Body Pump

indygal76

Hello! I am currently in physical therapy for an IT Band injury. I am looking for new ways to get my heart rate up. My therapist told me no more ellipitcal or speed walking. She suggested swimming (hard to get a lap lane at my local YMCA), exercise bike (which I love) and Body Pump. I have never taken a class before. I would like to know what success others have had with Body Pump. I have looked at the gym schedule and found a class to work with my life schedule. Do you find it is easy on the joints? Any suggestions or advice would be helpful.

PurpleTina

I love BodyPump! I go twice a week.

It's great for toning up whilst you lose weight, and is no-impact and done in a very controlled manner. I have a slightly dodgy knee, but there is only one exercise that has potential to hurt it (lunges) and there is a different option that I can use so as not to aggravate it.

My arms are looking a lot less flabby, and I am generally toning up all over.

Interestingly, a lot of the the strength/ flexibility exercises that fitness magazines recommend to keep your joints and limbs healthy are included in Pump. I know that since starting I have had far fewer problems with my knee.

More than that, it's a lot of fun!

abbsjhux

Hi indygal!

I did my first bodypump class yesterday actually! It was fairly hard work but it is alot of fun. I can tell you that i am very sore today though! It goes for about an hour, it works out all of your muscles with the best bit being you choose how much weight you lift. The music is great, the exercises are mostly low impact. Start off with the lightest weight and build up eventually. I say go for it, you wont regret it

helenld1

The good thing about Body Pump is that it is customisable - i.e you can just amend your weights. So if you do have a problem with a particular area of your body you can start on a lower weight and progress at the speed you want. Granted the teacher will give you an idea of whether you're "meant" to be going heavier/lighter, etc but you can choose and its your workout.

I suffered from a bad hip problem and building up my strength on my legs via squats etc has really helped eliminate it.

Give it a go and see what you think - personally I love it and have been doing it for about 18 months. The tracks change every few months so you don't get so bored. I am so much more toned since I started. It also gave me the confidence to start lifting weights in general.

Hope that helps.

KBUnleashed

Love, love, love my body pump class. It's hard work and you will be sore for at least a day after your first class but it's worth it. I do body pump 2-3 days a week. You can always just go take one class and see if it's something you would like! Good luck!

ash190489

Body Pump is great - but watch out, it can get addictive!!!! (Yes, it's that good). It's a great calorie burner (you do burn more calories doing cardio, but with weight training you burn the calories during the class and you continue to burn calories as your muscles repair etc. for the next few days.

Like the others have said, you choose your own weights (start lower and focus on getting the correct technique first and then build your way up to heavier weights) and if you have a good instructor, they should give you up to three different options (beginner or level '1' intensity, Moderate or level '2' intensity and then Advanced - 'level 3' intensity & impact.

Personally I have a bit of a funny knee as well which has slowly got better and better through weight training (the muscle around the joint that I was having trouble with is now built up and supports the joint) and I really have to watch myself in the lunges activity. I usually let the instructor know about this so she can give me an alternative or ensure I don't push myself too far/hard in those tracks.

Enjoy, pump is great! Just make sure you get to the class a bit earlier, as where I go it gets full very quickly!

indygal76

Thank you all for the advice! I looked up the schedule and plan to go the week after my vacation (we are headed to Gatlinburg next week). I am looking forward to this new challenge! :happy:

ravengirl1611

The first exercise I did after about 15 years of non-exercise living was a body pump class on the recommendation of my newly aquired personal trainer -thought I was going to die - however - after a month of working with the trainer, working on the treadmill and just generally moving a lot more I'm about to start taking the class again at least once a week - although moving hurt like crazy for a couple days after the class I really did enjoy it - I've got a bad knee and back and none of the exercises aggravated anything which was awesome! Music is good - trainers are good and every movement they give can be modified if you have any issues with it.

lk27

I LOVE Body Pump!!! I highly recommend it!! It is fun and a great workout!!

tompkgl78

I am thinking about joining body pump, but I am not sure what to expect?? And I dont know what to wear? Are there any helpful tips you could offer to me that would be great.

PurpleTina

I am thinking about joining body pump, but I am not sure what to expect?? And I dont know what to wear? Are there any helpful tips you could offer to me that would be great.

Comfortable workout clothing; as you will get hot! Don't forget to take a drink, and a small towel can be useful for mopping up the sweat. The instructor should show you exactly what to do, so don't feel intimidated, just go with small weights until you get used to the moves.

daphnemoon

Absolutely, start small with the weights you have plenty of time to work up. One of the instructors in my gym always makes the new girls put quite heavy weights on the first time which really annoys me. The first few times it should be about technique only, and getting used to the moves and timing. You will love it! The music is terrific and it is a great workout. I occasionally get joint problems because I do so many high impact classes but body pump doesn't aggravate them at all.

Have fun!

ImperfektAngel

I felt bodypump was too fast paced and too easy to do things wrong, which could cause injury. Also, it depends on what your goals are? if you want to get stronger, I believe body pump is not for you because of the high reps, lower reps with higher weight would be better for that.

taintedbutterfly18

I took a body pump class and was sore for days. It was crazy! I might give it another try in the future, but for now, it was just too much for me.

Chrissie_R

yes BP is great, hope you enjoy it!

kimmiej0

Love love love Body Pump...my schedule tends to get a little overloaded so I ordered the bodypump set from beachbody.com and its set up in the garage. It came with 10 dvds and the first three are only 20-30 minutes long so it was easy to get used to what I was doing and what weights I would use before jumping into the hour long class. Ive lost 50lbs between watching calories, gym for cardio and then body pump at home three times a week. Its hard to get bored when I can switch out the dvds and the workouts and the music.... definitely watch for soreness the first few times you go, pay attention the the instructor and if your not ready for certain moves yet let them tell you what the option is so your still getting something in.

Ohhhhhhh and the other thing I love about having it at home is... its at home lol.... I already spend quite a bit of time on cardio workouts at the gym, if I added weights at the gym I felt like I was there 2+ hours and that just wasnt gonna work for me. It was easier for me to be able to access at any hour.

doubleduofa

I love Body Pump. I try to go twice a week, but I usually get at least once in. It is an awesome workout and as others have said, completely customizable. You can go higher or lower on weights as you progress. The class can be different every time (unless a new one just came out, then it's the same for a few weeks).

All BP classes have the same format:

Warm-up (lightest weight)
Squats (heaviest weight)
Chest
Back (which always involves a clean and press move and deadlifts)
Triceps
Biceps
Lunges (latest release has squats and lunges - and jump squats...oh what fun)
Shoulders
Abs
Cool down

I love it because you can get a great cardio and calorie burn along with building muscle (it's like circuit training). I haven't lost much weight while doing it, but I have noticed increased strength AND I'm way less flabby, for lack of a better term. My arms are notoriously weak and I can do pushups now on my toes. My abs have definitely benefitted. My endurance has gotten so much better too. Pretty cool. I push myself like crazy though. If you don't push yourself, you won't get much out of it (much like any workout). Hope you like it!

ETA: I also have a bad back (lower and neck) and the only problem I have is keeping the bar on my back for squats. I MUST use a workout towel around the bar for padding. But, I do 40 lbs for squats. When I lift lighter (like in the lunge track) I don't have that problem. BP does not seem to harm my body. The increased strength has been great for my joints.

You want to wear some workout pants (whatever you are comfortable in) and a long tank top/workout top. I don't like tops that ride up or are loose because then my belly will show at times. (UGH). I'd bring water, weight lifting gloves (if you have them) and a workout towel. You will be lying on the bench for chest and possibly triceps, so it's nice to have a towel to lay down on. If you need extra padding for knees (like while doing pushups), then bring that too.

I use gloves becaue I tend to lift heavier and the bar can be hard on your hands. Not everyone uses them.

tompkgl78

Thanks for all the great info Everyone!! I look forward to it!!

StarkLark

Another avid supporter of BodyPump - I've been doing it 2-3 times per week for over a year now. I think almost everything I would have wanted to say has already been mentioned, but I will add this:

Use very low weight your first few classes and see how your body feels afterwards (the day after, two days after). SLOWLY up your weight over a couple weeks until you are breathing heavy at the end of each track. Take the time to find a class with an instructor who will answer your questions, correct your form and make you feel comfortable.

Good luck and go for it!

StarkLark

I took a body pump class and was sore for days. It was crazy! I might give it another try in the future, but for now, it was just too much for me.

Sounds like you might have over done it your first time out. Don't try and match the instructor or other participants pound for pound on the bar.

Give it another try with lower weight for each track. You want to get a workout and push yourself, but you don't want to do so much you can't walk for a week

blasian603

#np - turn up the music/chris brown. makes me want to do the chest track at my desk!! #bp83

meltrace

I love Body Pump. Find a good instructor, they will offer modifications of the exercises for any injury.