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This Girl Can Classes

A group of women dance in an exercise class

This Girl Can Classes, created by EMD UK in 2021 in partnership with This Girl Can, were designed with the needs and concerns of less-active women in mind.

From talking to different women and reviewing extensive research, the classes were created in response to insight revealing that many women felt intimidated by traditional group exercise classes.

They worried about not being "fit enough" or feared they wouldn’t be able to keep up – concerns that often stopped them from even stepping through the studio doors.

This Girl Can Classes aimed at tackling that head-on. It was a welcoming, beginner-friendly and supportive class format that focused on building confidence and community.

Hundreds of instructors trained as This Girl Can Classes instructors and we saw classes being delivered in community halls, leisure centres, and gyms across the country. It resonated strongly, achieving a 92% participant satisfaction rate – a real testament to its impact.

However, we also learned that the format had its limitations. It was too restrictive for instructors, limiting their ability to tailor classes and offer the variety of sessions they were passionate about.

While This Girl Can Classes had focused on introducing women to five group exercise styles, we wanted to broaden our work and focus to create tools and resources that could be applicable to any class style.

So, as of 1 April 2024, This Girl Can Classes no longer exists as a brand. But the work continued.

Reach Up

Using new insight from both women and group exercise instructors, we have continued to work with EMD UK to create new resources under a new brand, Reach Up.

Reach Up will help even more instructors open up opportunities for more women, across more of England, with the aim of providing even more welcoming, encouraging and safe spaces for women like you to enjoy group exercise.

Read more about Reach Up

If you think group exercise is for you but you're not sure where to start

That’s fantastic news! While This Girl Can Classes ended from 1 April 2024, there are many ways for you to find a class in your area. These include:   

  • Googling "beginner-friendly classes" along with your location to discover nearby options.
  • Joining the local community Facebook groups and searching for recommended classes or asking for suggestions.
  • Checking out the noticeboard in places like your local grocery shop, community hall, church, library, or post office for class advertisements. 
  • Asking your local family and friends for recommendations on beginner-friendly exercise classes in the area.

Need some more motivation?

Check out our honest stories from women who took the leap and started their fitness journey despite their fears with our top tips for easing yourself in or our uplifting community stories from women who are getting active around their busy lives. 

And always feel free to comment on any of the This Girl Can social media channels or Strava group to get involved in the conversations too. 

A group of women take part in a yoga class in a studio