Sharing my thoughts on my very favorite Les Mills program, BODYPUMP! Take a class for FREE On Demand using my link and you’ll get 30 days of unlimited workouts from the Les Mills platform.
Hi friends! How’s the week going? It’s been kind of a doozy over here. I wrote everything up in a Thursday Thoughts post for tomorrow! The Pilot has been working and traveling quite a bit, I have a full-body rash that thankfully isn’t contagious but may not go away for weeks, and we’re hitting week 9 of this whole situation. If anyone else feels like you’re losing your marbles, please know you’re not alone.
Something that has helped me remarkably in the past couple of months: solid workouts. Even with everything going on, I’ve been dedicated to working out virtually every single day. It feels SO good to move my body, zone out, and almost feel like I’m alone for a little while. 
Something that I’ve brought back into my regular routine that I missed dearly: BODYPUMP! BODYPUMP feels like the quintessential Les Mills workout. It was the first one I tried, the first one that stole my heart, and something I find myself coming back to, again and again.
Pic from teaching a class in San Diego when it was a purple theme and I was pregnant with P. (It was the Pilot’s first… and only… BODYPUMP experience haha.)
Why I love Les Mills BODYPUMP
For today’s post, I thought I’d break down the format and why I love BODYPUMP for those who haven’t been introduced to it yet.
Here’s what a typical class entails:
– It’s a 45-55 minute class (depending on if the instructor does the core section and how long it takes to transition between songs) focused on muscular endurance. (There are also shorter 30-minute express versions of the class.) It’s a high-rep workout, designed to completely fatigue each muscle group. The workout is based on “time under tension,” which can help to promote lean muscle and strength gains the same way as lifting much heavier weights for less repetitions.
You can check out this interesting study that suggests that a BODYPUMP class can burn more calories than typical cardiovascular training and positively impact metabolism. When I teach a BODYPUMP class, I easily burn 500+ calories (and feel strong and energized when it’s over).
– It’s music-derived. All of the movements match the songs, which is my favorite aspect of the class! You might do full-range singles for the chorus of the songs, and tempo variations of classic strength moves. Each release is always different and like the other Les Mills workouts, they’re science-backed for maximum benefits and safety. (For example, they study how many squats are safe to do in the squat track depending on the tempo variations and range of motion. It’s truly incredible.)
– It’s barbell-based. Most of the exercises are performed using a barbell, but there are also exercises using plates, a bench, and your own body weight.
– It’s designed to hit every muscle in your body. Instructors may shuffle around the order of tracks, but this is the standard format:
– Warm up
– Squats
– Chest
– Back
– Triceps
– Biceps
– Lunges
– Shoulders
– Core
– Cool down
– Bonus cardio potential. The movements are dynamic, will get your heart rate up, and keep it elevated for the tracks. I feel like it’s a solid combo of strength and cardio work.
Pros and Cons of Les Mills BODYPUMP:
Pros:
– BODYPUMP is an effective way to switch up traditional strength training. If you’re used to doing hypertrophy work (3 sets of 10-12 reps for most exercises) or max strength (like CrossFit), I absolutely recommend implementing an endurance day, like BODYPUMP, into the routine. It teaches the muscles to maintain strength for longer periods of time, instead of quick blasts, which can come in handy for cardio endurance workouts (like distance runs) or for LIFE (like when you need to carry 18 bags of groceries from the car into the house. No second trips.).
– It’s easy to modify. You can ditch the weights for the leg tracks, and modify the amount of weights for the barbell. It’s also pregnancy-friendly. I taught classes while I was pregnant with P and all I needed to do was angle the bench for the supine work and decrease the weight on the barbell.
– No need to worry about strength training and figuring out a workout/plan on your own. If you’re sick of puttering around the gym from the free weights to the machines (or even just trying to get motivated to work out at home), this is such a great way to switch it up. I feel like it’s difficult to find online or on demand strength workouts that are *fun.* This one is fun, challenging, and insanely effective. Even though I know what I need to do to hit specific muscle groups, it’s so nice to press play and have someone else plan the workout for me. 
– It can make strength training approachable for those who wouldn’t otherwise be lifting weights. It can be intimidating to venture into strength training on your own, and Les Mills takes a majority of that intimidation away.
Cons:
– Equipment. The workout is barbell-based, which many folks don’t have at home. You can get the full equipment set on their site, but I’ve done the workouts using dumbbells and kettlebells in a pinch. You can absolutely do the workout with what you have available!
– I think because of licensing, sometimes a song or two is overplayed by the time a release comes out. I feel like this is rare, but it does happen sometimes.
If you want to give BODYPUMP a try, use my link for 30 days of Les Mills On Demand for free! They have over 800 workouts taught by powerhouse instructors. Please let me know how you like it!
Have a great day, friends. Thank you for stopping by the blog today and I’ll see ya soon!
xo
Gina
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* This article was originally published here
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