http://tamiandcraig.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Body Pump 62 Lunges: To Bench, or Not To Bench?
As we pointed out in our review of this latest release, the floor's clearly the best place for the bar to rest during Body Pump 62's killer lunge track. After all, the amount of weight a bar adds to the lunge workout is relatively small in comparison to a person's total body weight - it's actually the extra work involved with maintaining your balance and form that really ups the ante when you lay that bar across your shoulders. Do the math - you're probably adding maybe 5-10% more weight, at most.

But what about the bench? After giving this track a fair run for the money in our classes, there's little doubt in our minds that it's pretty doggone easy to underestimate the effect this has on the workout. Get out your measuring tape and likely to find the average bench probably sits a good 1/3 the height of whatever vertical distance the typical lunge covers. And if that figure's even remotely accurate, consider this: You'd have to extend the usual 4:45 lunge track to well over six minutes long just to get the same workout! Yeah, the bench takes it to a whole new level.

So here's what we tell our classes: Leave the bar on the floor for the 62 lunge track. And, if you're new at this stuff (we define "new" as anything less than a month, at three times a week) then you're probably best served by setting the bench aside as well. There's no shame in perfecting your form before graduating to the tougher workout regimens. But for the regulars who've got that form nailed - complete with right angles in both knees on the downstroke - adding a bench to the mix is just what the doctor ordered. Grab your weapon, folks - it's lunge time...
1 Comment(s):
On 24 July, 2007, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I only use the bench for static lunges with the bar across my shoulders when I feel rested and strong enough to maintain a good form. The rest of that track is legs and floor only. Our benches are definitely too high even at the lowest possible height, therefore not allowing a safe and effective execution of backward stepping lunge off the bench...

 

Post a Comment