It ain't heavy - so what IS Body Pump good for?

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BerryH
BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I love me some Body Pump. I'm gradually increasing my weights every week, changing body composition and slowly getting some visible muscle definition. I sweat like hell during my workout and my muscles are always trembling by the final reps, and some of the old hands are shifting some serious kilos on their bars.

However, popular MFP thinking would have me believe all I'm doing is improving endurance; I can't possible achieve muscle hypertrophy using a weight I can carry out repeated sets of double-figure reps (then repeat slower, faster, half-way etc.). You can only get stronger and grow your muscles (no bulking!) by lifting weight you can only do 6-8 reps of to failure, the legend goes.

My perceived experience would seem to belie this, but maybe I'm getting trained but no bigger muscles and reduced fat that that's what gives that appearance. In that case how come I can lift heavier weights week after week? Surely that added strength comes from more muscle? It certainly seems a perfect foil for my cardio and, fingers crossed, seems to help reduce running injuries.

So what DOES Body Pump do to me and my lil' ol' muscles?

Replies

  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Probably that you are losing the fat on top of the muscles
  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
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    Interested to read the answers to this. Been debating a body pump class myself and wasn't sure for the same reasons!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    There will be some cross over of strength and hypertrophy doing multiple reps, but not as much as there would be with higher weights lower reps (hypertrophy best achieved though 8-12 reps, Strength increase best achieved from 3-6 reps, and endurance at 15+ reps, but there is some cross over between them). So doing 15 plus reps is great for endurance but will only helps ever so slightly with strength increases, and a little more with hypertrophy. Doing 8-12 reps will give you the most hypertrophy, but will help endurance and strength to a lesser degree, just like 3-6 reps is for maximum strength increase you will see some hypertrophy, but very little endurance.

    This will come down to your goals, if you goal is strength, endurance training (body pump) would be the least efficient means of getting it, but you will still see some gains, just slower and not as dramatic as going really heavy, or moderately heavy for lower reps.
  • hnsaunde
    hnsaunde Posts: 757 Member
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    Bump, I'm curious as well. I did an Iron Reps class which is similar, and my gym offers Body Pump, which I've been avoiding in favor of "heavier" lifting.
  • iwillsoonbeslim
    iwillsoonbeslim Posts: 283
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    I haven't done it for a couple of years, but within about 6 sessions my legs looked AWESOME! And I was probably still a good 15 stone then! Plus it's great fun :)
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
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    Fat burning, exposing the muscle you already have. Aka endurance training/cardio.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    There will be some cross over of strength and hypertrophy doing multiple reps, but not as much as there would be with higher weights lower reps (hypertrophy best achieved though 8-12 reps, Strength increase best achieved from 3-6 reps, and endurance at 15+ reps, but there is some cross over between them). So doing 15 plus reps is great for endurance but will only helps ever so slightly with strength increases, and a little more with hypertrophy. Doing 8-12 reps will give you the most hypertrophy, but will help endurance and strength to a lesser degree, just like 3-6 reps is for maximum strength increase you will see some hypertrophy, but very little endurance.

    This will come down to your goals, if you goal is strength, endurance training (body pump) would be the least efficient means of getting it, but you will still see some gains, just slower and not as dramatic as going really heavy, or moderately heavy for lower reps.
    ^^^ Great answer, thanks!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Just to qualify, I have tried heavy lifting and saw some great benefits, but much of the time I'm training for some kind of running event. Trying to increase speed and/or distance and increasing my weights at the same time meant I was always recovering from one of the other and couldn't get enough training sessions and rest days in. I ended up ditching resistance altogether and getting injured.

    I'm hoping Body Pump will give me sufficient strength to avoid injury, some bonus endurance... and make me look a bit hotter than the flabby runner I've been for so long :tongue:
  • badgerbadger1
    badgerbadger1 Posts: 954 Member
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    I do heavy lifting 3 times a week. I also run three times a week. The lifting has only helped my cardio-pulmonary status, my leg strength (the stuff they make you do "hills" for in 10K+ running training), eliminated my knee pain and improved my recovery time. Running is so much easier now.

    I'd only suggest the running and lifting would interfere with each other when you get to advanced level running like half and full marathons. Anything less than that, if you time your workouts correctly, eat plenty of protein, get lots of rest and listen to your body, I don't think it's too much of an issue. Unless you are very new to both or are attempting to bulk/build muscle.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    I do heavy lifting 3 times a week. I also run three times a week. The lifting has only helped my cardio-pulmonary status, my leg strength (the stuff they make you do "hills" for in 10K+ running training), eliminated my knee pain and improved my recovery time. Running is so much easier now.

    I'd only suggest the running and lifting would interfere with each other when you get to advanced level running like half and full marathons. Anything less than that, if you time your workouts correctly, eat plenty of protein, get lots of rest and listen to your body, I don't think it's too much of an issue. Unless you are very new to both or are attempting to bulk/build muscle.
    Yeah, I was Marathon training and it was taking me a good two days to recover from my long runs. Now I'm aiming shorter, and hopefully faster, there may be room to re-introduce it, thanks!
  • flausa
    flausa Posts: 534 Member
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    One of the trainers at the gym explained to me that heavy lifting with light reps is better if your emphasis is on building strength and power. So, if your running is sprinting, then heavy lifting is the way to go. However, for endurance, the higher reps and medium weights are the way to go. No one seems to recommend picking up the Barbie Bells. :wink:
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    cardio! endurance!
    some muscle, until you're fully acclimated.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I used to teach it, and other similar classes with different names. I switched to heavy lifting and I will not go back. I don't think it did much, really.

    blessings.
  • reneegee23
    reneegee23 Posts: 233 Member
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    I love it. I think it is a perfect way to introduce beginners, like myself, to weight lifting. Emphasis is put on form and lifting enough to fatigue the muscles by the end of the set. I'm now better at cross training drills and running as a result of Body Pump. I've also noticed more tone and definition in matter of a couple months.

    When I lose more weight (I have about 35 lbs to go) I'll probably get a trainer to help me get started on heavier lifting but for now, super happy with Body Pump.

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