BodyPump as weightlifting

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rsj206
rsj206 Posts: 36 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, I have a question about weightlifting and BodyPump. If you want to skip the background, see below. It's a simple question but I want to give some background so you know where I'm coming from. I lost 40 pounds nine years ago, and since then I have been on a long journey to lose the last 15 pounds. I'm starting to think it will never happen, but that's another story. Anyway.

I first lost weight doing basically just cardio (running and elliptical). Five years ago I started doing a class similar to BodyPump, and I loved it. (My gym discontinued it in favor of BodyPump.) I got sleeker and gained muscle, but didn't lose any appreciable weight. Next I got a personal trainer, who recommended free weights and heavy-weight, low-rep exercises. I've been doing that three times a week (in place of BodyPump) for about a year. I've gained more muscle, and I'm much stronger, but I don't enjoy weightlifting on my own as much as I enjoy going to a class and sweating it out with other people. I find that I have to drag myself to the gym to do weights, and I dread lifting days. :-( I'm not in love with my new, stronger muscles either. They are fine, but I would rather have smaller muscles and enjoy going to the gym more than I do currently.

**MY ACTUAL QUESTION**: Does BodyPump (high-rep, relatively low weight exercises) give my body the same benefits as high-weight, low-rep lifting? I'm thinking bone density and connective tissue strength in particular.

Thanks!

PS - I still run twice a week. I've tried HIIT as a weight-loss tool and gotten fit, but again, no weight loss. I've eaten all my exercise calories, I've eaten none. At various times I've cut out dairy, wheat, sugar, red meat. I don't drink alcohol. I think my body just wants to stay at 165, sigh.
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Replies

  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    No
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    I find that I have to drag myself to the gym to do weights, and I dread lifting days. :-( I'm not in love with my new, stronger muscles either. They are fine, but I would rather have smaller muscles and enjoy going to the gym more than I do currently.

    **MY ACTUAL QUESTION**: Does BodyPump (high-rep, relatively low weight exercises) give my body the same benefits as high-weight, low-rep lifting? I'm thinking bone density and connective tissue strength in particular.

    Thanks!

    No, they don't have the same benefit, but if you don't enjoy it and don't like the results then stick to Bodypump. To each their own.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    No
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
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    Does BodyPump (high-rep, relatively low weight exercises) give my body the same benefits as high-weight, low-rep lifting?

    No.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    nope
  • Lili0817
    Lili0817 Posts: 109 Member
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    Probably not.

    I love Body Pump, I think it's a great workout. Why don't you just modify it? I follow the class but at my own pace. For example, when doing Squats I add more weight then most of the class and I go at my pace. So I do fewer reps then the others, but with much more weight. I do that for all the exercises. Quality over Quantity :)
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    This is a good article explaining the difference:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html

    And part 2 will tell you how to mix it.

    Loosing the last 15lbs will be a function of your diet, not your work out.

    This is also an interesting article, if you aren't happy with the size of your current muscles:

    http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
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    NO. End of thread.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    Your body would not stay at 165 if you were in a famine.

    So there's that.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    No
  • 58Rock
    58Rock Posts: 176 Member
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    Why not do both. I do. On average, I run three days a week and do yoga one day. But I dedicate two additional days to lifting. One is either Body Pump at the local Gold's or a very intense kettlebell circut. The other day is devoted to heavy lifting the basics; dead lift, benchpress, dips, low pull, one arm rows, shoulder presses, upright rows, biceps curls (bar and dumbell) and triceps work are just some examples. Heavy, maxing out at 8 reps per set. If you want to lift more, drop a day cardio and add another day of lifting wihich I do when I not doing a lot of training for races (mostly during the winter).

    Good luck!
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,662 Member
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    The answer is no, that doesn't mean you'll get zero benefit in bone density, but not as much as heavier lifting
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Does+Thou+Even+Hoist_6b5fe0_4251542.jpg

    j/k

    No.

    But like they said upthread, the workout that you do is better than the workout that you don't do. I *hate* kickboxing. So I don't do it. Pretty simple.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    In for NO's.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Well, may as well join in...

    NO!!!
  • rsj206
    rsj206 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thank you for the interesting reads! Much appreciated.

    This is a good article explaining the difference:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html

    And part 2 will tell you how to mix it.

    Loosing the last 15lbs will be a function of your diet, not your work out.

    This is also an interesting article, if you aren't happy with the size of your current muscles:

    http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    NO. End of thread.

    QfAsgzI.gif

    /thread
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Does BodyPump (high-rep, relatively low weight exercises) give my body the same benefits as high-weight, low-rep lifting? I'm thinking bone density and connective tissue strength in particular.

    I'm going to go across the grain and say yes, it does have many of those same benefits. I've done Body Pump and it's not soup cans. It might be high rep but it's resistance exercise and that's beneficial. I'm seeing 15-25 lbs. as being called plenty by some sources but I'll look for something less 'popular press' if I have time since I imagine people here will want scholarly articles.

    Ok, here's one that refutes me. Good to know!
    http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/combat-osteoporosis-with-exercise

    Here's another. It says all intensities have value but the heavier weights have the most.
    http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/bonemass.html
  • donnaleighh
    donnaleighh Posts: 178 Member
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    Thank you for the interesting reads! Much appreciated.

    This is a good article explaining the difference:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html

    And part 2 will tell you how to mix it.

    Loosing the last 15lbs will be a function of your diet, not your work out.

    This is also an interesting article, if you aren't happy with the size of your current muscles:

    http://bretcontreras.com/how-to-attain-a-slender-look-like-jessica-alba-zoe-saldana/


    Here here - thanks for these - like the OP I do both but well prefer Pump, so tend to that mostly as it keeps me out there doing it!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Does BodyPump (high-rep, relatively low weight exercises) give my body the same benefits as high-weight, low-rep lifting? I'm thinking bone density and connective tissue strength in particular.

    I'm going to go across the grain and say yes, it does have many of those same benefits. I've done Body Pump and it's not soup cans. It might be high rep but it's resistance exercise and that's beneficial. I'm seeing 15-25 lbs. as being called plenty by some sources but I'll look for something less 'popular press' if I have time since I imagine people here will want scholarly articles.

    Nope nope nope

    the whole premise is a cardio based workout.

    heavy isn't a NUMBER.

    I can't tricep press 25 lbs- well at least not well- and I certainly cannot laterally raise 25 lbs.

    But can I squat 25 lbs? yes. beyond yes- I can squat 8x that.

    heavy is a rep range- not a weight.

    And if you are doing HUNDREDS of reps- it's not heavy. Nothing is heavy.

    that doesn't mean it's wrong. It's not wrong. But it's not heavy lifting.

    PS- if literally EVERYONE is saying something isn't a thing- you might want to check your research and what you know if you are contradicting them. Not saying you aren't entitled to your opinion- because you are... but after about 25 NO's- it might tell you something.

    just a thought. not being a meanie poop pants- just a thought.

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