This Les Mills Body Balance and Core review covers a training morning that started with flow and ended with real effort.
Summer clearly decided to stay around, and I was more than ready for it. That morning I began with Body Balance with Rita Calaz and Margarida Lima, then moved on to Core with Igor Angélico.
It turned into one of those sessions that feels calm on the surface and demanding underneath.
Body Balance gave me flow, challenge, mobility, delicious suffering in the warrior track, a few reminders that my left side is stronger, and a relaxation track I did not want to leave.
Core then changed the tone completely. Same training morning, very different demand. Planks, side planks, technique confusion, one complete back-and-forth round without dropping to my knees, and that deeply satisfying feeling of knowing I had done something hard.
It was a wonderful training day.
Quick Verdict
Les Mills Body Balance
- Intensity: 7 out of 10
- Good for: mobility, controlled strength, balance, flexibility, hip opening, rotation and mental reset
- My after class mood: calmer, lighter, stretched out and very pleased with the progress I could feel
Les Mills Core
- Intensity: 8 out of 10
- Good for: planks, side planks, core endurance, glute work, control and seeing very clear progress over time
- My after class mood: challenged, accomplished and fully aware that the class had done its job
Class Snapshot
Les Mills Body Balance
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Format: mind-body class with warrior work, balance, rotation, flexibility, controlled holds and relaxation
- Equipment: mat, towel and water bottle
- Instructor style: Rita was calm, precise and deeply composed, while Margarida added clear guidance and strong support
- My focus today: flow better, hold on longer, improve control and enjoy the release
- What stood out: the warrior track, the deeper focus in warrior 2, the twisting track and the beautiful relaxation at the end
Les Mills Core
- Duration: 30 minutes
- Format: floor-based strength class with plank work, side planks, technique-heavy transitions and a strong finisher
- Equipment: mat, towel, resistance band, weight plate and water bottle
- Instructor style: Igor was demanding, energetic and absolutely committed to keeping the harder track in
- My focus today: survive the plank track, improve technique and keep going without dropping to my knees
- What stood out: one full back-and-forth plank round without knee support, track 4, the wonderful track 5 and finishing on an aeroplane
The Workout: Les Mills Body Balance + Core
I started with Body Balance, Rita Calaz and Margarida Lima.
The warrior track is ON FIRE! And yes, my stronger side is the left. I managed to clasp my hand from behind almost completely! And of course I held on until the very end. What delicious suffering!
Rita is on another level with HOW LOW SHE GOES in warrior 2! And she does it while calmly saying: “Today the focus is here, let’s try to go as low as possible.” But you have to see her expression: completely serene, as if she is not exerting any effort whatsoever. Now look at Suzike! My expressions during class are frightening. I am fully aware of this, and at least I am not the one who has to look at them! Hahahaha!
At the start of the balance section, Rita suggested we do a 15cm jump… she’s funny! A 7cm one, and it is not even worth counting how many seconds I held it for…
I had little success keeping my leg straight while holding my big toe, and when I looked at the stage I saw Rita with her leg raised and fully extended, no hands! Another challenge noted… that makes 3 in this class now… for when… well… “who knows.”
In the twisting track, every time Margarida told us to try and rotate a little further, I could really feel the effect… just missing the sound effect… This track is SO necessary!
As always, the relaxation was absolutely delicious: Rita invited us to let go of whatever no longer serves us. I felt SO relaxed at the end. What an incredibly gentle voice she has!
I moved on to Core with Igor Angélico.
We are finally back to the GOOD Core!
Plank track: when I saw that Igor had kept THAT track in, my heart sank, but I decided to give EVERYTHING! I managed to do one complete back-and-forth round, WITHOUT dropping to my knees! There it is: I pulled the worst facial expressions, I protested out loud, but I DID IT! I will keep fighting to get through this entire track without support.
Igor always brings a seriously challenging TRACK 3! When he demonstrated it, my brain completely short-circuited! I spent the ENTIRE time trying to figure out how to do it. When I finally attempted it, the result was… entertaining! Hahahaha! Now it is time to practice!
Worth highlighting that I absolutely LOVED track 4, despite it being VERY challenging!
Track 5 is THE WONDERFUL ONE.
And we finished the class flying on an aeroplane.
What a WONDERFUL training day! Very good classes INDEED!
Instructor Notes
Instructor credit: Rita Calaz, Margarida Lima and Igor Angélico
This training morning worked because each instructor brought something different.
Rita gave Body Balance that calm, controlled and almost disarming quality that makes difficult positions feel even more intense. She does hard things with such serenity that the suffering becomes strangely elegant.
Margarida added strong guidance, especially in the twisting work, and helped make the class feel even more intentional and well held.
Igor changed the energy completely in Core. The class became sharper, more technical and much more confrontational in the best way. He kept the difficult plank track in, brought a track 3 that made my brain malfunction, and still somehow made the whole thing feel satisfying rather than discouraging.
Together, they turned the morning into a very complete session.
Is Body Balance Before Core a Good Combination?
For me, yes.
Body Balance first works well because it gets the body moving through control, balance, mobility and deeper awareness. It asks for effort, but in a way that feels measured and deliberate.
Core afterwards brings a different kind of demand.
The second class needs more endurance, more grit and more tolerance for discomfort, especially when the plank work starts testing what is left.
That is what makes the pairing so good: Body Balance opens the body. Core tests it.
If you like training mornings that combine flow, challenge and clear progress, this is a very strong combination.
How I Felt After Class
- Right after: worked, stretched out and very satisfied with the morning
- Later that day: physically good, mentally calm and still thinking about that plank round
- What stayed with me most: the warrior track, the twisting track, the relaxation and the fact that I completed one full back-and-forth plank round without dropping to my knees
Final Thoughts
This was a strong summer training morning.
Body Balance gave me flow, challenge, delicious suffering, a few reminders that progress is happening, and one of those relaxation tracks that makes you want to stay in the room forever.
Core gave me the harder edge of the day. Planks, side planks, technical confusion, effort, progress and proof that I can do more than I sometimes expect from myself.
That made the whole session memorable.
It was calm in one half, fierce in the other, and worth it from start to finish.
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