BodyPump class for maintaining LBM

pancakehead
pancakehead Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I'm new here :)

I've been reading a lot of comments about the importance of focusing on strength training over cardio to prevent loss of LBM during calorie restriction. It makes sense to me. However I do more cardio than I do strength--one BodyPump class a week and (usually) a 30-minute intense abs class. The rest is spinning twice a week, treadmill and brisk walking.

Is one Pump class a week enough to build muscle? Do I need to focus on more frequent, or heavier, lifting? Is this balance right?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Replies

  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    Other people are probably going to tell you that bodypump is not real weight lifting, it's just another form of cardio, but as a non- athlete who lifts at her maximum ability in bodypump class (which isn't a whole lot, but I have been gradually increasing my weights, so I've improved from where I started), I think it's been helpful to me.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    are you asking about building or maintaining?

    1 workout a week isnt going to be enough to build muscle, especially if you're eating at a deficit

    as to whether or not once a week is enough to maintain, i think that would depend on whether or not you are using a weight that's challenging to you AND you are progressively increasing that amount AND how many reps you are doing. after a certain point in reps you're not going to be using them for strength but using them for endurance and with your endurance, your body eventually learns the most efficient way to perform the action so that it doesnt have to use as many muscle fibers
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    one pump class per week wont build any muscle (generally you need a calorie surplus for this) but it will help with maintaining LBM.

    maybe look at swapping one of your other cardio sessions for some more strength/resistance training though.
  • pancakehead
    pancakehead Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks everyone. I am restricting calories so realistically not expecting to build muscle, just maintain LBM and build some strength.

    I lift to the limit of my capacity during the class, though obviously you can only go so heavy considering how many reps you have to do for each muscle group. This is what makes me question to what extent you can build or maintain your muscle with Pump. It might be a good idea to replace one cardio session with a strength session but it'll be hard. I'm a bit of a cardio junkie!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    ^ really i think it would depend on your fitness level when you start body pump.

    if you've never dont anything like that then you might be able to build or maintain, but if you were working out like a powerlifter then you'd more than likely end up losing muscle and strength if body pump was all you were doing resistance wise
  • pancakehead
    pancakehead Posts: 14 Member
    ^ really i think it would depend on your fitness level when you start body pump.

    if you've never dont anything like that then you might be able to build or maintain, but if you were working out like a powerlifter then you'd more than likely end up losing muscle and strength if body pump was all you were doing resistance wise

    I've never done any strength training outside of Pump, to be honest, so this isn't a huge concern for me. However if another lifting method is more effective I'd be interested to try it!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I did bodypump for about 6 months 2 or 3x a week, and lost 3 lbs of muscle in that time, but I was also walking a lot and was losing 1.5 lb a week, so it's not really surprising. Then I figured out that just lifting heavy dumbbells for 20 minutes would be faster and give me the same results.

    It's definitely better than nothing though.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Body pump is mostly about muscular endurance. It will allow some limited benefits.
    It's quite possible it will increase strength if you're otherwise 'untrained'.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Other people are probably going to tell you that bodypump is not real weight lifting, it's just another form of cardio, but as a non- athlete who lifts at her maximum ability in bodypump class (which isn't a whole lot, but I have been gradually increasing my weights, so I've improved from where I started), I think it's been helpful to me.

    But if you are doing 15+ reps/set it is not "strength training" and will not reap the same benefits as you would lifting in the 3-12 rep range.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,420 MFP Moderator
    It's hard to tell exactly, it will depend on your deficit, your protein intake and if you are hypertrophying your muscles enough. The best thing you can is monitor body composition (even with calipers) to get a rough estimate.

    As already mentioned, you will see much more improvements in endurance as compared to pure strength gains.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    ^ really i think it would depend on your fitness level when you start body pump.

    if you've never dont anything like that then you might be able to build or maintain, but if you were working out like a powerlifter then you'd more than likely end up losing muscle and strength if body pump was all you were doing resistance wise

    I've never done any strength training outside of Pump, to be honest, so this isn't a huge concern for me. However if another lifting method is more effective I'd be interested to try it!

    Stronglifts 5x5, starting strength, new rules of lifting, will all be superior for increased strength and lean muscle retention while in a deficit.

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