Is BodyPump class enough to maintain muscle?

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  • mdn15
    mdn15 Posts: 145
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    You definitely need weights in addition to the cardio. Body Pump is a great mixture of the two. I love that class! It's a great place to start. I still do it but have also gone to the weight machines and my BP instructor friend is going to train me how to use free weights soon (I hope!). And before you ask... NO I am NOT trying to become bulky! Just trying to continue to lose weight (body fat %) and define my muscles a tad.

    As a woman you will NEVER be "bulky". WOMEN.... Stop thinking this!!!!

    If you want to lose BF% faster and get more defined muscles: Eat Clean + Lift heavy.

    I have did body pump for 1 1/2 years 3-4x wk (using really heavy weights i.e 70lbs for squats, 40lbs. biceps). I'm only 5 feet tall and female.

    My muscles only developed after I stopped BP and started lifting heavier.

    Look at any fitness model/ crossfitters, their routines don't include Body pump.


    Wow you really used that much!? I think that's about what I use! Let's see for squats I use two of the really big plates, which I believe are 10 kg each, 2 of the 5 kg plates(the large ones for the ladies), and two of the 2.5 kg plates(the ladies call these the medium plates I ignore the tiny plates. So that is 35 kg which is about 77lbs + 4.5lbs bar?
    So maybe 81.5 lbs for squats.
    Biceps I just use the bar and the two 10kg weights so 20 kg is about 44lbs + 4.5lbs bar
    48.5lbs for biceps.
    I think that's right, I'll have to check the weights next time I go.
    Still yours is really good most of the strongest women in my classes only use 2 of the 5 kg weight on each side plus 1 2.5 kg weight on each side for squats, so that is 25 kg which is about 55lbs + 4.5lbs bar
    59.5lbs for squats
    For biceps the most I've ever seen a woman use in my class is two of the 5kg weights plus maybe 2 of the 2.5 kg weights so that is. 15 kg which is about 33lbs + 4.5lbs bar
    37.5 lbs for biceps. Hardley any of them lift that ever, only some of the instructors on easy tracks.

    So your lifts are really good. I kind of feel like I need to up my lifts now. :)
    I do realize that I won't add muscle while I'm doing this, but I just hope I won't lose much while I'm cutting. I also only do body pump two or three days per week, and I lift in the weight room the other two or three days.


    No need to up the weights b/c of me. :)

    Believe me I'm weak in comparison to the women in my crossfit class, who can deadlift 300 lbs. I have only been able to deadlift 225.

    I usually lift more then the guys in Body Pump. I think because my 185 lbs back squat is harder than the (2 x 10Kg, 2x 5kg, 2 x 2.5kg) I do in BP. I guess that is the same as yours. I also like to compete w/ my gym partners (guys) who are squatting 4x10Kg. I can probably do that I just can clean the bar to get it on my shoulders.

    With the bicep track I actually get the weighted bar at 40 or 50 (if I have lots of energy) from the weight room because it is easier on my grip and easier to go the track.

    Didn't realize you were cutting... Good luck...
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    I've never actually counted but there are a lot of reps per 'set' repeated about 3 times. Each segment has maybe a 3-5 minute song where you lift the whole time. I'd say anywhere between 20 - 60 reps in total in the 3 minutes, but its not just up and down reps, sometimes you will only go half way up and hold then back down, or stagger up or go up slowly to an 8 count or whatever. Lots of different patterns.
    The one I attend isn't called body pump but its the same thing basically. It usually goes:
    warm up
    Squats
    Chest
    Triceps
    Biceps
    Back and legs (deadlifts, rows)
    Lunges
    Shoulders
    Abs
    cool down/Stretch

    I probably put them out of order, and missed a track or two.

    You can see videos of these type of classes on youtube.

    It's better than nothing but not nearly as good as heavy lifting.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
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    It's not actually as easy as it sounds btw...

    No one said it was easy. Running a 6 minute mile isn't easy, but it won't do much to preserve lean mass in a calorie deficit.

    I didn't say it would...as i no nothing about that kind of stuff....i was meaning for people in general as soon as i explain what it is to people they always brush it into the "to easy pile"
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    Really low weights, like bench pressing 20-30 lbs over and over.

    For like 4-5 mins per exercise

    Okay, well that is interesting. I don't know if that would work for me. I admit I was curious because a lot of people do it. Sounds boring to push a weight for that long. Like a long boring sex session with no orgasm, just friction.
  • Pearlyladybug
    Pearlyladybug Posts: 882 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    Really low weights, like bench pressing 20-30 lbs over and over.

    For like 4-5 mins per exercise

    Okay, well that is interesting. I don't know if that would work for me. I admit I was curious because a lot of people do it. Sounds boring to push a weight for that long. Like a long boring sex session with no orgasm, just friction.

    it is to music etc so it's not really just "pushing weights"
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    Really low weights, like bench pressing 20-30 lbs over and over.

    For like 4-5 mins per exercise

    Okay, well that is interesting. I don't know if that would work for me. I admit I was curious because a lot of people do it. Sounds boring to push a weight for that long. Like a long boring sex session with no orgasm, just friction.

    And that noise you heard was me snorting my pepsi through my nose. Thanks. :tongue:
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    I've never actually counted but there are a lot of reps per 'set' repeated about 3 times. Each segment has maybe a 3-5 minute song where you lift the whole time. I'd say anywhere between 20 - 60 reps in total in the 3 minutes, but its not just up and down reps, sometimes you will only go half way up and hold then back down, or stagger up or go up slowly to an 8 count or whatever. Lots of different patterns.
    The one I attend isn't called body pump but its the same thing basically. It usually goes:
    warm up
    Squats
    Chest
    Triceps
    Biceps
    Back and legs (deadlifts, rows)
    Lunges
    Shoulders
    Abs
    cool down/Stretch

    I probably put them out of order, and missed a track or two.

    You can see videos of these type of classes on youtube.

    I'll scope it out. I don't wanna bash this because I've never done it. 30DS will kill you and looks easy as pie, lol. Thanks for answering detailed.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    How many sets/reps, exercises? Now I'm curious.

    I've never actually counted but there are a lot of reps per 'set' repeated about 3 times. Each segment has maybe a 3-5 minute song where you lift the whole time. I'd say anywhere between 20 - 60 reps in total in the 3 minutes, but its not just up and down reps, sometimes you will only go half way up and hold then back down, or stagger up or go up slowly to an 8 count or whatever. Lots of different patterns.
    The one I attend isn't called body pump but its the same thing basically. It usually goes:
    warm up
    Squats
    Chest
    Triceps
    Biceps
    Back and legs (deadlifts, rows)
    Lunges
    Shoulders
    Abs
    cool down/Stretch

    I probably put them out of order, and missed a track or two.

    You can see videos of these type of classes on youtube.

    It's better than nothing but not nearly as good as heavy lifting.

    I realize that it is not as good as lifting heavy in the free weights section, but all I am wondering is if it will be sufficient to generally maintain muscle mass while on a deficit.

    Dunno what "generally maintain" means. You will lose much more muscle mass on a deficit while doing this program versus a heavy lifting program.
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
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    These days I stick to free weights and a few machines most of the time. I have done Pump twice this year.

    BUT 10-12 years ago, all I did was BodyPump 2-3 times a week and some circuit training and I was smaller and lighter then than I am now (I was at my goal weight). Looking back, I can see that I had quite a nice figure. I think Pump is a great workout and I might be tempted to do it more often now if I could fit in the classes to suit my availability.

    I find that doing my own thing in the weights room is time efficient, and also I can focus on things that I want to, rather than do the whole body approach of Pump (not that there is anything wrong with that) and be told what to do.

    But to answer your question, yes I do think that it would maintain muscle at MY level. I'm not sure how much YOU have though!
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    I realize that it is not as good as lifting heavy in the free weights section, but all I am wondering is if it will be sufficient to generally maintain muscle mass while on a deficit.

    Don't eat at a deficit? Maybe carb/calorie cycle? Isn't there always muscle loss at a deficit?
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    I realize that it is not as good as lifting heavy in the free weights section, but all I am wondering is if it will be sufficient to generally maintain muscle mass while on a deficit.

    Don't eat at a deficit? Maybe carb/calorie cycle? Isn't there always muscle loss at a deficit?

    He's trying to lose weight, while maintaining muscle mass. So, he needs to eat at a deficit. There will be some muscle loss. He's trying to maintain what he has, as much as possible (the usual goal for people on a weight loss plan).

    If you already lift heavy, I don't think you will like body pump. The muscles do get pumped and sore (especially if you are combining it with doing more lifting), but that's just because you do so many reps and no rests. It's really more of a weighted cardio class (maybe similiar to the Jillian Michaels stuff). Still, it can be fun and interesting. It's a good way to learn form and get started (for beginners, which I know you are not). I did it a few times, way back before I started a steady free weights program. Sometimes I think about doing it again, just as extra (not in place of my lifting). I just wonder if doing it might help me learn better form, but I'm not sure if it will or not.

    It is definitely better than doing no strength training.

    I don't know what the effectiveness is for maintaining muscle. I guess, as others said, it maybe depends on how much muscle a person has already and how long they plan to be on a deficit for. But, it's still better than no strength training. Maybe better to do body pump and still do some heavier, low rep stuff as well. But, whatever works for what you want to do.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Your avatar suggests you are looking for results this program cannot provide.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Honestly, he'll retain a lot more muscle mass than we're giving him credit for. What he won't do is develop more strength, which may or may not be of importance to him or the other people that like these classes. Also, he won't develop any significant new muscle, no newbie gains while at a deficit and no real gains if he goes on a surplus at sometime in the future.

    The drawback to bodypump and similar programs is not that they aren't effective for losing weight while retaining lbm because they are very good at that. It's that they can only do the one singular thing. A true lifting program with optional cardio can be adapted to fit any goal, from bodybuilding to strength gains, to sport specific adaptation to everyday functional improvement.


    Edited: because of missing words. Forgive me as I'm typing this crap on my phone
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    And it should be noted that the majority of the blowback when people mention bodypump or similar occurs when they call it a "heavy lifting" program. Because it ain't. For all the reasons listed above. Just no. "but it's heavy for meeeeee" doesn't change this basic fact.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Thanks Op, for sharing info about the content of the class.

    Thanks Dav, for a very good answer to the question!! I was really not sure, now I know more about it.

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