1

Use this calendar if any of the following apply: 

• You ovulate naturally.
• You’re not on combination oral contraceptives (pills that contain estrogen and progestin).
• You’re on a progestin-only oral contraceptive.  
• You have a copper or non-hormonal IUD.
• You’ve started ovulating naturally with a progestin-only IUD (typically 8 months after insertion). 

In this calendar, Day 1 represents the first day of your period. Aim to complete Workout 8 24-48 hours before ovulation.

Cycle Sync Strength Calendar Option 2

Use this calendar if you are on combination oral contraceptives (pills with estrogen and progestin). The main difference with this calendar is you will start the program with Week 2 Day 1 (Workout 5). 

In this calendar, Day 1 represents the first day of your pill pack.

What’s Next

Continue reaping the benefits of training with your cycle by selecting workouts and programs that align with your hormones. Moore recommends stacking these two two-week programs, the first focuses on power (good for weeks one and two of your cycle) and the second emphasizes movement quality (for weeks three and four). 

Power Gains – Coach Tim Landicho 

Ideal for the first two weeks of your cycle, this program will help you push through plateaus and hit new PRs in your heavy lifts. In these workouts, you’ll perform the same movement with Eccentric mode to build strength and Chains mode to develop power. 

Fun and Functional Strength – Coach Kristina Centenari

Similar to the final two weeks of Cycle Sync Strength, this program stresses endurance and movement quality over high-intensity work. Centenari guides you through foundational strength training exercises (including squatting, hinging, pushing, and pulling) so you can improve your technique, and then challenges you with more complex variations.

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By Jonathan Flicker

Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength with Tonal coach and certified personal trainer Kendall “Woody” Wood.

Who It’s For

Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength is an intermediate-level program designed for the everyday athlete who wants to build foundational strength and muscle while losing fat and shifting their body composition.

Getting all of these results in just one program isn’t easy, but Wood explains, “we’re doing that by way of foundational compound lifts and movement patterns in higher rep schemes with lighter weights, then weaving in plyometric bursts and off-Tonal intervals.”

This program is a great choice for someone who used to play sports and still loves to challenge their athleticism, the weekend warrior who dabbles in recreational activities with friends, or anyone who wants to bring out their inner athlete.

“Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength, is a great program to tap into for people who want to push their limits and have the goals of getting lean and shaping up,” Wood says.

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How It Works

In this program, Wood uses a combination of traditional strength training and plyometrics over four workouts per week: an upper-body day targeting chest and back, a lower-body day, a second upper-body day working the shoulders and core, and then a full-body day. 

In weeks one and two, you’re establishing proficiency in the movement patterns before you progress in terms of level and complexity in weeks three and four. The idea is to progressively overload the muscles and stimulate adaptation.

“To move the needle, we need to have novel stimulus of progressive overload every couple of weeks,” says Jenna Moore, a certified strength and conditioning coach and Programming Specialist at Tonal. “The plyometric nature of the program stimulates fast-twitch muscle fibers to create the bigger, faster, stronger aesthetic and mentality.” She adds that the compound lifts are done at a moderate rep range of 8-10 reps to build muscle. 

In each workout, the purpose of the first block is preparation, with movement variations that are slightly less intense to prime your body for the bigger, more technical movements you’re going to see later on. Think of it as an extended warmup.

The moves in the second (primary) block feature big compound lifts. In the first two weeks, those main movements are accompanied by active recovery exercises to give you additional time to rest, but in weeks three and four, it’s game on; they’re paired with explosive plyometrics with similar mechanics creating what is known as contrast sets. “Super-setting two movements of the same muscle group in this manner increases our force production and subsequent muscle growth,” says Wood.   

The third and final block of each workout is all about cranking up your metabolism with more cardio and conditioning movements to improve agility, coordination, and explosiveness. This is when you really challenge your inner athlete, build resiliency, and strengthen the stabilizing muscles around the joints creating a more durable body.

The Key Moves

Rotational Row

Wood is a huge fan of this move along with the rotational lift and chop because, as she says, “they train the body how to transfer power and force.” These moves help you become familiar with how your kinetic chain—the interrelated group of segments within your body that work together to perform moves—functions. 

Bird Dog with Row

This is a challenging move that combines two exercises, the bird dog and the single-arm row, and taps into your back, glutes, core, and shoulders. “This is a move where you need to self-correct, a term I use a lot because it empowers you and helps you notice any inconsistency in your movement pattern without me pointing it out,” explains Wood.

Barbell Hip Thrust

The barbell hip thrust is one of Wood’s all-time favorite moves because of how it isolates and strengthens the glutes from a shortened position. “Stronger glutes equals a stronger body. The stronger the glutes, the more support for the spine and the entire trunk,” she says. 

Barbell Sumo Deadlift

This lower-body compound move targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, and back. “We’re really tapping into the hips here,” she says, “and asking a lot from the glutes especially the glute medius,” a key muscle that stabilizes the pelvis and helps keep your trunk upright when walking or running.

When to Do it

Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength has 16 workouts designed to be completed in four weeks, with four workouts per week. “The cadence of this workout is set as on, on, off, on, off, on, off. People should fit them in when they can, but minimally getting in one or two rest days in the cycle is ideal to get full recovery,” says Moore. Wood agrees about the importance of the scheduled rest days. “You don’t want to run the risk of burning out by skipping rest days,” she says. “Listen to your body.”  A typical week might look like this:

Moore says that the most important thing is consistency and setting your intentions for each day.“You will get out what you put in. If you’re looking to maximize your results, show up every workout ready to give it your all,” she says.

What to Do Next

Power Hour 2 – Coach Kendall Wood

“If your momentum is high after completing this program, you should tap into my recently released Power Hour 2,” says Wood. It uses the same general idea of incorporating the most fundamental compound lifts and maximizing your power by pairing them with off-Tonal plyometrics. “It will be a fun test of how far you’ve come and how strong you’ve gotten, but it’s not for the faint of heart,” she says.

Power Gains – Coach Tim Landicho

In this program, “The rep ranges are in the 6 to 8 range, which makes it a perfect progression from the 8 to 10 we used in Lean, Mean, Athletic Strength,” says Moore. It utilizes the Bulgarian Method to build strength and power. This method uses Eccentric and Chains mode to vary between slower, more controlled, and faster, more dynamic reps of the same movement.

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Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Off-Season Strength with Tonal coach, certified personal trainer, and competitive athlete Kristina Centenari.

Who It’s For

Off-Season Strength is an intermediate-level program designed for competitive and recreational athletes looking to excel at the sports and activities they love. Even if you don’t play a structured sport, you’ll benefit by developing a strong foundation to move better through everyday life. 

“It’s for someone who is looking to get really strong by getting back to the basics and get a better understanding of how their body moves through those basics,” explains Centenari, an accomplished runner and triathlete, skier, and former competitive tennis player. In addition to getting in-depth knowledge of your own body, you’ll also gain the confidence to perform your activity without pain or injury.

The Goal

Centenari knows that it’s easy to get sucked into a state of mind where you prioritize performance over long-term health in your training. “I did that as an athlete, and it took a heavy toll on my mind and body,” she says. “This program is designed to help you build a foundation so you can bulletproof your body.” 

You’ll do that by building muscle, power, and connective tissue strength in the tendons and ligaments. “Our connective tissue is there to stabilize the joints, so we need to make sure that it can handle the demands of our training and our daily activities,” adds Josh Clay, a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

For athletes, there’s a lot of talk about raising the ceiling of achievement, but, as Centenari says, “if you don’t have a solid floor or foundation, you’re putting a limit on yourself, and it sets you up for injury, plateau, or burnout.” Off-Season Strength is all about building that solid floor to help you become your strongest, most capable, and most resilient self.

How It Works

In this program, Centenari uses tenets of the Conjugate Method, which exposes you to varying degrees of intensity to improve both strength and power. She adds accessory and isometric work to improve lower-back stability, connective tissue strength, and overall joint health. 

In the program, you’ll complete four workouts per week for four weeks. Two days per week will be devoted to maximum-effort strength, while the other two will focus on dynamic-effort power, with each day targeting either the upper or lower body. Because each day focuses on either strength or power, the intention behind the blocks varies depending on the goal of the workout. 

The first block of each workout pairs a primary, low-repetition move with an active recovery or accessory exercise to increase your range of motion and give your muscles time to rest. The two strength days feature a descending rep scheme working up to a heavy last set. But in the power workouts, Chains mode is activated to maximize velocity with the goal of getting every rep over the 80 percent line of Tonal’s power meter. 

The second block on each day is all about either hypertrophy and core or power with moderate repetitions. Here, you’re being exposed to movement patterns you may not be used to, such as moving laterally, plus a primary upper- or lower-body move to enhance power. 

The third and final block contains rotational and anti-rotational core moves to increase spinal stability. You’ll also see accessory exercises including isometric holds to build postural endurance and connective tissue strength around the hips, knees, and ankles. “Isometric movements require maximal contraction of the muscle [and] the more muscle we can recruit to work, the more strength and power we will be able to produce,” says Centenari. “Isometric strength is largely dependent on overall core strength and trunk stability, which is why we are aligning these concepts throughout the program.”

The Key Moves

Racked Squat

The front-loaded squat is a staple of lower-body strength days. This foundational lower-body push move strengthens the quads and glutes, but the upright position of your torso requires a ton of abdominal strength, making this a great core exercise as well.

Bench Press 

The bench press is a classic compound upper-body strengthening movement. With this exercise, you’re targeting your chest, shoulders, and triceps all at once. “Having a strong upper body will help in pretty much all aspects of life, sport, and movement,” says Centenari. “Whether you are a tennis player swinging a racket or a runner swinging your arms back and forth, this compound lift will help you efficiently build more strength and power.”

Neutral Grip Deadlift 

A foundational hip-hinge move known for its potent ability to strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, deadlifts actually work your entire posterior chain, the muscles on the backside of your body that run from your heels all the way up to the back of your neck. In this program, you’ll do deadlifts on power days with Chains mode activated so you can focus on force and velocity. 

Close Grip Bench Press 

Unlike the traditional bench press, the shoulder-width grip of this move activates the triceps more than the shoulders, allowing for greater power and velocity. Clay points out that “power is the first thing to degenerate as we age, so it’s really important that we continue training to increase it.”

Isometrics (Iso Squat Hold, Iso Split Squat, Superhero Iso Hold)

An isometric contraction is a muscle contraction without motion, and Off-Season Strength has three isometric moves that are key to improving connective tissue strength and spinal stability. “The bottom of your range of motion, when muscles are lengthened, is best for strengthening connective tissue,” says Clay, which is why the two lower-body exercises are performed in the lengthened position. The superhero iso hold is designed to strengthen the lower back’s ability to tolerate spinal extension.

While holding an exercise may seem easier than moving heavy loads, Centenari points out that many people underestimate how hard isometrics are, so be sure to bring your focus to these.

When to Do It

Off-Season strength consists of 16 workouts designed to be completed four times per week for four weeks. Clay recommends doing the first two workouts of the week on consecutive days, followed by a rest day; and then the third and fourth workouts on consecutive days followed by two rest days. A sample schedule might look like:

“You have to work and put in the reps to be consistent but be smart about it by giving yourself the rest you need to get stronger,” says Centenari. 

If you’re training for a sport, it’s best to do this program four to eight weeks out from when the season starts, or complete it a week before your first day of practice or training. 

“If you have performance goals, do this program before you start that specific training,” says Centenari, and Clay adds, “The number one thing is to show up consistently, and to train with an intensity that drives adaptation. Intent is everything.” 

What to Do Next

20-in-20 for Runners – Coach Kristina Centenari

“If you feel confident, start to explore more specific goal-focused programs,” says Centenari. 20-in-20 for Runners has a focus on unilateral work and is a great program for the recreational runner, or anyone looking to move better in sports or through life.

Ski Strong – Coach Kristina Centenari

While this program was designed to improve performance specifically for skiing, Clay recommends this as another great follow-up to Off-Season Strength. Sports are very much about deceleration and change of direction, which requires a ton of eccentric strength. Ski Strong heavily emphasizes this while also focusing on power-based exercises.

Power Build – Coach Joe Rodonis

If you’re ready for the next challenge and are interested in building muscle, especially in the glutes and chest, consider this hypertrophy program. It also uses the Conjugate Method to build strength, muscle, and explosive power, but Power Build has a progression in terms of load due to lower reps and correlating higher weight. 

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It’s not easy to pick a favorite among Tonal’s coaches—all certified personal trainers with the skills and experience to help you reach your fitness goals. But just as every Tonal member is unique, each coach has their own personal style. You might find that one coach’s motivational words, form cues, or energy particularly resonate with you. 

That’s part of why the Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets program rotated through six different Tonal coaches. Not only does it keep each workout feeling fresh, but it also helps you identify a coach you align with best. If you especially liked lifting with one or more of these coaches, check out the list below for more programs and workouts to try next. If you loved them all, there are also additional multi-coach programs that offer the variety you’ve come to love in the January challenge.

Ash Wilking

Ash brings her energy and motivational tough love to all her workouts and programs. Check out the options below for more opportunities to work out with this accomplished athlete. 

Shaped and Shredded: Maximum Burn

Lifting heavy doesn’t mean getting bulky. Follow Ash’s lead in this four-week program to see how building strength and lean muscle in high-volume workouts will boost your confidence and actually help you get lean. It’s an advanced program, but if you finished Four Weeks Fast Track: Fresh Sets Level II, you’ll be up for the challenge. 

Quick Fit: Upper-Body Balance

In this short but effective beginner workout, you’ll work your chest and back muscles in a push-pull circuit that’s ideal for creating balanced strength. 

Fired-Up Glutes

You’re guaranteed to feel the burn in your glutes as you work your backside from every angle in this high-intensity workout. The short rest periods keep your heart rate elevated to torch calories.

Joe Rodonis

When you put in the hard work with Joe, you know you’ll get results. He’ll encourage you to keep challenging yourself while imparting his valuable fitness wisdom. 

Power Build

Spend four weeks with Joe in this advanced program, and you’ll build muscle and develop power through intense heavy lifts and explosive plyometrics. 

Quick Fit: Core 360

Even if you don’t have much time, it’s easy to squeeze in this quick core workout. In this session, you’ll attack your core muscles from every angle so you can feel stronger and supported in all your lifts. 

Sweat to Destress

Take your workout off Tonal in this sweaty, heart-pumping cardio session. The moves are tough, but you’ll finish feeling accomplished.

Kristina Centenari

Kristina delivers her educational take on improving your movement patterns with a side of tips for mental strength and resilience. Whether you’re an athlete or want to move better in everyday life, her workouts have you covered. 

20-in-20 For Runners 

Complement your running training with this four-week program that includes full-body strength, stability, and power. As an Ironman and marathon runner, Kristina knows what it takes to run strong. 

Full-Body Deload

When you’re feeling sore or stiff after a hard workout, this active recovery session will promote blood flow to your tired muscles and speed up healing. You’ll do on-Tonal lifts at a reduced weight and off-Tonal stretches to loosen up.

Quick Fit: Alternating Sides

If you’re hitting a plateau in your lifts, it could be because of imbalances between your right and left sides. In this workout, Kristina will show you how to uncover any weaknesses or asymmetries through a series of unilateral exercises.

Tim Landicho

With his warm energy and empowering spirit, Tim makes you feel at home in all his workouts—and makes sure you’re having fun as you get fit. 

Power Gains

Step up your muscle-building in this two-week program as Tim teaches you how to utilize the Bulgarian method—performing the same exercise with Eccentric Mode to build strength and Chains Mode to gain power—for serious results. 

Remix the Reps

Between high-rep, low-rep, and ascending-rep sets, this full-body workout will keep you on your toes as you’re continually switching it up. 

Quick Fit: Full Body Stability

Improve your balance and stability by working in different planes of motion and performing unilateral moves in this quick full-body session. Tim’s insightful cues will help you focus on movement quality.

Tanysha Renee 

Working out with Tanysha is like joining a supportive fitness community where everyone’s rooting for you to succeed. With her empowering mantras and no-nonsense style, she’ll leave you feeling not just stronger, but confident in your strength. 

Long and Lean Strength

Tanysha brings her background in Pilates-inspired training to this four-week program that focuses on holistic fitness. The workouts blend strength training, flexibility, and core work to improve your posture, balance, and mobility. 

Express Muscle: Upper Body

When you work efficiently and keep the intensity high, it doesn’t take a ton of time to build strength. That’s the goal of this upper-body workout that’s designed to challenge you the whole way through. 

Quick Fit: Foam Roller Core Activation 

Your foam roller isn’t just for loosening up sore muscles. In this workout, Tanysha shows you how to use it as a tool to activate your deep core muscles.

Kendall “Woody” Wood

No matter what mood you’re in before your workout, you’ll always finish with a smile on your face thanks to Woody, who brings high energy to every workout and will push your limits but make sure you’re having fun in the process. 

20-in-20: Explosive Strength

The quick workouts in this four-week program combine heavy strength training with fast-paced interval training to develop your power and athleticism. Push through fatigue in these high-intensity sessions to maximize your results. 

Quick Fit: Sit and HIIT

This workout proves you can get in a full-body high-intensity session without any high-impact plyometrics. Woody will show you how to get your heart pumping and the sweat flowing with beginner-friendly moves that are all easy on your joints. 

Express Muscle: Full Body

Eccentric and Burnout Modes add a new dimension to foundational lifts in this full-body workout. Varying rep schemes keep the intensity high throughout the session.

Multi-Coach Programs

If your favorite part of the Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets program was getting to work out with different Tonal coaches, you’ll love these programs. Featuring four or more coaches, these programs are ideal for variety seekers and anyone else who likes seeing a new face on their Tonal screen every day.

Mini Sets, Major Gains

If you’re ready to push yourself to the next level after the intermediate Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets program, try this two-week program led by Tim, Joe, Kristina, and Tanysha. The workouts in this program feature cluster sets, an advanced lifting technique in which you repeat each movement for multiple sets in a row, to spark new muscle growth and help you break through plateaus. 

Compound Combos

Build more muscle with this two-week, beginner program featuring Joe, Tansyha, Kristina, and Tim. You’ll work out three days per week and focus on developing full-body strength through foundational compound exercises. It’s an excellent follow-up for building on the strength-training foundation you established in Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets Level I. 

20-in-20 Lean Machine

Short on time? The workouts in this intermediate, four-week program are all 20 minutes or less. Led by Woody, Joe, Ash, Tanysha, and Kristina, these sessions are designed to fire up your metabolism with compound lifts and explosive plyometrics. You’ll definitely finish feeling sweaty, but the results will be worth the burn. 

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Finishing the Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets challenge is a major accomplishment, but you already know you’re just getting started. Once you’ve had a chance to celebrate, give yourself a pat on the back, and take the appropriate recovery period, it’s time to get excited about your next workout program because multi-week programs are one of the best ways to reach your goals. 

In fact, Tonal members who enroll in programs are 55 percent more consistent week-over-week compared to those who only do one-off workouts. Tonal’s systematic workout programs are designed to continually and safely challenge you through progressive overload, or a gradual increase of the amount of stress on your body.

Following a program ensures you’re working all your muscle groups evenly and striking the right balance between work and recovery. In other words, you lift just hard enough to see results but not so hard that you burn out or get injured. 

Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets alternated between a muscular endurance focus and a hypertrophy focus each week to improve your fitness and build base strength. On Tonal, you’ll find programs with both types of workouts, so if you had a favorite week during the challenge, you’ll likely enjoy a program with a similar goal. 

Here are some options to choose from based on your experience level and the type of training you’re seeking:

If You Finished Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets Level I…

…and you loved the endurance workouts:

Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets Level II – Multiple Coaches

With the same coaches and hypertrophy/endurance breakdown of the beginner program, this intermediate version is a natural next step after the Level I program. 

Instead of doing three, full-body days each week, your workouts are broken down into lower-body, upper-body, and full-body sessions. After completing Level I, you’ll be ready to take on the higher volume in this program and the heart-pumping conditioning circuits. 

Full-Body Foundation – Coach Tim Landicho 

Designed to help you get lean, this program features a mix of metabolic conditioning and strength training in every workout. Full-body compound lifts and short rest periods keep your heart rate up so you’ll burn fat as you build lean muscle. 

….and you loved the hypertrophy workouts:

Compound Combos – Multiple Coaches

Continue building muscle as you dial in your form for foundational compound lifts in this workout program. It’s led by four coaches—a plus if you enjoyed the variety of Four Week Fast Tracks: Fresh Sets—and includes different rep counts to give you a feel of what it’s like to lift at different intensity levels. 

Beginner Push-Pull – Coach Tim Landicho 

In push-pull training, you work all your major muscle groups evenly while allowing them plenty of time to recover. Learn the basics of this proven method for building balance in the body as you master foundational pushing and pulling movements.

If You Finished Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets Level II…

…and you loved the endurance workouts:

Shaped and Shredded: Maximum Burn – Coach Ash Wilking

These high-volume workouts are all about building lean muscle and torching calories. You’ll lift heavy and get your heart rate skyrocketing with plyometrics. Each workout finishes with an explosive block to leave you sweaty and boost your confidence. 

High Resistance Reps – Coach Tanysha Renee

Improve your endurance with high-rep sets, short rest periods, and heavy compound moves. Each full-body workout is designed to boost your strength and stamina so you can perform better in your workouts and in everyday life.

….and you loved the hypertrophy workouts:

Mini Sets, Major Gains – Multiple Coaches

Rack up the volume in this program that uses cluster sets, in which you repeat each move for multiple sets with minimal rest in between, to drive big results. This advanced lifting technique lets you get more reps done in less time to break through plateaus and build muscle. 

Drop Set Strength – Coach Joe Rodonis

Accelerate hypertrophy using drop sets in this challenging—but rewarding—muscle-building workout program. As you fatigue during a set, Tonal’s Burnout Mode kicks in to lower the weight so you can keep repping it out to the finish line.

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Every time you do a coach-led workout on Tonal, you’re completing a specific series of exercises in a particular order designed to maximize your results. In this series, The Why Behind the Workout, we break down the science behind a particular workout or program. 

Here, we go deep on Divide and Conquer: Level Up with Tonal coach and certified personal trainer Joe Rodonis.

Who It’s For

Divide and Conquer: Level Up is an advanced-level program designed for experienced lifters looking to gain strength and lean muscle mass. “It’s great if you’ve been performing a lot of compound movements for a while,” says Rodonis. “This program allows you to isolate specific parts of the body and give other areas the rest they need.”

Fans of the original (and hugely popular) Tonal program Divide and Conquer will see some similarities in the new program, but these workouts feature advanced rep schemes to accelerate hypertrophy. “The beauty of a program like this is we are going to build muscle by the end of it and the body will be feeling primed and ready for more,” says Rodonis. Unlike high-intensity resistance training, this type of strength training includes plenty of rest in between sets to drive growth. You’ll feel the burn, but also feel prepared for your next challenge.

How it Works

Inspired by classic bodybuilding splits spread across five workouts per week for four weeks, each workout in Divide and Conquer: Level Up focuses on a specific body part: chest, back, arms, and shoulders, and two leg days. “The vast majority of bodybuilders follow a split similar to this where they focus on one muscle group per week,” says Rodonis. “We hit legs twice because we never skip leg day.” 

​​Josh Clay, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and Fitness Programming Specialist at Tonal who collaborated with Rodonis to design this new program, explains that the first two blocks in these workouts are structured around the modified wave method. That means for your big lifts—such as deadlifts, bench presses, and rows—you’ll alternate between higher-rep, lighter-resistance sets and lower-rep, heavier-resistance sets.

“The heavier exercises help to build strength, while the higher rep exercises help to build muscle,” says Clay. “Those heavier sets will activate the higher threshold motor units we’re trying to grow within the muscle fibers.” 

Mixing up the rep scheme also ensures you’ll be able to perform every set at high intensity. “Higher volume sets, even anything above 10 reps, is extremely fatiguing and extremely demanding on the tissues,” says Clay. “Including lower-rep, heavier-load sets helps mitigate fatigue.” 

You’ll also balance work and recovery within the Divide and Conquer: Level Up workouts by performing an active recovery move in between sets of your main lifts—think: a prone shoulder sweep after an overhead press—to give your muscles time to rest. “By incorporating active rest, we give the body the time it needs in order to maintain a high level of output from set to set,” says Clay.

“Hypertrophy programs like this are not high impact and we isolate muscle with plenty of rest to drive growth,” Rodonis adds. “Strength training and lifting at max effort can take its toll. So having this [recovery] phase incorporated in your training will serve you well.”

When to Do it

Because the workouts in this program are divided up between different parts of the body, allowing certain muscle groups time to rest while others work, Rodonis says you can “absolutely attack this back-to-back,” performing the workouts on five consecutive days and resting two days. For example, if you train Monday through Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday, you can complete the 20 workouts in this program in four weeks. 

Alternatively, you could split up the five workouts and take your rest days on Wednesdays and Sundays. “I would just want to make sure you have 48 hours of recovery between leg days,” says Rodonis. Whatever cadence you choose, Rodonis recommends listening to your body. “If you feel tired and need a day, take it and then hop back in,” he says.

The Key Moves

Here’s a taste of the lifting you’ll do in this program. These exercises are designed to challenge all your major muscle groups. 

Standing Chest Press

One of Rodonis’s favorite chest movements, this exercise is a good complement to the classic bench press because it allows for a deeper stretch as you pull your arms back. You’ll work your shoulders and triceps along with your chest muscles and—because the move is performed standing—you’ll also engage your core. 

Barbell RDL

“Mastering the hinge will change your training,” says Rodonis. He calls the RDL “a beautiful hamstring move” because it truly isolates those big leg muscles. It strengthens the hamstring in the lengthened position, where most people tend to be weakest. 

Reverse Fly

This fly variation is excellent for working the back and shoulder muscles, especially the rear deltoids. “Don’t sleep on the rear delts,” says Rodonis. “They add great detail to the shoulders and arms.” 

Overhead Triceps Extension

To isolate the triceps and build strength in the upper arms, Rodonis loves this single-joint exercise. In addition to sculpting your triceps, this move will also boost your performance in compound exercises like the bench press. 

Barbell Deadlift 

“How can you not love the deadlift?” says Rodonis. “It’s a staple in any program I do.” Ideal for developing “raw strength,” this basic lift is essential for building strong glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

What to Do Next

Looking for your next challenge? Try one of these four-week programs to build on the strength you’ve gained in Divide and Conquer: Level Up.

Power Build – Coach Joe Rodonis

“Power Build would complement [this program] nicely if you want to condition the muscle you’ve built to generate more speed and power,” says Rodonis. In Power Build, you’ll keep working on strength and hypertrophy through heavy lifting while adding explosive movements to express power. 

Power Gains – Coach Tim Landicho 

Like Divide and Conquer: Level Up, this program is geared toward hypertrophy with reps in the 6-10 range that’s the sweet spot for building muscle. This program also adds the challenge of Tonal’s dynamic weight modes, like Eccentric Mode to gain strength and Chains Mode to develop power. 

Drop Set Strength – Coach Joe Rodonis

For a different approach to hypertrophy, Clay recommends this program that utilizes drop sets, a proven technique for packing in volume to build muscle. The workouts in this program use Tonal’s Burnout Mode to reduce resistance during a set as you fatigue so you can keep pushing to the finish.

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It’s easy to kick off the new year with healthy habits. The hard part is sticking with those habits all year long. 

This January, jumpstart your fitness journey with Tonal’s Four Week Fast Track: Fresh Sets challenge. You’ll start the year strong and establish exercise and nutrition strategies that’ll see you through the rest of 2023—and beyond. 

The month-long challenge combines a four-week, on-demand Tonal program (choose from beginner or intermediate/advanced tracks) with nutrition tips, healthy meal prep recipes, and guidance on how to set goals, establish habits, and create lasting change. 

Doing the same boring workout and eating the same bland meals every day is a surefire way to burn out and give up too soon. That’s why this year’s challenge is all about variety. 

You’ll mix it up and improve your overall fitness with fun and engaging workouts led by six different coaches. The programming alternates weekly between a focus on hypertrophy and endurance so you can build muscle and shed fat. In between program days, you’ll have the option to do active recovery and mobility sessions so you can feel and perform your best. By the end of the month, you’ll be stronger, more powerful, and ready for your next challenge. 

Each week, you’ll also get delicious meal prep recipes that allow you to cook one big batch of food and remix it multiple ways, so you can enjoy fresh meals while minimizing prep time. These easy recipes align with the workout focus of each week and are sure to become part of your regular rotation.

And you won’t be alone in the journey: Tonal’s expert coaches will guide you through the month in the Official Tonal Community, where you’ll find support and motivation from other members taking on the challenge.

Keep an eye on your inbox for weekly emails with more info, and check back here where we’ll be rolling out new recipes and helpful tips each week. 

Get excited and get ready for fresh workouts and real results.

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By John Christie and Karen Iorio Adelson

No matter the sport, nearly all professional athletes—from swimmers and golfers to NBA champs and soccer stars—incorporate strength training into their routines. That’s because they know resistance training can improve speed, power, coordination, and resiliency against injuries. 

While most of us aren’t competing at the highest level, we can still enjoy the benefits of strength training in our favorite activities. When we have a goal in mind—like a faster 5K time or a skiing season free of aches and pains—targeted performance training is the best way to prepare for those specific challenges.

What is Performance Training?

Performance training on Tonal comes in two flavors: Sports-specific programs and workouts geared toward activities including running, skiing, and golf; and general performance workouts that’ll help you develop the strength, coordination, and explosive movement that nearly all sports demand. In both types of training, you’ll focus on working through dynamic resistance to improve your movement control. 

In sports-specific training, you’ll focus on exercises that either mimic movements you’ll do in that sport or work the main muscles you need to perform your best. These could be deadlifts for runners looking to build stronger hamstrings and glutes for charging up hills, or rotational exercises that mirror the movement of a golf swing for more powerful drives. You can do these programs at any point in your competitive season, although they may be best early in your prep so as to not interfere with your peak training. Your coaches in these programs will break down how each exercise translates to your performance off Tonal. 

In addition to multi-week programs designed to prep you for a season of competition, Tonal also offers a variety of dynamic warmups, restorative cooldowns, and quick sessions that will help you quickly transition to and from your peak performance mode. 

At-home resistance training can prevent injuries caused by the repetitive motions of a specific sport by encouraging quality movement in your tendons and ligaments. Strength training can also counteract the wear and tear on the body that commonly occurs from poor movement patterns developed in competitive sports. For example, limited hip mobility in runners can alter how your foot strikes the ground, which can lead to misalignment of the knee joint. Training movement quality and control through strength training can help you regain proper alignment and reduce pain over time. 

Performance training isn’t just for competitive athletes. Even if you’re just playing catch with your kids, enjoying the occasional pick-up basketball game, or trying to hold your own in the annual family Turkey Trot, you have lots to gain from sports-specific training. The whole-body, multiplanar movements in these workouts prime your muscles and nervous system to be ready for any kind of challenge, at any level.  

Check out the programs and workouts below to find one that’ll help you perform better in the activities you love.

Sport-Specific Programs and Workouts

Ski Strong – Coach Kristina Centenari

This two-week program is an excellent primer to ski season, with a heavy focus on lower-body strength, stability, and explosive power. You’ll work on unilateral and alternate-side moves such as the racked reverse lunge and skater bounds to prepare for transferring your weight side-to-side on the slopes, and upper-body moves to train rotational stability and power for managing the twists and turns of any run you take. Though this program is designed for skiing, it’s also great preparation for water sports, board sports, or activities that involve navigating downhill terrain such as mountain biking and trail running. 

20-in-20 for Runners – Coach Kristina Centenari

The focus on full-body strength, stability, and power in this program is the perfect complement to improve your running technique and trim your pace. With her competitive running background, Coach Kristina provides valuable information on how each move helps your running. The 20-minute sessions are short (but very effective) so they complement—but don’t interfere—with your weekly mileage or race training. 

Workouts for Golfers

All the moves in this collection of golf-specific workouts are designed to correlate with key elements of your game. Lower-body and rotational strength and power moves such as suitcase reverse lunge and rotational row will help add distance to your drives. These workouts also emphasize stability and control with moves such as the resisted DNS star and iso split squat single-arm chest press to improve your swing mechanics by training neuromuscular control through range of motion.

Performance Workouts 

Rotational Hip Mobility – Coach Kristina Centenari

In many sports, including tennis, golf, basketball, and baseball,  your hips tend to be the central force behind your performance. Over time, though, it’s easy to lose track of the importance of hip mobility and its contribution to your competitive edge. This session focuses on restoring your control, range of motion, and rotation through your hips with a series of movements and stretches.

Single-Leg Strength Quick Fit – Coach Joe Rodonis

This quick session is an excellent primer for sports as nearly every athletic endeavor requires powerful transfer of force in a dynamic environment, often from one leg at a time: Think: kicking a soccer ball, throwing a football, or shooting a lay-up in basketball This session incorporates controlled rotation through the torso, which is critical in transferring force from your hip to your arms—a skill you’ll need for throwing a ball, hitting a baseball, or swinging a golf club. 

Strength Day Warm-Up – Coach Nikki Metzger

Ready your lower body, hips, torso, and shoulders with this warmup. The progressions of movement through this session are great preparation for strength or sport, building from mobility and stability into dynamic and more powerful moves.

Substitutes While on the Go

While you’re away from home, bring your Tonal programming with you via On-The-Go sessions on the mobile app. These workouts let you prepare and recover for your specific activity with purposeful coaching guidance. Filter your search by type or duration to match your needs as you’re on the move. You’ll find sport-specific mobility, strength, and recovery sessions. 

What’s Next

During your off-season or whenever you’re able to expand your focus beyond sport-specific training,  you might want to take a broader approach to your fitness. Get stronger and more powerful with a Build Muscle program or cut body fat and build lean muscle in a Get Lean program—both will ultimately boost your athletic performance. To improve how you move both athletically and in everyday life, try an Improve Fitness program.

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By John Christie and Karen Iorio Adelson

Strength training is one of the most effective steps you can take for your long-term health and wellness, with benefits that include weight loss, stronger bones, and feeling happier. But there’s a misconception that you have to already be fit, athletic, and injury-free to get started. 

Resistance training enables pain-free, functional movement, allowing you to feel and move better every day. So if you’re a total beginner—or returning after an illness, injury, or time in your life that derailed your routine—you have even more to gain from making strength training a habit. 

That’s why Tonal offers programs designed to help you get started—or come back better than before. Led by expert coaches guiding you on form and technique, these workouts are safe and engaging for both new exercisers and those returning from a break. 

Check out the programs below to find one that meets you where you’re at in your fitness journey. Of course, if you’re dealing with an illness or injury, check with a medical professional before starting a new workout routine.

How to Make These Programs Work For You

When you’re exercising on Tonal, you have the opportunity to customize your workouts to fit your specific needs. If you can’t do a certain exercise or it just doesn’t feel right for your body, use Tonal’s movement replacement feature to swap out a certain move for one that’s more comfortable. You can also filter workouts by muscle group if you need to avoid working a specific body part or if you need to strengthen a certain area. If you’re feeling especially sore and need a deload day, do your workout with Recovery Weight turned on to lift lower resistance for active recovery.

Programs for Getting Started or Coming Back

The right beginner-friendly program will meet you where you’re at and provide a safe and engaging introduction (or reintroduction) to strength training. With Tonal’s beginner programs, you’ll feel confident from the start as you develop your skills with the help of an expert coach. Mastering new movements will leave you feeling empowered and excited to keep moving forward. 

If you’ve had trouble consistently exercising in the past, these multi-week programs provide structure, taking the guesswork out of what to do each day, so all you have to do is press play. With gradual increases in intensity week-over-week, you’ll make steady progress without burning out or getting bored. 

Fundamentally Fit – Coach Trace Gotsis

In this one-week program, Coach Trace will guide you through fundamental movement patterns, such as squatting and hinging, that will help you in everyday activities like carrying groceries or picking up your kids. Getting comfortable with these essential strength training exercises will boost your confidence when you advance to more challenging programs. 

Back At It – Coach Allison Tibbs

Designed as a “welcome back” to strength training, this two-week program focuses on movement efficiency and reestablishing your cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance. While there are some more technical moves in the program, Coach Allison will prep you for those with stability and muscle activation exercises first. 

Beginner Breakthrough – Coach Jared Rodriguez

A safe and accessible muscle-building challenge, this two-week program is all about mastering proper form in major lifts including the bench press, squat, and row. Coach Jared’s clear and confident instruction builds you up as you encounter new movements and rep ranges that’ll test your strength potential.

Programs for Dealing with Injuries or Pain

Progress isn’t a straight line and even advanced-level lifters can get set back by an acute or chronic injury. The following programs are designed to accommodate, not aggravate, your injuries with a focus on functional strength and improved joint mobility and stability. Remember you can reduce the resistance in any workout with Recovery Weight to help you ease back to your full strength. Remember, if you’re diagnosed with an illness or injury, check with a medical professional before starting or continuing a workout routine. 

More Gain, Less Pain – Coach Liz Letchford

The simple-but-effective workouts in this program are designed to reduce general pains throughout the body. You’ll work at a slow pace and concentrate on moving from a stable base of support. In just two moves per session, you’ll get in a full-body workout without overtaxing your muscles and risking re-injury. Coach Liz is considerate with her coaching and will help you establish a rich understanding of pain-free movement in strength training.

Knees with Ease Challenge – Coach Liz Letchford

This four-week program is a great re-entry to training after experiencing knee pain that limits your movement. You’ll focus on strengthening the muscles that stabilize the hip and ankle joints, which takes the burden off your knees. With minimal kneeling positions, the workouts won’t aggravate existing knee pain.

Workouts for Soreness

If you’re dealing with occasional pain or soreness from your workouts, try one of these active recovery sessions to maintain your momentum and loosen up tight muscles. 

Just Enough Active Recovery – Coach Ash Wilking

This full-body strength and mobility workout encourages movement through full ranges of motion, increasing blood flow to your recovering muscles to help them feel refreshed. You’ll use Recovery Weight to move safely through soreness. 

Lower Body Recovery – Coach Tim Landicho

After a tough leg day, try this session that incorporates Recovery Weight and unilateral moves to ensure you’re restoring the balance of flexion and extension in your hips. You’ll focus on regeneration and recirculating nutrients to extra sore or sensitive areas in the lower body.

Complete Body Recovery – Coach Trace Gotsis

In this workout, you’ll perform full-body movements with Recovery Weight to actively work through complete ranges of motion. Moves with a rotational component give your posture and mid-spine mobility some extra attention.

Programs for Preventing Pain

Even if you aren’t dealing with a specific injury, it’s common to experience aches and pains because of everyday activities that degrade our posture, like slouching forward and craning our necks. In these programs, you’ll work on movement control, mobility, and core strength, which will make you more resilient and resistant to injuries.  

Slow and Strong – Coach Liz Letchford

This four-week program focuses on controlling movement through resistance to establish a strong and stable core. You’ll work on moves that promote a healthy posture and your ability to transfer force in movement—just like you would if you’re getting down to or up from the ground or walking up stairs.

Fit and Focused – Coach Frances Flores

This program blends strength and mobility with an emphasis on the controlled movements you’d find in a yoga class. You’ll develop functional strength and stability in your core, and test your body’s ability to preserve postural integrity in different positions, helping you carry yourself with confidence beyond the workout. 

Stronger for Sport – Coach Allison Tibbs

In this two-week program, you’ll develop balanced strength and motor control through movements that you’ll find in sports like tennis, running, or pick-up football. Coach Allison takes you through functional strength training at a steady pace that’ll prep you for dynamic movement in any activity.

Substitutes While On the Go

While you’re away from home, you can continue the progress with a number of on-the-go sessions, such as restorative yoga flows, rehabilitative mobility sessions, and bodyweight strength workouts that respect your body’s needs for extra attention in key areas.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve gained confidence in your new strength training habit—or your feeling more like your old self after a break—you’ll have the foundation to jump into any of Tonal’s three main training tracks. To continue working on movement proficiency and building endurance, try an Improve Fitness program. If your goal is to add muscle mass or gain strength and power, check out the Build Muscle offerings. Finally, Tonal’s Get Lean programs are ideal if you’re looking to charge up your metabolism and shift your body composition.

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Fitness is a lifelong pursuit. There’s always a new skill to learn, exercise to master, or PR to smash. Valuing the journey instead of the destination ensures you’ll stick with it for the long haul—and may even help you reach those goals along the way a little faster. 

In fact, one recent study showed that learning- or process-based goals are more likely to set you up for success than specific outcome-based goals, especially if you’re just getting started. 

That’s why the programs across Tonal’s three goal options—Improve Fitness, Get Lean, and Build Muscle—are all process-based and feature engaging workouts with high-energy coaches who’ll help you enjoy each step you take in your fitness journey. These progressive, multi-week programs take the guesswork out of your fitness routine. But you can’t reach your goals if you’re not consistent. Tonal members who follow programs are 55 percent more consistent week-over-week than those who only do one-off workouts. 

When you choose a program, it’s important that its level of challenge aligns with your current skills. A program that’s too challenging might frustrate you, and a program that’s too easy means you’ll probably get bored. Tonal’s programs are divided into three levels—Beginner,  Intermediate, and Advanced—so you can find one that meets you where you’re at right now. 

Plus, you can forget analysis paralysis and endless scrolling. There’s no decision fatigue when you’re doing a Tonal program—just press play and an expert coach will guide you through your workout. The next workout will be waiting for you when you return. Based on your initial strength assessment and past performance, Tonal also personalizes weight recommendations for each move so you can make progress at your own pace. 

Through consistent exposure to similar exercises with gradual progression, Tonal programs encourage you to build competency in your movements, which leads to a sense of accomplishment. Finishing a program (or multiple programs) boosts feelings of self-efficacy, or your belief that you’re capable of completing the necessary actions to achieve your goals. This confidence will likely transfer beyond your workouts and into other areas of your life. 

Read on to learn more about each of Tonal’s goals, and click through for a detailed explanation of how Tonal’s programs will help you achieve that goal. On the individual goal pages, you’ll learn which programs are right for you at your current skill level, and how to know when you’re ready to kick it up a notch.

Improve Fitness

This is Tonal’s “ready for anything goal,” prepping you to move better in everyday life and the activities you love. In these programs, you’ll gain cardiovascular endurance and movement proficiency that’ll make everything you do feel a little easier, whether that’s playing with your grandkids or racing a local 5K.

In these workouts, you’ll focus on multi-directional and rotational movements, which translate to better balance, agility, and coordination. The result: You’ll have more energy and feel more competent in how you move your body. 

Find the right Improve Fitness program for you here.

Get Lean

In these programs, you’ll build lean muscle and burn calories with the overall aim of shifting your body composition, or your body’s ratio of lean mass to fat. You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment when you complete each challenging—but still fun—workout. 

These programs feature high-intensity resistance training, which means you’ll lift lots of volume with little rest time. It’s a surefire method for improving your work capacity, or the amount of exercise you can do in a given time. The workouts are engaging and energetic, and you’ll love how confident you feel as you work toward your goal. 

Find the right Get Lean program for you here.

Build Muscle

With an emphasis on the scientific principles of resistance training, these programs help you gain muscle mass and improve your strength and power. That means you’ll not only lift heavy but also incorporate time for recovery to ensure you’re making consistent progress and breaking through plateaus. 

This type of functional strength training doesn’t just make your muscles bigger—it also equips your body to handle the demands of everyday life and excel in your workouts. You’ll enjoy the confidence that comes with feeling stronger as you move through your day.

Find the right Build Muscle program for you here.

Programs for Getting Started or Making Your Comeback

When you’re just starting your strength training journey or bouncing back after an injury, illness, or long break, your routine might look a little different. The right beginner-friendly program will meet you where you’re at and provide a safe and engaging introduction (or reintroduction) to strength training. 

In this category, you’ll also find programs and workouts designed to reduce soreness or prevent pain. To make the most of these workouts, use Tonal’s movement replacement feature to replace exercises that don’t feel right, and don’t hesitate to turn on Recovery Weight to lighten the load.

Find the right program for getting started or making your comeback here.

Sport and Performance Training

Whether you’re a competitive athlete or weekend warrior, resistance training can help you level up your game. Through performance-oriented training, you’ll become faster, more powerful, and more resilient against injuries.

On Tonal, you’ll find sport-specific programs geared toward activities like running, skiing, and golf, as well as general athletic workouts in which you’ll develop the strength, coordination, and explosive movement that nearly all sports demand.

Find the right performance training program for you here.

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