You’ve set your fitness goals, signed up for obé, and have a workout space ready on deck. With a library of 10,000+ on-demand classes for every style and level, you have plenty of classes to choose from to start your workout journey. The only question is: Which workouts are right for you? Cue progressive training programs on obé!
Unlike other one-and-done workout programs, these new progressive options take you through months of classes, scaling up your results over time. Featuring four main training focuses broken down by fitness goal—gain strength, build muscle, lose weight, or improve overall fitness—they’re all designed around the key principle of progressive overload.
Never heard of progressive overload before? TL;DR, it’s a strategic workout structure that continually challenges your body to adapt. By manipulating load (weights used), volume, time under tension, or intensity over time, you’ll progressively demand more from your body, causing the gains you’re looking for.
Have specific questions? Curious how a particular training program works? We’ve got answers and explanations below!
🔎 Pro tip: You can find all these options on the Programs tab of your obé app or on web platform.
What are the different progressive training programs available?
Program: Definition
Goal: Build muscle
Classes: Sculpt, Barre, Pilates
Total Phases: 10
Take it if: You want to see more muscular definition in your body (fyi, you can’t “tone” your muscles) and feel stronger.
How it works: Definition is your muscle-building program! Built on the principle of hypertrophy (aka using high reps to push your muscles to fatigue), this type of training is proven to boost quality lean muscle tissue.
You’ll be moving through high-energy, beat-driven sequences that combine bodyweight exercises and light resistance (think: light dumbbells or resistance bands), progressing in complexity as you grow stronger. Bonus points? Every class will test your balance and work your core for the ultimate well-rounded, total-body workout.
Program: Elevate
Goal: Gain strength
Classes: Strength, Power (in advanced phases)
Total Phases: 17
Take it if: You want to get really strong from head to toe.
How it works: In Elevate, you’ll be doubling down on functional movement patterns (the foundation of how we move in life) while using resistance to build strength—whether that’s your body weight, a set of dumbbells, kettlebells, or something else. As you progress in intensity through the weeks and phases, you’ll be able to move weight with greater ease. That’s thanks to the focus on 3 core pillars of strength: muscular strength, power, and endurance.
Program: Vitality
Goal: Improve overall fitness
Classes: Strength, Sculpt
Total Phases: 15
Take it if: You want to live longer (hi, longevity!) and feel healthier holistically.
How it works: Built on the concept of undulating periodization (aka strategically training different skill sets through varying intensity over time), it’s the catch-all of training—leveling up your strength and fitness.
What that means: You’ll be gradually increasing intensity, complexity, and volume over time, but also always switching things up (no boredom here!). The progressive workouts you do here will juggle a few different tenets of fitness at the same time, including strength and power, stability and mobility, and muscular endurance. In other words, you’ll be fit for life.
Program: Transformation
Goal: Lose weight
Classes: Strength, Power
Total Phases: 10
Take it if: You want to change your body composition sustainably (and for good!).
How it works: Transformation is designed to change your body composition and support sustainable, long-term fat loss. By strategically pairing tempo strength training (to develop lean muscle mass) and cardiovascular conditioning (to strengthen your heart), you’ll train your body to become more metabolically flexible and become stronger along the way.
The nitty gritty: You’ll be combining power conditioning and full-body functional strength training to enhance how your body utilizes energy sources for performance. This means your body becomes adept at using both fat and carbohydrates as energy sources, helping to improve body composition.
Specialty Progressive Training Programs
🔎 obé also offers a Prenatal Training Program, two Postnatal Training Programs, and MuscleGuard, the progressive training program for those looking for support on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic.
Progressive Training Programs FAQ
How do I know which progressive training program is right for me?
Think about your primary fitness goal. On the programs tab, you can browse progressive training programs by goal, so you know your workouts will get you the results you want. If you have a few different goals, think about which one you’d prioritize. All of these programs will make you fitter and healthier overall so you can’t go wrong!
You’ll also want to start at the phase that best matches your fitness level. The first phase of any program is the most beginner-friendly, and the last one is the most advanced. You can see the fitness level (beginner, open level aka intermediate, or advanced) below each program card.
If you took the obé onboarding quiz, you’ll also see a recommendation from us on the best program for your needs—including the right phase for your fitness level!
What happens after I finish one phase of a program?
After you complete all classes in your progressive training program, you’ll be recommended the next phase! For example, if you completed Elevate: Phase 7, you’ll be recommended Elevate: Phase 8 (you’ll find it under an ‘UP NEXT’ tab on your program view). The biggest perk here is that you have months of workouts planned for you!
Can I take more than one progressive training program at a time?
Technically, you can—but we don’t recommend it. Our pros suggest sticking with one training program at a time to reap the full benefits of what it has to offer, plus achieve the desired outcome (aka your fitness goal!). That being said, our skill-based programs (think: Dance Essentials, Recovery Essentials, or Pilates Essentials) are the perfect add-ons if you’re looking to level up.
If I’m enrolled in one program, can I switch to another one?
Yes! You have the flexibility to switch your primary progressive training program at any time. Simply navigate to the Programs tab and select the program you want to switch to.
Do the classes in these programs feature the same moves every week, or do they vary?
That depends on the program! Most progressive training programs follow the principle of progressive overload, which means they’ll include the same or very similar exercise sequencing for a given period of time, but gradually change variables. The variables could be time, load, and intensity, but ALSO exercise selection or variation.
While it may be an adjustment at first to do similar exercises weekly, remember that this is proven to be the best way to get the fitness results you’re looking for—particularly if losing weight or gaining strength is a goal.
Otherwise, you’ll find the movement patterns vary more noticeably in the programs featuring our lighter weight, higher rep modalities, such as Definition and Vitality.
Can I add Cardio classes while doing these programs?
Absolutely! Feel free to do any of the obé Cardio classes you know and love on days between program classes (and don’t forget those rest days!). As a baseline, everyone should aim to include 3 days of strength training and ~150 minutes of cardio a week.
On the cardio front, the 150-minute weekly recommendation (made by the American Heart Association) doesn’t mean you have to complete that many minutes of, say, a HIIT workout. This guideline is designed for steady-state, Zone 2 aerobic cardio, covering activities like power walking, jogging, cycling, and hiking. In other words, a brisk, 20-minute walk after dinner counts toward this goal—you don’t have to rely solely on cardio-based fitness classes. If you do the math, it translates to about 21 minutes of daily cardio.
To understand why the balance of cardio and strength is so important, read this!
Which programs are safe to do postpartum?
Don’t forget: obé has two postnatal training programs available to guide you safely through Weeks 1-6 and Week 6-Onward. If you’re ready to graduate beyond that, the beginner phases of all these progressive training programs can be both pre- and postnatal appropriate with modifications. Make sure to visit the Prenatal and Postnatal Collections for Express classes which teach you all the key modifications!
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