GRIT Strength with Cláudia Estrela was one of those classes that stays in your body and in your mind. Intense, fast, and brutally effective, with that Les Mills energy that makes you feel alive the second the music starts.

Cláudia is the kind of instructor who pushes you hard while still making you feel safe and seen. Add a clean, friendly club vibe at Solinca Light Estoril, and this became a workout I will remember for a long time.

If you are curious about what GRIT Strength feels like in real life, what made this session so tough, and the moments that made me smile mid suffering, here is my full experience.

Cláudia’s humility is something I deeply admire. She has reached incredible heights in her career, sharing the stage with top names in the industry, yet she remains down-to-earth and kind to everyone. It’s truly inspiring!

The moment I saw her at the gym, she greeted me in such a cheerful way that it immediately made my day.

And let’s talk about the gym, Solinca Light Estoril. I was delighted by what I saw: very clean, well-organized, friendly people, and a great layout. I really enjoyed my visit.

Cláudia greeted us, gave instructions, and we began.

I’ve gone through three phases of GRIT: genuine fear, obligation, and—what I feel now—love. And all because of one reason: it makes me push my limits.

Between squats, clean and press, lunges, mountain climbers, burpees, push-ups, and so many other killer exercises—the workout was VERY intense.

Now, I want to talk about three things:

1. Cláudia’s lunges are ALWAYS flawless! She REALLY gets those knees down!

2. The mountain climbers were something else today—they kept getting faster, at least Cláudia’s . But I was kind of proud of my own pace … That is, until she came over, placed her hand in front of my shoulder, and told me:

“Push my hand with your shoulder. Now mountain climb.” And I went “Ooohhhhhh! Now it’s even more difficult! OMG! This is harder than I thought! ”

3. THE BURPEES! Cláudia told us to do 30—at our own pace. Well, I did my best and reached 20. Then she asked: “How many?” Proudly, I answered: “20! ”. And she immediately went: “Let’s do 5 more. I’ll go with you!”

I was NOT expecting that. But hey… no pain, no gain, right?”

Instructor Notes

Instructor credit: Cláudia Estrela (IG: @claudiaestrelapt). She’s the instructor featured in the clips.

Cláudia Estrela brings a rare mix of intensity and warmth to GRIT Strength. She is humble, down to earth, and genuinely kind, but the moment the workout starts, she means business. Her cues are clear, her timing is sharp, and she knows exactly how to push you past your comfort zone without making you feel lost. She builds the class in a way that feels controlled even when it is brutally hard, and that balance is what makes her unforgettable.