If you’ve read this blog more than once you’ve likely caught on to my intense love of BodyPump. Proof: Pop on over to my Exercise Log, and you’ll see that I take a BodyPump class as often as three times a week.
I know some of you share my affinity for the ‘Pump, but I also know there are a few of you out there who feel in the dark whenever I mention BodyPump.
According to the BodyPump website, “BodyPump is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast!“
I remember when a former coworker told me about BodyPump. She assured me that it was a challenging class that worked your entire body in under an hour. Though I love group exercise, I’ll be completely honest and say I often feel like the classes are not challenging enough. This is not the case with BodyPump! (However, if you’re new to strength training, don’t be intimidated! You can control the amount of weight you use throughout the class and adjust according to your personal strength level, adding more weight as your strength increases.)
During a BodyPump class, the instructor leads the entire class through a total-body strength training routine, with a different muscle group serving as the focus during different songs. The order of the class is always the same:
- Warm up
- Squats
- Chest
- Back/Hamstrings
- Triceps
- Biceps
- Lunges
- Abs
- Cool down
To me, squats and lunges are always the most difficult!
During the class you have a bar to which you add and deduct weight, depending on which muscle group you’re working. For example, I have a lot more weight on my bar when I’m doing squats than when I’m doing triceps.
My BodyPump Set Up
You will work a certain muscle group for an entire song. No more three sets of 15 reps! During BodyPump, you will do a lot of reps of various exercises, which means your starting weight should be lighter than what you might normally do in the weight room on your own.
My BodyPump weight selection typically looks like this (including the 2.5 lb. bar):
- Warm up: 22.5 lbs.
- Squats: 47.5 lbs.
- Chest: 22.5 lbs.
- Back/Hamstrings: 42.5 lbs.
- Triceps: 22.5 lbs.
- Biceps: 22.5 lbs.
- Lunges: 22. 5 lbs.
- Abs
- Cool down
Hi Guys!
(Side note: I feel like the biggest tool taking the above picture this morning. The things I do for the blog! 😉 )
Some BodyPump releases are harder than others, but by the end of every BodyPump class, I’m pretty sweaty and I always feel like I got a decent workout. (In case you’re in the dark, a BodyPump release is created by BodyPump and then distributed to instructors all over the world who learn it before teaching it to a class, so the releases are the same at every gym.)
BodyPump really works for me. I love the challenge and it forces me to do moves I hate (squats, lunges) in a fun, upbeat environment. Plus, I’m much more likely to skip working out areas like my chest or back when I’m on my own, and BodyPump doesn’t let me skirt around certain muscle groups that deserve attention.
Have you ever taken a BodyPump or other strength training class? Love it? Hate it? Share!
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You forgot that the 8th song is shoulders—just saying—cuz they’re my favorite.
Oops- just noticed other people already said that – sorry!
I tried body pump for the first time today because my new gym offers it! I love it so far & I think it will get even better once I get the weight thing down 🙂
One of my co workers recommended your website this morning and I’m pretty much already hooked!
I recently moved to a new city and started at a new gym after not working out for about 6 months. It’s quite funny because before I saw this blog I was looking through the gym class schedule and decided on attending the BodyPump class this evening (mostly because of the accommodating class time).
Now that I’ve seen your enthusiasm toward the class I’m all the more excited to go!!
Went to my first Body Pump Class last night. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I consider myself to be relatively in-shape, so I wrote down your weights just to have an idea. Let me just say. You. are. STRONG. I used way less than what you listed and was still dying! Definitely liked the class though and will be going back!
Awesome – I have Les Mills Pump from beach body, which is a home version of this and I absolutely love it. It works everything – including your butt! What I love about it is the weights, and you feel as though you’re really getting stuff done. 🙂
First off, thank you Julie, for the workout ideas. I don’t have the money to afford personal training, although I’d love it. So I’ll try out a couple of your routines and see how they go. My friend introduced me to BodyPump in July of last year. I was immediately addicted! Here’s the thing about it: It always kicks my butt. I take it 3x’s per week with different instructors and they all mix it up. Some are hard core about pushing the class attendees. Some are not but I get a great workout because with all the mirrors in the room. If I’m not lifting, everyone notices. That’s motivation to keep pushing through the burn. So join a 24-Hour Fitness and get going! My gym is 1/2 mile from my house.
i’ve just recently started following your blog and find a lot of your posts really helpful! Also, I revently got engaged so I was poking around your wedding pages – it’s nice to see what kind of experience other people have!
I just joined a gym that has BodyPump, but I have to admit, I’m a little intimidated by the class! I haven’t lifted weights in awhile and I’m not sure if this is one of those classes I could just jump into (like, zumba or kickboxing). Any tips/suggestions to help a girl feel a little less anxious?
I’ve just recently started following your blog and find a lot of your posts really helpful! Also, I got engaged a few months ago so I was poking around your wedding pages – it’s nice to see what kind of experience other people have!
I just joined a gym that has BodyPump, but I have to admit, I’m a little intimidated by the class! I haven’t lifted weights in awhile and I’m not sure if this is one of those classes I could just jump into (like, zumba or kickboxing). Any tips/suggestions to help a girl feel a little less anxious?
I have never seen or taken a body pump class but have designed my own “fusion” of body sculpting/interval cardio workout class that I have taught in my hometown of Indiana, PA for the past ten years. Our challenging and super-effective- one hour workout works every muscle in your body; we perform 2-3 total body strength exercises followed with a cardio burst or a plyometric move. Every class is different and I try to mix it up – not following the same track of exercises but using a variety of HIIT intervals (Tabatas; 30/10; 60/10) and our own bodyweight resistance we get the most awesome, hard core, challenging workout with results to match!
As a personal trainer, I welcome all levels and my clients progress quickly – however, I always show a beginner proper form and provide modifications for every exercise. It’s crucial to make our beginners feel welcome – it’s tough enough for someone to even come to the class – I try to do everything to help them progress without making them feel they are being “singled out”.
One of our latest “success stories” is Jayne, a 57 year old grandma who has lost almost 40lbs and has taken 10 inches off her waist – she started my class last spring, struggled but stuck with it and now is one of my “advanced” clients who does it all! I absolutely love these successes and see such positive carry over to all aspects of their lives! We have a few men also and seriously they usually have an extremely tough time “keeping up”, so of course I provide modifications for them as well!!
Love your blog and anytime you are near Pittsburgh, Pa (Indiana is an hour northeast) you HAVE to take my class – you would LOVE it!!!
I just tried Body Pump at my school, and I was so nervous about going for the first time, but now after going for a few weeks, I love it! I even have increased my weight! I can’t wait to maybe take classes at home with my family!
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I have something to valuable to contribute to the discussion.
It is triggered by the passion displayed in the article
I browsed. And after this post So What IS BodyPump? | Peanut
Butter Fingers. I was actually excited enough to drop a leave a responsea response 🙂 I actually do have
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