Body Pump vs Lifting. Help!

angieroo2

In my personal experience, I gained some muscle, but not a lot.

JoRocka

In my personal experience, I gained some muscle, but not a lot.

How do you mean you gained some muscle? meaning you got bigger? you got stronger? you got more defined?

WalkingAlong

I figure as long as ACSM is including soup cans(!!), Body Pump definitely qualifies for checking off that box for general health.

(Re-including for convenience.)
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/resistance-training.pdf

MostlyWater

I wouldn't use it as my only workout.

JoRocka

I figure as long as ACSM is including soup cans(!!), Body Pump definitely qualifies for checking off that box for general health.

(Re-including for convenience.)
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/resistance-training.pdf

for some, initially soup cans will work- but will become obsolete for training purposes- most people's purses/messanger bags/brief cases are heavier.

Body weight exercises would serve significantly more value than a consistent soup can training regime.

contingencyplan

Body Pump is endurance training. It does not stimulate the muscles in the way strength training does. You won't find anything conducted in a group class setting (possibly with the exception of Crossfit boxes, and even that's iffy) that will really qualify.

WalkingAlong

I figure as long as ACSM is including soup cans(!!), Body Pump definitely qualifies for checking off that box for general health.

(Re-including for convenience.)
http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/resistance-training.pdf

for some, initially soup cans will work- ...

But for none Body Pump will?

Sam_I_Am77

Body Pump like others have said is largely an aerobic cardio program. You use weights so you may have some marginal improvements in strength but it's not strength training. If your goal is body composition and improve strength then you need to re-focus your nutrition and get on a structured strength training program. If you ENJOY the Body Pump style of training and it will keep you motivated to exercise, then by all means do it but understand the limitations of what you're doing.

ninerbuff

I don't do it much but I've done it. It's overkill and it's not designed for hypertrophy but it absolutely checks off the box for strength training, in my opinion and in the study I linked to.

It's hard to do the class and not see that but I don't think most here with strong opinions on it being cardio have done it.

I've taught the class. It's WAY more closer to cardio than strength.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

WalkingAlong

I'm surprised someone certified to teach it by the company doesn't describe it like the company does.

http://www.lesmills.com/workouts/fitness-classes/bodypump/

I'm sorry but it sounds like opinion.

Resistance bands and soup cans are considered by ACSM to be suitable for strength/resistance. A scholarly study found BodyPump isn't cardio.

It's not like anyone is saying it's a replacement for heavy lifting for people who want to maximize hypertrophy and strength. I'm just saying it does easily qualify as resistance/strength training for the general population.

BarWench11

I have a bit of a giggle looking back at it now, but Body Pump was a turning point for me in terms of my fitness 'journey'. It is undoubtedly cardio, but it sparked an interest in learning the heavy compound lifts, and strength training in general. It also helped to speed along my weight loss and get me past the awful DOMS stage, which was my goal at the time.

ninerbuff

I'm surprised someone certified to teach it by the company doesn't describe it like the company does.

http://www.lesmills.com/workouts/fitness-classes/bodypump/

I'm sorry but it sounds like opinion.

Resistance bands and soup cans are considered by ACSM to be suitable for strength/resistance. A scholarly study found BodyPump isn't cardio.

It's not like anyone is saying it's a replacement for heavy lifting for people who want to maximize hypertrophy and strength. I'm just saying it does easily qualify as resistance/strength training for the general population.

I've taught the class as a sub. One doesn't need certification to teach a choreographed class that just requires music and a list sequence of the exercises to be done.
Realize one can start with 5lb dumbells, but it 5 years later they are still stuck at 5 lbs dumbells, then strength was more than likely not increased. Strength training is PROGRESSIVE (to a point), but one needs to increase resistance, not increase repetition. Also if you're going to use ACSM as a reference then here's what they say about repetitions for strength and endurance.

http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/resistance-training.pdf

MUSCULAR STRENGTH- Load 60%-70% for novice of 1RM, 80%-100% of 1RM for medium to advanced. 1 to 3 sets 8-12 reps for novices, 1-8 reps for advanced

MUSCULAR ENDURANCE- Load lower than 70% of 1RM. 2 to 4 set of 10-25 reps.

So it's not just my opinion.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

IllustratedxGirl

Stronglifts 5x5, check it out

3laine75

In Body Pump, you do make it harder over time. The tracks are long (too long) but they don't grow. You add plates to your bar just like in "pure" strength training.

I think it's just a semantics thing. Most authorities recommend we add resistance/strength training, not "pure lifting". BP easily qualifies.

Once you stop adding plates, it's cardio.

So, I agree, you could add some strength, for the first few weeks.

In answer to your later post, you can add strength and not muscle with heavy weights too - I think a hell of a lot of us are doing that ATM - eating at maintenance or deficit while lifting heavy.

OP the best exercise is something you enjoy. If you think you'll enjoy body pump, go for it. IMO you could gain strength in the first few weeks (and that could spur you on to lift heavy later!)

Jasdramaqueen

Thanks for all of your informed responses guys! I only added Body Pump to my gym regime in order to be doing more/some 'resistance' training and I usually do spin, pilates, running and yoga. However, having read all your posts, I think I will embark upon the 5 x 5 stronglift program- if I can get past the intimidation of the hulks that live in the weights section.

As stupid as this sounds, I'm not too bothered about getting massively strong or ripped- I just want to trim down the inches and lose body fat. Obviously, I don't need arms the size of Popeye but getting rid of potential bingo wings wouldn't go amiss.

Just need to get over my fear and crack on. Bleurgh.

Jasdramaqueen

amusedmonkey

Yes it does qualify as strength and yes it does increase your strength if it has incremental difficulty. Don't listen to those who say it doesn't. If your goals don't include being a powerlifter or building large muscle mass, it's a perfectly good strength exercise as long as it fits your goals.

There are many types of strength. Actually endurance strength and speed strength are two of the best things you can do for your body if your goal is general performance in any sport save power lifting. Strength training =/= weight training. Weight training is just a narrowed down category of strength in general.

It's just like saying staying in the 8-12 rip range is not real strength because the main goal is to build muscle, not strength, and that only the 1-3 rip range is "real strength". Those who do 8-12 and see the plates piling will beg to differ.

SezxyStef

Thanks for all of your informed responses guys! I only added Body Pump to my gym regime in order to be doing more/some 'resistance' training and I usually do spin, pilates, running and yoga. However, having read all your posts, I think I will embark upon the 5 x 5 stronglift program- if I can get past the intimidation of the hulks that live in the weights section.

As stupid as this sounds, I'm not too bothered about getting massively strong or ripped- I just want to trim down the inches and lose body fat. Obviously, I don't need arms the size of Popeye but getting rid of potential bingo wings wouldn't go amiss.

Just need to get over my fear and crack on. Bleurgh.

I wouldn't worry about getting popeye arms...I've been lifting for a year and they aren't big yet.

hoyalawya2003

In Body Pump, you do make it harder over time. The tracks are long (too long) but they don't grow. You add plates to your bar just like in "pure" strength training.

I think it's just a semantics thing. Most authorities recommend we add resistance/strength training, not "pure lifting". BP easily qualifies.

Once you stop adding plates, it's cardio.

So, I agree, you could add some strength, for the first few weeks.

In answer to your later post, you can add strength and not muscle with heavy weights too - I think a hell of a lot of us are doing that ATM - eating at maintenance or deficit while lifting heavy.

OP the best exercise is something you enjoy. If you think you'll enjoy body pump, go for it. IMO you could gain strength in the first few weeks (and that could spur you on to lift heavy later!)

Except there is nothing about body pump that says you have to stop adding plates. It isn't like they're going to run out. Some of the guys in my class are lifting some pretty big weights.

I have been doing it for two to three months once a week and am still seeing gains in strength and muscle definition (more so in my upper body than lower, mainly because I didn't have much of any strength/muscle up top--I'm a serious pear). I go to failure and have slowly increased my weights along the way. Could I have made quicker gains doing stronglifts 3 times a week? Most certainly. Would I have enjoyed it and stuck with it? Doubtful. Right now I enjoy it and it fits my schedule and I am happy with the results. When I stop getting results, I might consider something else.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have to add this: I completely don't understand what the difference is between something like body pump and crossfit. I guess crossfit can be more intense, but it seems pretty similarly cardio-ish to me. Judging from the pics I see of serious crossfitters, they don't have any trouble building muscle.

WalkingAlong

]I've taught the class as a sub. One doesn't need certification to teach a choreographed class that just requires music and a list sequence of the exercises to be done.

If it's an actual BodyPump class and not a knock-off, I think you do need certified from the company that trademarked the name. Not that it matters to if it's strength or cardio but if some are referring to knock-offs, who knows what goes on in the class itself.

You can't add plates to a soup can or a resistance band or do % of 1RM in under 25 reps but they are considered resistance training.

So for all the senior women out there doing little 5-7 lb. dumbbell workouts for 10 years at the senior center, that's not resistance, either? All those workouts exist because no one realizes they're not good for retaining LBM and bone mass?

Crossfit gets less "It's just cardio" ridicule because it's got sandbags and pull-up bars and heavier plates and is a 'manly' class, unlike BodyPump.