Tami and Craig - BodyPump Instructors

Notice The Longer Lunge Tracks?

2009-02-13T08:55:00.014-05:00

Fellow blogger, instructor, and long distance friend Mr. Timothy dropped us a line this morning with a couple of rather interesting observations. He points out that over the last 10 or so releases (since Glen Ostergaard took over as lead choreographer) there's been a definite uptick in the lunge track length. To be sure, 9 of the 10 longest lunge tracks are Ostergaard-choreographed routines. Since Pump soundtracks need to fit within a ±49 minute time window, something has to give - and it looks like the bicep track has been the primary donor. Which isn't all bad, really... the longer lunge tracks work a much larger group of muscles, burning more calories and building core strength.
Bottom line: Now may be the time to amp up your bicep workout with an extra plate on both sides of the bar. And take an extra deep breath between tracks 6 & 7!

Notice any other trends in the Pump workout over the last couple years? Tell us about it!

Random class pics

2009-02-11T11:02:00.004-05:00

Well a couple weeks ago we finally got around to launching release #68. Ours is the Wednesday 4:10pm class, an awesome timeslot for everyone who just wants to knock off work a bit early and take a midweek break for an hour. It's our favorite class to teach.
I'm a full-time software developer who's always running five minutes late, so finding the time to pick up choreography can be a challenge sometimes. It's definitely not unusual for me to resort to "cramming" just before class - Tami, on the other hand, is never late and learns her music days ahead of time. Good thing for me that opposites attract!
Our class tells us they enjoy the banter that goes on between Tami and I during the workout. Well there's nothing scripted or made up for that - it's just a continuation of what goes on between us pretty much most of the time. It just so happens for an hour that day everyone gets to overhear it. I'm behaving badly in this pic to the right, with Tami on the verge of thumping my head lest I forget who really wears the pants in our family.
Somehow, in spite of ourselves, we usually manage to run a pretty tight class. Form - not weight - is our hot topic, and we've found that most everybody really wants to execute the routines properly. Last week we ran another of our Form Friday classes - the cool thing this last time around was that we were mostly helping people make "fine tuning" adjustments (all the typical "big stuff" seemed to be in pretty good shape!) Which brings me to the closing thought for this post - maybe it's time to resurrect our Wicked Wednesday mix for this afternoon's class...

Body Pump 69 Tracklist

2009-01-26T20:53:00.002-05:00

Fellow blogger Glen Stollery has posted the Body Pump 69 Tracklist... Our quick thoughts: Kid Rock and Rihanna join Fall Out Boy on a release that has more "top 40" tracks and artists than most of late... Good to have 3 Doors Down serving up a quick encore to their BP 68 Chest Track thriller, while Pink's becoming almost as regular on BP releases as E-Type once was on the shoulder tracks. Pop Quiz: Who remembers the last release on which "Castles In The Sky" made an appearance? (bonus: Which workout track was it?)

Body Pump 68 In A Day

2009-01-25T21:33:00.001-05:00

Like many instructors, we've got full-time jobs that keep us both pretty busy - Tami's a personal trainer specializing in Senior Fitnees and Craig's a software engineer. So finding time to learn new releases isn't always easy.

Which brings us around to release #68. Tami's going with our tried and true formula for learning new releases, while Craig plans to cram it in 24 hours before the first class. Gee, should be interesting to see which of us crashes and burns on Wednesday! (yeah we know we're deadbeats for just now getting around to the 68 launch)

Tami Fulfills Her 2008 New Year's Resolution (pics)

2008-08-22T10:26:00.018-04:00

One of the things I most respect about Tami is the way she keeps her promises - both to others, and to herself. If you've been following our blog for awhile you may remember her New Year's Resolution to walk 500 miles. She had me put together a little spreadsheet on her laptop where she could enter her mileage each day. Next to each entry it showed mileage accumulated to-date, along with a comparison to the minimum mileage needed to complete 500 miles by year end. Every now and again she tried to turn the milestones into shoe-buying excuses -- "Hey Sweetie, I just crossed 300 miles - don't you think that deserves a new pair of shoes?"

Well, it was my honor to walk the last 40 or so miles with her during our vacation in Montana's Glacier National Park these last two weeks. I don't know exactly where or when we crossed that 500th mile, but I do know that the mountains there in Glacier are a whole lot taller than the ones back home. I also decided I prefer climbing over descending - Tami practically runs down the mountains, leaving me stumbling along behind in a contrail of dust (see video below). She's a hiking machine. Me, I'm more of a pack mule - I get to carry the water, lunches, cameras, maps, and sunscreen. Which works out fine, since I'm always stopping to take pictures anyway! Enjoy...

Body Pump 67 Sneak Peek

2008-08-04T10:26:00.003-04:00

The latest buzz floating around about Body Pump 67 (due out to instructors this September) reveals a very listenable tracklist. Notable artists: Finger Eleven, P!nk, and Aerosmith, not to mention a teamup between Bon Jovi and Big & Rich on the Biceps track (remember Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy). E-Type returns for (you guessed it) Back and Hamstrings, and the Abs track features a tantalizing plank crunch maneuver. Want more details? Check out fellow blogger Patrick's Body Pump 67 sizzler post (which includes YouTube links), or the this underground tracklist...

BP66 Sizzler

2008-03-24T06:58:00.005-04:00

You can get a teaser of Body Pump 66 in the latest Revolution magazine (page 11). Here's the link

Does New Release Distribution Work?

2008-03-06T07:42:00.003-05:00

Just a few days ago we received 65. It turned out that we were the first instructors to receive our music at our club, so Tami put the word out that we're getting to work on our review. Her post had hardly hit our blog when we got several messages back that 65 was old news - not only had other instructors long ago received their music, they'd already launched the release!

To be sure, rollout of a new release must be a huge job - According to LMI these programs now run in more than 10,000 clubs worldwide. Even if you had only one instructor per club that'd be a big undertaking, but of course there's quite a few more than that.

Which begs the question - does this distribution model really make sense anymore? Really, in this age of iTunes and movies over the internet, can we not make use of technology to help get the job done? Obviously having downloadable releases won't work for everyone, but consider this - for those instructors who do have access to a fast connection and know how to download music to an iPod, this might actually work just fine.

Let's suppose that's one instructor per club - 10,000. And just for the sake of round numbers, let's suppose the cost of putting together the physical materials for each release (CD, DVD, plastic case, book, etc.) is US $15, and the cost for packaging all that up and getting it to an instructor's mailbox is another $5 - so (round numbers again) we're at $20. If my numbers are even remotely close, that puts $200,000 per release back on the table if even one instructor at every club would download their release rather than take physical shipment.

Again, the population of instructors that could benefit from electronic release distribution is probably limited. But maybe - just maybe - it's large enough to make it a viable option. Especially if it means we here in little ol' Blacksburg, Virginia aren't the last ones on the planet to get music anymore!

65 is here!!!!

2008-03-02T19:40:00.004-05:00

Always an exciting day in our home is when we receive the new release - and for us it was Saturday. And, although I was the first to the mail box, I allowed Craig to choose the first song and for him it was the ab song. When I was reading off the artists to him, and mentioned Kanye West, he knew right away who it was. I however did not. I do know Manfred Mann's Earth Band, and I recall DJ Alligator from a previous release, but I'm pretty much out of sorts when it comes to all the new stuff. Not that I don't like - thats not what I'm saying - I'm just an ol' rocker at heart. I really like the bicep track - great song! Of course we have only listened to it once so far so too soon to tell how we feel about the whole thing. Craig will be working on the review and have it out shortly. Keep checking back...

Our club only just launched BP 64 several weeks ago. We wanted it to be at the same time that they launched Body Step, a brand new program for the club. (Which by the way is doing fabulous!) We are hoping to launch 65 a tad sooner!

I know the quarterly for our area was going on today - I wished we could have been there but things just did not work out this time. If anyone out there went, let us know how it was!

Lately our classes have been jam packed. Whats strange is that it did not start after New Years but more around Feb. 1. Wednesday and Sunday we are usually turning people away - on Friday, well, it is still a bit slow - around 13 or so. I love the packed classes! I can remember when I first started teaching and almost wishing no one would show up to class! Now, I'm somewhat disappointed if we don't fill the room. It's so much more fun!

By the way, for anyone who lives in Gwinnett County, Georgia, there is a great new magazine/website out on fun things to do in and around the area. It is called The Fun Finder. Go to www.thefunfinder.net and check it out. Also, the forum is cool too. See if you can figure out which post is mine...!

Craig and I will be traveling in our beloved "Love Shack" down the Atlanta Highways this weekend. It is time to see my boys and also we are bringing my mother home with us to live for a while. That should be interesting. Maybe I can get her to Body Pump?

Take care!!!!

Tami

Our 'Old Stuff' Playlist

2008-01-22T19:43:00.000-05:00

What goes up must come down.
What goes around comes around.
One good turn deserves another.

And... you guessed it:

What's old is new again.

Naturally. We did our 'new stuff' playlist a week or so ago, and now it's time rewind all the way back to the 30's series, because - well, for us at least - that's about as far back as we can go. (playlist at left)

But anyway... We find it's a little like climbing back on that bicycle you haven't ridden in awhile - No matter how long it's been, one crank of the pedals and it feels just as natural as ever. It's that pleasant mix of comfort and familiarity that makes the whole experience just slightly more enjoyable than normal.

Truth be told, though, here's what we really like about the 'old stuff' playlist: Even if we totally forget the choreography, we've heard these songs so many times we can fake our way through it and at least look like we know what we're doing!

and I will walk 500 mile....

2008-01-14T14:29:00.000-05:00

Does anybody remember that song – I believe it was called “I’m Gonna Be 500 Miles” by the Proclaimers? It was a catchy little tune.

Well, with that in mind, as we were driving back home from Atlanta on New Years Day I was trying to come up with a New Years resolution. I did not want the usual ones, like “I will lose weight”, or I will be a better wife”. I wanted something unique – something that would really be a goal that I could actually stick with. One that would be challenging and keep me motivated so that 2 months later I would not be wondering what my resolution was. And then it hit me! My cardio workouts have been slacking and I needed a jumpstart to get me going. So, I made it my goal to walk 500 miles by December 31, 2008! Of course, like any good goal, there must be parameters. Here are mine: I need to average 1.4 miles per day on the treadmill. If I do cycling, step, or any other cardio, I will count 1 mile for every 20 minutes of aerobic activity. And then what makes you even more motivated to attain a goal? Competition! I mentioned this in Pump the other day and one of our most dedicated exercisers wants to do it with me – especially when she found out what the reward is for reaching the goal – a trip to the Day Spa! You know, facial, massage, manicure, pedicure…the works! Of course I had to promise Craig that I would save my money to pay for my spa which means I will have to cut back on my shoe purchases.

All in all, walking is great exercise – we should all to more walking. I have been wearing a pedometer since 1/2/08 and another goal is getting at least 10,000 steps per day – so far I have only fallen behind once, and that was when I was not feeling well.

Oh yeah – how am I doing on my walking endeavor? I’m ahead of schedule. According to my walking chart that Craig so wonderfully put together for me, I should have 19.60 miles in – but I have 27.17!

Has anyone else set some goals? I’d love to hear from you!

Tami

Our 'New Stuff' Playlist

2008-01-09T13:22:00.000-05:00

This week's playlist (at left) probably seems unremarkable to most instructors, but for us it's a little different - see, we run mostly "old" songs in our classes. Old for us means anything before release 50 - mostly we gravitate to the 30's and 40's series, then throw in a 50's series track or two for good measure.

Well, Tami picks a theme for each week's playlist, and this week it's new stuff only. Guess we won't need to blow the dust off any old CDs this time around!

Deadlifts - Easier For Men?

2007-12-26T08:48:00.000-05:00

(posted by Craig) A couple weeks ago, I was giving my usual demonstration for proper deadlift technique before the back & hamstrings track. Getting the form nailed on this part of the routine seems to be a tougher nut to crack with classes than it ought to be. Many times I notice class participants - especially new folks - simply bending over rather than executing the move with the backside leading the motion, knees behind the toes.

And then it struck me - I was thinking of some demonstration I'd seen once where women could bend over and pick up a chair while standing next to a wall, while men would fall forward. So rather than check my facts, I just went with that and proceeded to tell our class full of ladies that it's probably more natural for them to bend over without pushing their butts out than it is for us guys. While demonstrating the motion, I noticed Tami staring at me. "Really?" she asked.

"Oh yes" said I, though it came out with a tad less conviction than I'd hoped. "Haven't you ever seen that little trick where women can bend over and pick up a chair but men fall flat on their faces?"

"No, I haven't."

"You haven't? I thought everybody knew about that. It works because of the way we're balanced - men have more mass concentrated in their shoulders, see, while women have more mass... uh, you know, lower than... men."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why don't you show us?"

Self confidence fleeting, I looked around the room for support - by now everyone had stopped getting their weights together. And while most will tell you they come to our classes for the workout, truth be told it's tasty moments like these that surely must add something extra to the post-class locker room conversation. Small wonder, then, that nobody offered up a hint of support.

I stood against the wall, and bent over. Naturally I fell forward. Then Tami did the same. "So much for your anatomy lesson" she said, as my theory dissolved into that sea of satisfied laughter that comes from witnessing a member of the opposite sex make a complete fool of himself.

I wish I could say I learned a lesson that day, but chances are I didn't. It'll happen again. It always does. I suppose that's why Tami gets so many hugs from our class regulars, and why she always says it's a "lot less interesting" when she has to teach alone.

PS. Here's a link to a question and answer info about the women vs. men bending-over thing. I may've been technically right about the difference in balance, but equating it to ease of doing deadlifts probably wasn't my proudest moment!

Will Your New Year's Resolution Stick?

2007-12-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

Say, ever wanted the club to yourself during your workout? Sick of waiting on machines? Tired of setting up in the back row of full classes? Well, this is the week you've been waiting for... Pick a club, just about any club right now, and chances are you'll find the tranquility you so desperately seek.

But not for long... Here in the States, at least, January is by far the biggest sales month for fitness clubs. Yep, come January 2nd (gosh, maybe even January 1st) practically every club from sea to shining sea will be packed with New Year's Resolutioners - those fine folks who promise themselves that this year it'll all be different. Yes, for two, maybe even three whole weeks they'll plug away. But then the reality of life sets in, and by February it's back to the same ol', same ol' - oh, there'll be a few new faces, but mostly the same ones as before.

Will you be different? We hope so. If you're a newbie, remember this: Anything you do regularly for a month becomes part of your life. Healthy living - and that includes exercise - is for everyone. We know, because we both struggled with obesity for years. It's the fear of our past that motivates our butts right back into that gym week after week. So take heart... if a couple of previously-overweight geeks like us can get it done, surely you can!

Artist Focus: P!nk

2007-12-19T10:49:00.000-05:00

Every now and again a track shows up on a release that becomes a favorite - not just in class, but in a general Tami's favs or Craig's CD Rock iPod playlist. And then we feel like we got a little somethin' for nothin' - we had to buy the release anyway, and now we've got some bonus music for the road.

So one fine day we noticed a pattern - Seems whenever Pink (aka P!nk) turns up on a release, it's a pretty sure bet it'll be one of those bonus songs for us. Let's take a look:

Most Girls (Pump 38) - Besides being one of Tami's favorite ab songs, this class favorite gets the job done with one of the shortest - yet challenging - routines in the arsenal.

Lady Marmalade (Pump 39) - Pink teams up with Christina Aguillera, Lil' Kim, and Mya for an update to this classic Labelle tune that hit #1 on the charts clear back in 1975. Whether you love or hate the tune, you gotta admit this ab workout has something for everyone with an exquisite blend of crunches, reverse crunches, and lat work.

Get The Party Started (Pump 42) - Hardly a year later Pink shows up again - this time it's a combo-laden triceps workout on one of the all-time classic releases. If this one's in your instructor's library, chances are it makes a regular appearance on the class agenda.

Who Knew (Pump 60) - After a long hiatus, the first of two tracks from her long-awaited I'm Not Dead album returns to Pump as one of Craig's all-time favorite tricep tracks. The music may be sweet, but the tricep dips that top off this torture test make presses look like child's play.

I'm Not Dead (Pump 61) - Although it's the title track from the aforementioned album, you probably won't hear this song on the radio since it was never released as a single. Which is just as well... At 5:44, it's by far the longest chest track in nearly thirty releases - and by the time it winds down we've had all we can handle!

Surprised to see one artist show up on so many releases? Well, don't be - Pink joins a long list of artists making multiple appearances across the entire Les Mills lineup. What makes her contribution to the program notable, however, is the way these tunes lend themselves to athletic choreography without sounding alike (vs. E-Type, for example). And we wouldn't be surprised if she showed up again on another release in the near future.

Agree or disagree? Click the Comments link below and have your say...

Classic Rewind: The Frenchie Song

2007-12-13T07:50:00.001-05:00

It's no secret to our classes that triceps are Craig's favorite track. Worked correctly, triceps develop quickly and add arm definition that looks great on men and ladies alike. So while most tracks are designed to give you practical strength for everyday life, the results you get with triceps can actually be more of more emotional benefit. Especially when someone says "Hey, you look like you've been working out lately."

It was almost exactly four years ago when release 47 hit the streets. For those involved with Pump back then, the 40's series was especially exciting - the program had clearly evolved as a worldwide group fitness regime, and a loyal following numbering in the millions begun to take hold. Maybe it's our nostalgia for those those times, or just the fact that we've played those tracks so doggone much that we always manage to throw a few into our weekly mix. Last week it was 47's Tu Es Fontu, better known to our class as "The Frenchie Song" (no disrespect intended to our French counterparts, we might add).

Prior to release 47, track #5 was a fairly predictable set of presses, extensions, kickbacks, and maybe a few tricep pushups thrown in for good measure. When "Tu Es Fontu" hit the floor, however, we saw presses as a relief for maybe the first time ever - for those who might remember, head choreographer Mike McSweeney said it best: "Enjoy them now, because there aren't that many."

He was right. After an all-too-short set of singles, there's an eternity of thirty eight extensions and an active recovery (presses) before the kickbacks begin. If you ever wondered where your triceps are, you'll know after this routine. It gets the job done, and that's why it was a consistent pick for our Wicked Wednesday series.

Tu m'a promis. You promised me. And we promise you results when you throw this track in the mix.

Body Pump 64 Review

2007-12-05T22:46:00.001-05:00

Coming hot on the heels of a release that earned not just one, not even two - in fact, three coveted spots on our all-time favorites playlist, Pump 64's got some huge shoes to fill. Does it come off like a kick in the pants, or a soft pat on the bottom? Let's find out:

Warm Up - At first we got excited - maybe this time, just maybe it wouldn't be another love song. Nothing doing. Yeah it's got a little beat, but you could trade this track with any of the last twenty-some-odd others - they all sound pretty much the same. Excepting Pump 54's Rise by Safri Duo, you have to rewind clear back to the 30's to get some solid variety.

Squats - Instructors, you better bring your A-game to this one - Wait for the music to clue your transitions and you're sunk... you gotta count this one out. Two short breaks punctuate a looong 5:43 workout that ensures the class gets their money's worth. Caution: Anytime you mess with a classic rock anthem like More Than A Feeling, people either love it or hate it. No need to solicit opinions after the music fades away - just stretch and move on...

Chest - Is it Blondie? Believe it or not, it's Freestylers - the same guys from 63's Fast Life in-your-face shoulder track. Talk about variety. And don't be fooled by the mid-track music fadeout - That's just your cue to start working from the bottom in a routine that's got more transitions than an Orson Welles thriller.

Back & Hamstrings - Here's a little tweak of the classic formula: fewer, but longer, clean & press sequences - two sets of six, to be exact. At 5:33 it's also one of the longer back tracks (which leaves plenty of time for dead rows and dead lifts plus a couple of breaks to boot).

Triceps - Anytime INXS shows up on a track there's cause for concern - especially when it's a tricep track that starts off with four sets of dips off the bench. With rounds of overhead extensions, bar extensions, and tricep presses there's something for everyone here. Just make sure you keep those elbows locked in!

Biceps - It's all good, with a solid beat and a workout you can sink your teeth into. Which leaves us with just one unanswered question -- how long till the "funky white girl" breakout shows up on YouTube?

Lunges - After three painful lunge track releases, it's sorta nice to to take a breather. But don't get comfortable: two rounds of forward/backward-stepping lunges take up the slack on a lunge workout that gets the job done even without the bench.

Shoulders - Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and YSL - it's like a fashion brand names education and shoulder workout all rolled into one! Lyrics aside, you could swap this track with BP 63 and we bet hardly anyone would notice. Thankfully the choreo's all different, else the class might think we're playing shenanigans with the music...

Abs - Ah yes, there's one in every release: the track that has us fighting like two thirteen-year-olds over a Hannah Montana ticket. This time it's a little blast from the past from one hit wonder Ini Kamoze, and it was Tami that got to the mailbox first this time (so she gets dibs). Small consolation: She's gotta stop dancing long enough to learn the choreo.

Cool Down Stretch - Note to instructors - If your class is running late, this is the cooldown you wanna have handy: At only 4:08, it's the shortest in the arsenal (narrowly snatching that honor from 63's All-American Rejects tune). Sadly, the abbreviated timeline leaves no room for much in the way of arm stretches, so use it sparingly.

Well you've made it this far, so we won't waste another moment of your time - yep, it's our famous bottom line:

Music - One thing we harp on more than any other is musical variety, and 64 definitely brings the goods. Little bit techno, little bit rap, some rock, and a bit of 80's throwback - what's not to like? (yeah, we know - the Boston remake) But still, it's got enough variety to make up for its minor shortcomings, and that deserves at least an A-. Postnote: Pity we never wrote a review on 63's music, that would've earned a rock solid A.

Workout Routine - Anytime you see the words "old school" or "back to basics" mentioned in the first sentence of a release's Sizzler, that's a codephrase for "nothing new" - and that's exactly what we have here. Hey, don't get the wrong idea - it's a solid workout, and there's some twisty choreo to learn, but this is all stuff we've seen before. And that's why we've got to give it a C.

Instructor Video - Evidently LMI intends for instructors to do more than learn the choreo - Instead of going straight to the masterclass, the video launches with a Susan Tolj / Glen Ostargaard intro that urges viewers to interact with the DVD. An extended intro precedes the warmup track, and a TIPS hyperlink icon appears periodically throughout the class. The tips are perfectly placed - unfortunately they're about 10-20 seconds too long, but that's a minor nit. A fresh new LMI logo adorns the packaging and appears throughout the video. Three masterclass instructors make the stage look a bit bare, however. So we'll keep tag this one with a B, especially since we're just a little nostalgic for the "glitz" and nifty camerawork from recent past videos.

So there you have it, our long-awaited return to BodyPump release reviews. Did our comments have you nodding your head in agreement, or make you see red? Well click the comments link below and have the last word!

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

2007-12-05T19:45:00.001-05:00

The Good: We never went anywhere. Yep, we're still teaching week in and week out.
The Bad: We haven't posted in a long, long while. Mostly because Craig's been working out of town every week and Tami doesn't like to write posts by herself.
The Ugly: Craig's back at home again, and we've got a mile-long list of topics to write about. Starting with the Body Pump 64 review, coming right up...

Missing: one husband

2007-10-02T19:33:00.000-04:00

Has anyone seen my hubby? He should be somewhere in the vicinity of DC. If you see him, tell him to get back home so he can start writing again!

Meanwhile….

I am soooo glad summer has finally drawn to a close. It has been one we will not soon forget.

So, since Craig has been a bit busy, I decided to put my thought down on a subject that was brought to my attention a while back. I shall call it “Things That Annoy Instructors”.

#1. Coming in late to class and missing the very important warm up – and setting up weights can be a bit distracting. I must say though that it doesn’t always bother me. I just usually say hello to the person and move on!

#2. Leaving before the very important cool down. I know that some people have to leave because of jobs, etc., but the cool down is extremely important. Also distracting can be when weights are being put away as we instructing. However, on Fridays, there is a class right after ours so I will sometimes start putting our weights away while Craig teaches so we are not late getting out.

#3. This is what annoys me the most. When a new person comes to class and we try to go over proper form, and they are not paying the least bit of attention. Usually they are chatting with a friend or adjusting the weights on their bar instead of listening. Personally, I find this to be pretty rude. It makes me feel like I’m wasting my time, yet it is for their own benefit that we do this!

#4. When only 2 people show up to class!

Well – I think that is it. But in all fairness, I will try to put down what I think is annoying to participants.

#1. When the instructor is late.

#2. When the instructor is too ‘chatty’.

#3. When they have a sub.

#4. When we foul up the choreography.

#5. When I keep talking about my shoe fetish.

#6. When Craig and I act like Lucy and Ricky.

Did I miss anything? Hope not!

BTW – Craig will get the 63 review out soon.

Your friends can make you fat.

2007-07-30T22:54:00.000-04:00

The Framing Heart Study is a cardiovascular study based in Framingham, Massachusetts. The study began in 1948 with 5,209 adult subjects from Framingham, and is now on its third generation of participants.

The New England Journal of Medicine have recently published an article based on results of this study, which says that:

A person's chances of becoming obese increased by 57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 6 to 123) if he or she had a friend who became obese in a given interval.

It also mentions the influence of siblings and spouses on your chances of becoming obese. For more analysis, read this article.

Fear Is A Great Motivator

2007-07-27T10:02:00.001-04:00

Everyone is motivated by something to get in shape. Ours just happens to be fear.

We don't want to look like this. What motivates you?

This Week's Playlist Theme

2007-07-26T07:49:00.000-04:00

If you keep tabs on our blog, you probably know we switch out our songs every week to keep things interesting - and to keep me from getting lazy. Every now and again we add a little theme to our playlist. This week, it's one-word song titles. Before music aficiondos flame us we'll own up to it straightaway - yeah, we fudged a little on the shoulder song by removing The from the title. Turns out we just did the only other shoulder song we have handy with a one-word title (Freestyler)!

Body Pump 62 Lunges: To Bench, or Not To Bench?

2007-07-23T23:12:00.001-04:00

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...

What Not To Wear

2007-07-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

I’ve decided to let Craig have a break from posting so he can get some work done. Besides, I’ve had something on my mind that is worth mentioning. I think.

It has become increasingly interesting at the variety of exercise clothing participants wear to class. For the most part, they are dressed comfortable, in easy to move in outfits. Some have outfits that match – right down to the shoes, and some could care less how ‘in style’ they are – they just came to get a great workout. Then there are the ‘others’. You know who you are – the ones in the low cut tops, the shorts with the really wide legs, the shorts with no legs at all, you get the picture. For us, it makes it difficult when we are watching for form because we don’t want to appear like we are staring at something we shouldn’t! Does anyone else have this problem?

There has also been the rare occasion where someone has forgotten his or her shoes. I had one lady work out in her hiking boots! Craig has had to work out in his socks before. He would have had to work out barefoot but I went to the local drugstore and bought him socks! He has also forgotten his shorts and had to workout in his jeans. Not very comfortable.

Personally, I am one of those who likes to look somewhat put together. (I confess – I have Nikes that match my outfits…) My biggest issue is finding clothes to wear. Right now I teach 6 classes per week – that will increase to 11 in a couple of weeks so I need plenty of outfits! Being one of those who are vertically challenged, it makes it especially hard to buy pants that don’t need to be hemmed. I love Capri’s’, but on me they always come down to my ankles making me look like someone chopped off my legs. Tops are another issue. I’m short waisted so most tops on me are too long – leaving a wad of material at my middle. And then, exercise clothing is soooo expensive! And unfortunately, if you buy cheap stuff, it doesn’t last. Thank goodness I don’t have a problem with shoes….

It is great to see Body Pump clothing getting away from so much red and black. Don’t get me wrong – I DO like it, but it is nice to have some variety. However, I can’t afford to keep up with all the BP latest fashions.

Men don’t seem to have the same problems women do. When Craig went shopping for his BP attire, he got everything he needed at one store. I on the other hand have to go from store to store – and when you live in a small town with not a lot of stores, your choices are even smaller. Most everything looks all the same – black or navy pants, solid or print tank style top. I have seen some great websites offering cool clothes – but I generally like to try things on before I buy.

So, I guess for now I will continue to wear my same outfits. (Maybe a new pair of sneakers would brighten up an old outfit) Or maybe I’ll call Stacey and Clinton from TLC’s “What Not To Wear”!

Body Pump 63 Sneak Peak (shhh!)

2007-07-11T13:55:00.001-04:00

Here's the latest buzz floating around about Body Pump 63, due out to instructors this September:

Chest - Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance (video)
Triceps - Pullovers are back again, and from what we can tell it's Faster Kill Pussycat by Paul Oakenfold feat. Brittany Murphy (video)
Biceps - Feature mid-range partial curls - sounds like a fast one to us
Lunges - Introduce the use of a new single plate move to a remix of Loleatta Holloway's Love Sensation '06 (video)
Shoulders - Freestylers are back with Fast Life
Abs - A new prone bar roll option is featured for hovers

Rock on!

Justin Timberlake Body Pump Tracks: A Top 5 List

2007-07-11T07:53:00.001-04:00

We mentioned during our Body Pump 62 review that we're not big JT fans. Here's the top five reasons why My Lover will join Sexyback in the deep, dark recesses of our library after the 62 launch:

Number 5: Timberlake's bubblegum teenybopper fanbase has little in common with our class participants

Number 4: Backbeat sounds too much like a continuous drum machine loop with canned instrumental runs

Number 3: Overhyped, overproduced sound contradicts everything the Pump program means to loyal participants

Number 2: Girlie-man falsetto vocals make it hard to hold a straight face in front of the class

And the Number 1 reason: Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction fiasco reminds us too much of our own.

Have we struck a chord, or are we completely off-tune? Click the Comments link below and have your say!

How We Organize Our Music

2007-07-09T10:04:00.000-04:00

We've had occasional questions over the years about the best way to organize Pump music. Here's what works for us.

First, we use iTunes as our music "repository". Not just because we use a Mac, but primarily because it makes it really easy to coordinate our library with Tami's iPod - you just plug it in and everything gets synched up really nicely. Some people like WinAmp better. Whatever floats your boat.

Anyway, whenever we get a new release, the first thing we do is import the CD into our iTunes library. And, even though it's not really necessary, each new release gets its own playlist - so the most recent release's playlist is called "BodyPump 62", for example. Techie note: We use the "High Quality 160kbps" for music import - that gives us a good balance between quality and storage space.

Next, we copy that new release's music into our track playlists. For example, the warm-up song goes into our "Body Pump - 1: Warm-Up" playlist, squats into "Body Pump - 2: Squats", etc. Note the naming convention here - since iTunes displays playlists in alphabetic order, we always want to see the warm-up listed first, squats second, etc.

Finally (and mostly because we're semi-fanatical about our music), I always drop by either Pipera's BodyPump Tracklists or Mel's Totally Les Mills site and right-click+copy the graphic for the current release, then paste it onto the newly-imported songs. Yeah, it's going a little overboard... but we like it.

Our library always has a "Body Pump - Current Class" playlist where we put together our weekly CD. I burn that a few days before class so Tami can listen to it in the car, and of course we take it with us to class. If your club has a fairly modern CD player you might consider using re-writable CDs - just be sure they work in your club's CD player before class, as CD-RWs tend to be a semi-unstable medium.

One note: We generally don't use an iPod for class. It's just a little clunky for us to locate that little play/pause button right after a tough chest workout, plus we don't want to risk having it slip out of sweaty hands and splatter all over the floor!

So, has this been helpful, or do you have a better/easier way to organize your music? Click the Comments link below and tell us all about it!

The Mother of All Lunge Tracks

2007-06-27T15:15:00.001-04:00

Here's a post promised clear back in our BodyPump 61 review. Well, better late than never...

Nobody had ever heard of Rockwell when Somebody's Watching Me hit the streets back in 1984. It was, in fact, the chorus vocals performed by none other than Michael Jackson that caught everyone's attention. So when Dutch band Beatfreakz released their cover of the song in 2006, it came as no surprise that Jackson's chorus replaced Rockwell's melody as the centerpiece of this tune (listen closely and you'll still hear bits and pieces of Rockwell - though he's been demoted now to background vocals). While this dance-oriented mix never got much play here in the US, it did quite well in Europe - most notably the UK and Spain - as well as in Russia.

But that's small potatoes compared to what came next: Thanks to Emma Barry's unforgettable intro during the BodyPump 61 instructor video, Somebody's Watching Me has become known as "The Mother of All Lunge Tracks" to four million or so Pump participants worldwide. And rightly so - rare is the track that singlehandedly redefines the standard against which all others are measured, yet that's exactly what we have here. Bench or no bench, bar or no bar, there's simply no easy way to get around this monster... you just have to grit your teeth and meet it head on. All 5:05 of it.

That said, we still like having it on our class playlist. And, as release 61 steps aside for it successors, one thing's for certain: We've all got a stronger set of legs to show for it. Sore maybe, but stronger - thank you very much.

Mr. Timothy Reviews... Us! (w/pic)

2007-06-24T15:39:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, we had the good fortune to be visited by one of our blog readers from halfway around the word. Known to many in the Les Mills online community as Mr. Timothy, he's a fellow instructor from Ballarat, Australia - and here's what he had to say about our class...

"Hi. My name is Tim and I have a BodyPump obsession."

In an attempt to feel "less abnormal", I seek out other people who take classes, and who talk and think about BodyPump as much as I do. Yep - it's a coping strategy!

Two such people are Tami and Craig - BodyPump Instructors, and prolific bloggers on the same topic. They even have matching magic shirts!

While many folks choose to journey to the Mecca of LMI in Auckland, I chose to make my Les Mills pilgrimage to Blacksburg, Virginia to see the people behind the blog in action. I was staying in Washington DC (I am from Australia). GoogleMaps says that's only 4 ½ hours drive from Blacksburg, which would mean spending 9 hours in the car in return for 1 hour in a BodyPump class.

"Fair ratio" thinks the little BodyPump addicted voice in my head, and before you know it, I have emailed Tami and Craig, got directions and a free pass, and I am in a rental car heading down the I-81. It was like living a John Denver song as I travelled by the Blue Ridge mountains and the Shenandoah river :)

I got to the gym early, and had a chance to chat to Tami and Craig before class. They are just as nice in person as they are on the blog. They have just started up BodyPump classes at this gym, and with five minutes to go, I was the only participant – yikes – what if it gets cancelled!?!? But sure enough, in the next five minutes, the faithful turned up and we were all set. I had to do some mental arithmetic to convert the weights from pounds into kilos.

So how do they measure up?

Tami's instructor archetype: "THE ENFORCER"
Tami is like a bayonet. Steely eyes and a cool, calm and collected demeanour. Her presence is subtly demanding, unyielding – you know you better get those lunges done!

Craig's instructor archetype: "THE ENTERTAINER"
Craig is like a wind-up toy. High energy, fun, full of surprises, and doesn't take it all too seriously - but still - you know you better get those lunges done! Luckily, no wardrobe malfunctions on this occasion.

Together, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. They combine in a way that only a husband and wife can. I thought it was a great class. Just what BodyPump should be. A mix of newer and older tracks, a good honest workout and a social atmosphere amongst the participants. Topped off by the House of Pain lunge track.

I particularly liked their ending. They addressed the class as the cool down music ran out, "We spent most of our 20's and 30's being inactive, and we know what it takes to get back in shape. So from us, to you, thanks for coming out today". With the phrase "us to you" they open their hands from their hearts and reach out to the class in unison. It's kind of sweet and creates an authentic and sincere connection.

Since these guys love to give reviews and grades, here's my assessment... I give them an A. It would have been an A+ except they let some Aussie guy take the squat track!

Yep, and it was our pleasure to have Tim start our workout off right with the BodyPump 62 squat track! Thanks for the review, and glad you made it back safely mate!!

Body Pump 62 Review

2007-06-21T21:39:00.000-04:00

When we think of BodyPump 62, three words come to mind: Dance, Trance, Techno. To be sure, not every track fully fits that classification, but if you're a fan of those styles then you're gonna love this release. Does it get the job done? Let's take a look:

Warm Up - Instructors that find themselves intimidated by hard-to-memorize warm up routines be glad to know the formula for this track is about as basic as it gets. Halfway through the masterclass video Emma Barry asks a nearly silent crowd "Is there anybody out there?" It's yet another love song warm-up. 'Nuff said.

Squats - We've yet to see a squat song run less than five minutes, and this release is no exception. Clocking in at a looong 5:52, you've got to turn the dial way back to release #45 to find a longer squat sequence. That means there's plenty of time to grind out the over 100 squats in this track, nearly half of which are singles!

Chest - Three working sets punctuated by single+half combo sequences populate this monster track from multi-talented French artist Bob Sinclar. Instructors better bring their A-game to the launch: The post-break "party" sequence is tough to execute, and even harder to cue. As a side note, C+C Music Factory fans will immediately recognize riffs sampled straight off Gonna Make You Sweat, which also happens to feature "Everybody Dance Now" as its song subtitle.

Back & Hamstrings - If you happen to be a fan of deadlifts, this is the track for you. With two breaks and limited overhead work we'll give this workout a two on a scale of five for difficulty. Looking to go up on your weights? Consider this your personal invitation...

Triceps - Up to this point - and even to halfway through this track - release 62 threatened to leave us wanting for something new. Not that Tricep Pullovers are anything new, but we haven't had 'em in awhile - and after four tracks of "same ol', same ol'" we'll take it. A nice standing extension combo sequence finished off with tricep pushups completes a quirky, yet effective, Gwen Stefani track. Instructors, take extra care with this one - these quick transitions might be tough for newbies and older participants. Video note: Elbows, please (y'all know who you are!)

Biceps - Lights out, folks. It's Evanescence time, and it's got an angry sound. At 3:32 it's also the shortest track in the biceps arsenal, so grab an extra plate. And don't forget to crank the volume up a bit before you hit 'play'...

Lunges - When Paul Davis crooned out the original vocals for this Barry Manilow ballad back in 1977, little did he know that nearly thirty years later Belgian duo Danger Hardcore Team (aka "Dance. House. Trance." or "D.H.T.") would transform it into a dance tune that would then become the musical framework for an exercise class. But sure enough, here it is: The BodyPump 62 lunge track, complete with backward-stepping lunges right off the bench. Leave the bar on the floor, folks - it's plenty hard without it.

Shoulders - When the BodyPump 62 Sizzler hinted at the return of a move named after a certain California governor - a move, we might add, that hasn't been seen since the early BodyPump 40's series - it was with obvious anticipation that we spun up this track. The fact that it's a remake of one of our favorite bicep tracks (BodyPump 43, to be exact), only sweetened the deal. To be honest though, we're totally clueless as to who in the world "Motivo" is or why the song is named The Power of Bhangra 2003. But it doesn't matter. The routine works, and in the end that's what matters most.

Abs - Justin. As in, Justin case you didn't get enough on the last release... here he is again. To be sure, this really was/is a big worldwide hit. We're just not big JT fans. That said, we do like the side plank maneuver as a core workout, and this routine serves up plenty of that. Not to mention some nifty leg extensions and a healthy dose of crunches.

Cool Down Stretch - When was the last time track #10 was the highlight of your workout? Eh, wait - let us rephrase that... When was the last time track #10 was the musical highlight of your workout? Believe it or not, Hinder's Lips Of An Angel rocks us more than all other nine tracks combined. Maybe it's the classic rock sound, or just the fact that we've had enough dance music for one session. Whatever the case, this is one track we can sink our teeth into. Pity it comes at the end.

We've been reviewing releases for the last couple years now, and if there's any one thing we don't do is pull punches. Here's our bottom line:

Music - Like we pointed out on the 61 review, a "playable" release to us is one that sounds just as good on the iPod as it does in class. Like most instructors, we spend a lot of time listening to our music, so playability matters. The problem we see with release 62 is that it has less musical variety than those of the recent past, so unless you like the dance-type genres that dominate this release you just might find yourself mixing in some older tracks to keep it interesting. And that's why we've got to lower the boom on this one with a C- for the playlist. Sorry, guys.

Workout Routine - Sooner or later it had to happen. We all know the bar got raised pretty high these last several releases. It's not all bad here - we got our tricep pullovers back, along with our beloved Arnold press and the side plank. Innovative? Not really. It's nice though, and certainly worth at least a C+.

Instructor Video - Instructors who skip right to the masterclass as soon as they pop in the DVD miss an exceptionally well-done introductory sequence by Glen Ostargaard and Susan Tolj. There's a reason this video appears before the masterclass - it's important. If you're an instructor who prides yourself on high-quality technical execution - rather than simply shouting out reams of chorey at your class - then you'll want to set aside an extra 15 minutes or so to take in this virtual goldmine of information. It's easy to watch, too; shot against a white background with minimal props and clear lettering, these instructional videos are light years beyond those of the 40's (and even 50's) series. Excellent work, and well worth a solid A both for content and technical execution (lighting and camera work). As a side note, we particularly like the clothing selections by the presenters this time around - they're more representative of what real-world instructors use than the speedo-type outfits of the past few videos.

And there it is, our review of BodyPump 62. Were we too tough on them, or right on the money? Click the Comments link below and let us know what you think!

Our New Look: Done, and Done.

2007-06-21T09:54:00.000-04:00

Months ago we decided that the look of our site was getting a little old. I spent several evenings researching various blogs, and finally came up with a whole new look. It seemed simple enough to me, the menu you see there on the left side plus the blog here on the right. Amazingly, though, writing the CSS (cascading style sheet) code behind these blog layouts is a whole lot more involved than it looks. Not only that, you also have to deal with all sorts of discrepencies between various browers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and others!) to get the look just right.

So days turned into weeks, then weeks into months. Ideas for posts stacked up all over my desktop and cluttered the "to do" list in my organizer. No, I wasn't going to post anything until the new layout was done. But each time I'd plan to sit down and work, something would come up - and I could never get those several hours of concentration I needed to go from idea to completion.

Finally, yesterday evening I told Tami I couldn't put it off any longer. Graciously she let me work late into the evening - and, finally, I got the job done. Hopefully you find the new look easy on the eyes.

Our review of BodyPump 62 is coming right up - along with those hundred other posts just begging to see the light of day!

What I Learned In Sculpting Class

2007-04-24T19:53:00.000-04:00

Every month or so I have to travel out of town for a few days on business. Tami doesn't mind so much because she says it gives her a break from having to slave over a hot stove. Plus it gives me the opportunity to earn a few extra dollars to pay for her next trip to the shoe store.

Anyway, when time allows, I try to find a nearby gym that offers Pump classes in the hopes of picking up some new cues or techniques we might use. But during this latest trip it dawned on me that I needed to step out of my comfort zone. So I stopped by a local gym and took something they call Super Sculpt. Now, I don't know what part of the class was "sculpting", but I can tell you this - I've never been to anything like it before. It was a non-stop combination of step, dance, hand weights, a weighted bar, and abs. I wasn't totally lost, but I was definitely out of my element.

And that's exactly what we instructors need every now and again: A good reminder of what it's like to be a "newbie". If you're a Pump instructor, going to someone else's Pump class won't give you that - you already know the moves. Same goes for Step, Flow, RPM, or anything else you teach. Try on something new, though, and suddenly you're reminded of what it was like the first time you set foot into a class.

I walked out of there this evening knowing that instead of fiddling with my mic before class or talking to the regulars, I need to do a better job of seeking out new faces. Especially the confused ones in the back of the room. I've got a new appreciation for the importance of really clear cueing. And after spending the class feeling like I was always two steps behind everyone else, I was reminded that a little praise goes a long way when the instructor said I'd done just fine.

So while I was a little too preoccupied to pick up any new cues - and my physique probably didn't get much sculpting - I can honestly say really got a lot out of that experience. Matter of fact, I might stop by tomorrow evening for their Boot Camp class...

It happened here

2007-04-18T12:16:00.000-04:00

A week or so ago, while watching a movie about JFK, I mentioned to my teenage daughter and son that at some point in their lives an event so extraordinary would take place that they'd forever remember the moment when they first heard the news. I could never have imagined it would happen right here, barely a week later. But it did: Blacksburg Virginia is our home town.

It wasn't so long ago that people outside of our state had barely ever heard of Virginia Tech. In the past several years, our powerhouse football team, our supercomputer, our bioinformatics research institute, and lots of other notable achievements by the university helped put us on the map. Still, Blacksburg is a very small town. Whenever Tami and I are out and about we almost always bump into someone we know.

So it's an almost surreal experience to see the buildings and streets of our local community plastered across the television screens and websites around the world. Like most Virginia Tech graduates I've walked those very sidewalks thousands of times, went to classes in those buildings, been on every floor of that dorm, and know that campus like the back of my hand.

I can't say for certain that Tami and I knew any of the students or faculty that were killed, but we do know people who knew them personally. We help support the Campus Crusade ministry in which three of those kids were involved. My son's classmate lost his father in the shooting. One of the victims was a regular attendee of our church. A friend of ours told me yesterday he was scheduled to teach 10 minutes later in one of the same rooms in Norris Hall where the killings took place. Like I said, this is a small town.

It'll be a long road, but we're starting to heal as a community. Tami and I went to the memorial yesterday afternoon and that was immensely helpful. We walked around campus for awhile and had lunch at Souvlaki's downtown. We've been praying a lot for the families of the victims. Last night we decided to watch American Idol instead of CNN, and it was really nice to see how they (and others) took the time to extend their sympathies and prayers.

Something To Look Forward To
I mentioned in a recent posting that we're back to teaching again. A local gym - The Weight Club - has decided to take on the BodyPump program. We've been practicing for our official launch, which is coming up soon (the first week in May). This is one thing we feel really good about because we know that in some small way it gives us an opportunity to bring something positive to our community. From what we've heard, many members at The Weight Club are really looking forward to having BodyPump classes available to them. I know we sure are looking forward to teaching again.

Finally, here's a short bit of video I'd like to offer up - this was the closing speaker at the memorial yesterday afternoon. If you've got a couple minutes, watch the whole thing - especially the crowd's reaction at the very end. I think it sums up why we love this community so much.

Body Pump 61 Review

2007-03-24T17:56:00.000-04:00

If there's any one shift we've consistently noticed with Glen Ostergaard's twelve short months as Pump head choreographer, it would have to be towards a more "listenable" playlist. No one style dominates all the tracks, nor are they all over the place. Just good, solid music that - together with input from head Pump trainer Susan Tolj - has yielded workouts with a distinct look & feel, yet remain true to the classic formula. With that in mind, let's take a look at what 61 brings to the table:

Warm Up - Just a few releases back (#59, to be exact), the warm-up formula suffered from a bit of unfortunate tweaking by way of an abrupt termination at the end of the lunge sequence. Thankfully, 61's warm-up is tastefully finished with an overhead press / curls combination that feels right at home to the veteran Pump crowd. But while the warm-up routine might be sacred territory, we'd welcome some tweaking in the music department - somehow, we've just never gotten happy with working out to love songs...

Squats - Don't let the super-slow start fool you - done correctly, this squat workout effectively gets right down to business with double-half squats followed by some extended time in the basement. Instructors, take note of the coaching cues and work with the builds in this track. Sometimes less is more - no need to shout your way through this one.

Chest - Pink returns to the BodyPump tracklist for a classic ultra slow, ultra intense chest workout that's certain to be a class favorite. This routine makes a strong case for slow motion workouts - if you've ever questioned their value, this track will most certainly make you a believer.

Back & Hamstrings - We're so used to E-Type back & hamstrings tracks that it seems almost surreal doing clean & presses without that little robot guy singing in the background. Having a Cascada song for this routine is no major departure, mind you, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

Triceps - A short round of tricep pushups whets the appetite before a full course of kickbacks. Top it off with extensions and presses for dessert and you've got a tricep routine that's sure to satisfy - even if it is a Justin Timberlake track...

Biceps - Short, fast, to the point: If you've been trying to break past a biceps weight barrier, this is the track for you. Plenty of performance opportunity for charismatic instructors - or just let the music speak for itself - either way, this one gets the job done in classic style.

Lunges - When was the last time you actually looked forward to lunges? (we thought so) Listen, we could write an entire review on this track alone - in fact, we soon will. For the meantime, suffice it to say Emma Barry's intro of this routine as "The Mother of All Lunge Tracks" might just, believe it or not, be an understatement. Bench or no bench, you will feel this one. Yeah, we left our bars sitting on the floor...

Shoulders - We love the MAC raise, so we're quite thrilled to see it return with this release. Keep a close eye on class participants, though - it's easy to lose the benefit of isolation when the entire torso rotates (keep the belly pointing forward, only allow a slight shoulder rotation if any at all).

Abs - It's the typical Pump abs track - or so it seems, until the music bridge. That, you see, is when it's time to roll over and commence the hover. And, as if hovers weren't enough, strap on a few triple pulse leg abductions and you've got an excellent core workout. Thankfully it's one of the shorter #9 tracks...

Cool Down Stretch - This Top 40 Snow Patrol tune will be instantly recognizable to the younger crowd, but plays just as well for the rest of the class. We love the long stretch sequences - another 30 seconds for the arms would've been icing on the cake, but this is definitely one of our favorites.

Aside from some of our nit-picky musical comments, we're really quite impressed with this release. Here's our ratings:

Music - One point we've harped on time and again in past reviews is how "playable" a release is - we like a playlist that sounds just as good on the iPod as it does in class. Instructors spend a lot of time listening to their music, so playability matters (our sympathies go out to the BodyPump choreography team, by the way, for finding that middle ground between entertainment and playability for a worldwide audience). So we're quite happy to report that #61 is definitely one of the more playble releases. Having said that, we gotta take a couple points off for yet another love song in the warm-up, and for some relatively predictable choices for tracks #4 & #9. Add a couple points back for awesome biceps, lunges, and an exquisite cool down stretch selection, and we've got a solid B for this playlist.

Workout Routine - The MAC raise is back, we've got some hovers, a killer chest track, and a refined cool down stretch sequence - that alone makes for an excellent release. But when you factor in a lunge workout that redefines the standard, there's no question this is an A grade workout.

Instructor Video - The tech crew continues to refine their technique, from enhanced stage lighting to overhead shots during the cool down stretch. The trainer shots were first-rate, the audio is very nearly flawless. Our only nit was a couple of close-up participant shots that lingered a bit long. And about the only creative suggestion we can offer up is to allow a sequence or two that deliberately includes some of the camera crew as they film the master class - sort of like what they do on The Discovery Channel. The Head and Neck Stability educational video is an absolute must-see, not only for its informative content but also for excellence in presentation. So, it's our pleasure to give this instructor video an A, and to highly recommend that instructors watch more than just the masterclass.

Well, there you have it, our review of the 61st BodyPump release. Agree or disagree? Click the Comments link below and let us know what you think!

We're back - BodyPump 61 Review on the way

2007-03-19T21:57:00.000-04:00

Try as we might, we just couldn't stay away. Coming this week, our review of BodyPump 61, followed by a surprise post with pics. We're back, and it feels great!

UPDATE

2007-03-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

Today, it was like old times when the mailman delivered Body Pump 61. But this time, there was no fighting with Craig over who gets to do what songs. There was no running upstairs to download the CD to the computer and then to my iPOD. There was no wondering when the launch would be. It all seems like so long ago. And then, the FedEx man shows up with a package from Les Mills, New Zealand to Craig and I. Inside were 2 New Body Pump shirts – one for him and one for me. They are gorgeous! I immediately ran upstairs to his office and ask if he had ordered them in hopes of teaching again. Alas – he said no. There was no note inside so we were pretty stumped. A few minutes later he received an e-mail from Les Mills saying they had sent the shirts as a gift for the work we have done with the Blog. Wow! I thought that was great! Thanks LM – it really means a lot that you take notice of our ramblings!
The sad thing is, that even if we wanted to get back to teaching Pump, we have no place to teach it. The club we had worked for, where I had worked for over 5 years, made some bad decisions, (in my opinion), and I had no choice but to quit. I won’t go into all the details, but it was a bit upsetting to me. I had worked hard at building a senior fitness class and hated to leave them – but I was able to start teaching the same class at a facility in town and it is growing fast! I will also start teaching some classes at the local Rec center in April so things are looking up. There is only one other local club in town, and as far as I know, they do not offer Les Mills programs.

So for now, I still do Body Pump but I do it in my basement. Tomorrow I will do BP 61 and see how that goes. Monday I take my exam to become certified as a Senior Fitness Instructor. Craig is riding his bike (it’s still too cold for me to ride!) and still working with computers.

We hope all are doing well and we miss hearing from everyone.

Keep Pumping!

Tami

A tough one to write

2007-01-19T16:26:00.000-05:00

I know many of you have been wondering what has happened to Craig and I so I will try to explain!

The past two months have been insane. My father became ill, and after a month in the hospital, he passed away. During that, there were kid issues, an 11 day cruise, Christmas with Craigs family, a ten day mission trip to Romania, Craig trying to decide if he should change careers, and his 19 year old cat, Bogen, died.

Needless to say there has not been any time to write. And then, once we came back from Romania we decided to prioritize our lives so we can do more missions work. Body Pump takes up a huge chunk of our time, and therefore, we have decided, that we should step down from teaching. It was not an easy decision to make because we enjoy teaching it so much but we feel it was the right decision for us at this time. We may still sub from time to time, and our GFM has said that our spot will always be open to us. (Thanks AH!)

The hardest part was having to tell our class we would not be coming back. (sniff)

Of course this does not mean we will sit at home and get flabby! If anything we plan on working out harder - just at home in less time!

Anyway - I guess thats it and we are sorry for taking so long to fill you in.

Always a pumper - Tami

Shoulders: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-12-07T06:25:00.000-05:00

Most of the major muscle groups have been addressed - and the lion's share of the calories burned - by the time the eighth track rolls around. Yet the path remains steep: though the shoulder muscles are smaller, their work is no less difficult. At no point in a BodyPump workout is the need ever greater for a motivating piece of music than during the shoulder track.

Fortunately, the 50's series has delivered handsomely. In fact, no other track has achieved the choreographic variety we've enjoyed with shoulders over the last ten releases. From Crack It's crossover push-ups and Pretty Vegas' rotator presses to the MAC raises in Round And Round, track #8 is a virtual smorgasbord of shoulder-burning exertion. Here's our picks:

Best: Round and Round (Bodyrockers) - BodyPump 58 -Loud, tough, innovative, fun - this is the complete package, folks. The standard's raised so high now it's almost scary to think what topping it might be like. Runner up: I Get Up - BodyPump 55

Worst: War Machine (Techno Boy) - BodyPump 52 - Strange, campy, just a little too far out for us. We still run it every now and again in our classes to break us out of a rut but it'll never be a playlist favorite.

Most Memorable: Word Up (Korn) - BodyPump 54 and Crack It (Bomfunk MCs) - BodyPump 50 - (tie) You can't go wrong with either one of these. Just make sure you keep a cry towel handy for Crack It (yeah we know Something Going On is the "official" title of that tune) Runner Up: Pretty Vegas - BodyPump 59

And the list goes on. Could the selections get any more controversial? We'll find out soon enough when we tackle the final workout track! Next up: Abs

Lunges: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-12-06T06:51:00.000-05:00

After all the excitement of the tricep and bicep tracks, the music selections for 50's series lunges have been a bit of a letdown. "When I'm working lunges," says Tami, "I want a strong piece of music - not a love song." Fully half the tracks on her list had "girly" or "yawn" scrawled next to them. Maybe that's why our classes usually rock out to lunge tracks from the 30's and 40's series - we like a bit of variety in our sound, and for the last couple years we've had to reach back in the archives to find it.

That said, there's plenty of good to go around when it comes to 50's series lunges - you just have to look a little harder to find it. Here's what we turned up:

Best: Breathe (One More Angel) - BodyPump 58 -Maybe it's not the our favorite piece of music, but it's definitely one of the toughest lunge workouts in the stack. Thank goodness Breathe is the song title - you sure don't want to hold your breath on this one!

Worst: Like The Sun (Trinity 17) - BodyPump 59 - Actually this honor could've gone to 50's Try or 52's I Can't Let You Go or even 55's As The Rush Comes. We chose 59 to drive home our point: Like the back & hamstrings track, more often than not these songs represent what might be called your typical lunge track - if squats, chest, biceps, and triceps songs don't have a "typical" sound, why should lunges?

Most Memorable: I Want You (Paris Avenue) - BodyPump 57 - Or was that "I want choo"? We love it all - the song, the workout, even the Double Pulse Dynamic Lunges. Anyone know how to get the chorus out of your head after class?

Good thing we hosed down the inbox before posting this one, otherwise the incoming flames might set the whole place on fire. Safety first. But hey, we bet we're not the only ones that want to see the "lunge track mold" get broken. Next up: Shoulders

Biceps: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-12-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

The biceps have always been fertile territory for memorable songs, and quite frankly the 50's are an embarrassment of riches. Which is what made this one of the most difficult lists to compile - Without a lame song in the bunch, how do you come up with a "worst"? Picking the best of the best became an exercise in splitting hairs; only the most memorable came easily to us:

Best: Spirit In The Sky (Gareth Gates) - BodyPump 56 -This remake of the 60's classic more than does justice to the original. The folks at the front desk can always tell when we run this song - we all leave the gym with our knuckles dragging the ground. Runners up: Pump It, Walk This Way, Gonna Make You Sweat, and pretty much everything else.

Worst: Somewhere I Belong (Linkin Park) - BodyPump 50 - This one always seems to split right along gender lines: Guys love the ultra-slow workout, the ladies say it's too dark. Hey, we had to pick a worst and this was the closest we could find!

Most Memorable: Save A Horse (Big & Rich) - BodyPump 53 - Whether or not you like Country Music, you have to admit this one made you smile. In fact, this song probably got more play in BodyPump classes worldwide than from radio stations back here in the States.

And there it is, an admittedly tough list to compile for a track that never lets us down. Why can't the music be this good on all the tracks? Speaking of which, we've already got our list done for the next: Lunges

Triceps: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-12-01T11:01:00.000-05:00

If there's any one routine that's seen a lot of variety over the course of these last ten releases it'd be the triceps track. From 55's tricep-busting dips to 58's combo-laden Let's Get Down, the 50's series has taken BodyPump's triceps from a basic extensions & presses routine to one of the most dynamic tracks in the workout. So while many of our weekly mixes include a variety of picks from the 30's and 40's series, more often than not the triceps track is a 50's number. Here's our picks:

Best: California (C.O.) - BodyPump 55 - From the moment this track hit the streets it became the de facto standard against which all other BodyPump triceps are measured. No kidding. Just listening to it makes our triceps cry.

Worst: A To The B (Infernal) - BodyPump 59 - Is this a triceps song or squats? Sorry, we got confused for a moment and thought this was 57's From Paris To Berlin by the same group. More than once we've been tempted to swap those two and see if anybody notices...

Most Memorable: Take Your Mama (Scissor Sisters) - BodyPump 57 - Okay, after lavishing praise for all the great triceps variety in the 50's series we've turned right around and picked a basic extensions & presses song (with a few triceps push-ups thrown in for good measure). But hey, what's not to like about a tune we'll gladly play even when we're not rehearsing? We love it, and even after a full year of play we still haven't gotten enough of it!

Yes, once again we've managed to stir up all sorts of trouble with our latest list. Why? Because we love it when you click the comments link and tell us what think - even if you think we're nuts. By the way, we've got BodyPump 60 in our hot little hands, and we'll soon swat the beehive even harder when we post our review. In the meantime, we're spinning up our next list: Biceps

Back & Hamstrings: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-11-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

Like the warm-up, BodyPump back & hamstrings tracks have a distinct sound that became even more pronounced over the 50's series. Play track #4 for any two or three 50's releases and you'll see what we're talking about. The workout routine sequences are noticeably similar as well - so much, in fact, that many instructors learn this track the first time through.

With so much similarity, picking the best, worst, and most memorable wasn't an easy task. Here's what we came up with:

Best: Here I Am (Jan Wayne feat. Charlene) - BodyPump 54 - A strong background beat punctuates this energy laden track from start to finish. Runners up: The 50-52nd releases - Slave to the Music, Fly on the Wings of Love, and Land of the Living for turning up the heat by dropping the dead row from the clean & press sequence for the first two sets - now that was a workout!

Worst: Olympia (E-Type) - BodyPump 55 - While this track surely made an excellent pick as the official song for the 2004 Swedish Olympic team in Athens, the long drawn-out intro makes it stick out like a sore thumb in a BodyPump workout. Heart rates plummet by the time the first set of clean & presses roll around, and the break before the final set is our only rouse from a routine that puts us right to sleep.

Most Memorable: Land of the Living (Milk Inc.) - BodyPump 52 - Well, only for us. You know the weird little synth number right after each set of seven dead rows? That's where Tami makes me do a shimmy in front of class. I feel so cheap.

Well we finally pulled it together - our picks for the best, worst, and most memorable back & hamstrings tracks from the 50s series. It wasn't easy, but the next one's a cinch: Triceps

Chest: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-11-21T06:53:00.000-05:00

With 40s-series powerhouses like Smooth Criminal and Sing Halleluja still enjoying regular play in our classes to this day, the 50s series had some big shoes to fill. Would 57's Push It displace 47's chest track of the same title? Did combo-heavy Love Shack have what it takes to unseat Tami's all-time favorite Enter Sandman from BodyPump 43?

So we laid a fresh charge on the iPod's batteries, dialed down the track #3 playlist to releases 50-59, and did our best to forget all those older tunes. Here's what we found:

Best: Sweetest Poison (Nu Pagadi) - BodyPump 55 - Rugged, reliable, consistent - this one's never worn out its welcome in our class. It's that satisfaction guaranteed quality that makes it top dog of the 50s chest track lineup, even though we never think of this song off the tops of our heads when we're putting together the weekly class playlist. Must be one of those "defense mechanisms" psychologists always talk about, where the mind blocks out painful memories...

Worst: Push Up (Freestylers) - BodyPump 53 - We liked this song right up until the moment the singer opened his mouth - and from that point on it just went straight downhill from there. Suggestive lyrics aside, this nerve-grating tune comes off sounding like a feeble attempt to merge Michael Jackson's style with Prince's sound. Not even the allure of a first-rate chest workout has proven sufficient cause for us to pry this one from the bottom of our playlist since the launch (apologies to the folks that wrote in nominating this as their favorite!)

Most Memorable: Love Shack (The B-52s) - BodyPump 58 - Right from the beginning this was our pick as the hands-down best of the 50s. It took a re-examination of "The Best" vs. "Most Memorable" definitions before we realized this was its rightful place. No, it's not the best - Sweetest Poison is the better workout - we just love this song. And that's what makes it our pick for the most memorable 50's chest track. Runner up: She Drives Me Crazy (Fine Young Cannibals) from BodyPump 56. For purely selfish reasons, of course.

And there you have it, our picks for the best, worst, and most memorable chest tracks from the 50s series. Oh, and as a follow-up to our last post, we've gotten several messages mentioning Beds Are Burning as a favorite Squats track. Well you may've noticed we sort of didn't mention that one - ever since Tami called it Breads Are Burning in front of class one time we've not been able to do that one with a straight face since! Next up: Back & Hamstrings

Squats: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-11-17T12:03:00.000-05:00

In the bigger scheme of things there's really not much room for variation when it comes to squats: you go down, you come back up. End of story. So you have to applaud the creativity the choreographers have shown in the 50's series with the introduction of the super slow down and hold in 54 and 55, along with a smorgasbord of combos in 57 and 58, and triple-staggers in 59. And to top it off, an impressive variety of music from one release to the next keeps it interesting.

So here's our picks for the best, worst, and most memorable squat tracks from the 50's series:

Best: Voodoo Child (Rogue Traders) - BodyPump 56 - Performance opportunities abound for charismatic instructors with the truckload of snappy stop-action breaks that punctuate this challenging routine. And classes get their money's worth, with a workout that starts off with a set of 24 progressively-deeper singles and wraps up with two sets of bottom halfs. Captain Jack's remake of KC & The Sunshine Band's classic Give It Up deserves an honorable mention for a 70's throw-back that does justice to the original.

Worst: Celebration (DJ Bobo) - BodyPump 50 - Universally disliked by Tami and our classes alike, this song hasn't seen the light of day since the launch. "I hate the way the singer tries to be cool by saying "We gonna party wit chu." Couldn't agree wit chu more. A close runner-up in this category: Danzel's You Are All of That from BodyPump 55.

Most Memorable: Simply Irresistable (Robert Palmer) - BodyPump 59 - Maybe it's that legendary MTV video, our love of 80's nostalgia, or perhaps that it's one of the most singable squat songs we've ever heard. Whatever it is, one thing is certain: This tune keeps rolling through our heads long after the track is over - and that's what makes it our pick for most memorable squat track in the 50's series.

Ah yes, there's another round of bests and worsts of the BodyPump 50's series. Next up: Chest

Warm-Ups: Our Picks From The 50s Series

2006-11-15T18:13:00.000-05:00

Pick any two tracks from the 50's warm-up series and listen to them one after another, and the first thing you might notice is how similar they are. In fact, we bet if you played any 50's warm-up track for someone even only moderately familiar with the BodyPump program they'd likely identify it as such straight away. Sure, they're different songs performed by different artists, but it's definitely not like listening to, say, the bicep tracks from two different releases. The warm-ups in the 50's series just have a certain sound to them, more so than the other nine songs - a nearly unmistakable signature that seems to have developed over these last couple years. Nothing wrong with that of course, it's just an observation of ours.

Having said that, here's our picks for the best, worst, and most memorable warm-ups of the 50's series:

Best: Rise (Safri Duo) - BodyPump 54 -The very first time she heard it, Tami said this was the best one yet. "It's not one of those typical girly songs" she said, "this one really gets your heart rate up and sets the tone for the rest of the workout." Which is why it holds the coveted "most played" status in our Warm-Ups playlist, and why it's still our favorite to this day. Naturally, Shape Shifter's Back To Basics from BodyPump 55 deserves an honorable mention for its retro-70's sound, along with Tina Cousin's Come To Me from BodyPump 57 for featuring that nifty mid-stroke stop/reset in the squat sequence.

Worst: Surrender (Nicki French) - BodyPump 59 - At the risk of sounding too set in our ways, we've gotta say we just can't get happy with the way this track ends so abruptly. There's always that uncomfortable stillness in the room as the music suddenly trails off - and there we all are, just standing there holding our bars, feeling a little like we must've missed something somewhere...

Least Memorable: Only If I (Kate Ryan) - BodyPump 53 - Okay, we lied. We were supposed to be picking the most memorable here, but this song puts us and our classes to sleep so fast that we just couldn't help ourselves. It's not a bad song - in fact, it's a pretty good song. It's just so - well, it's just not the sort of tune that puts us in the mood for working out. Which is why we've sort of forgotten to put it on our playlists for the last year or so.

Well there you have it - the first of our ten picks for the best, worst, and most memorable from the 50's series. Next up: Squats

So are we spot on, or totally clueless? Click the comments link and tell us about it. Better yet, send us some email about your most/least favorite tracks from the 50's series!

RFE: Best, Worst, Most Memorable 50's

2006-11-13T07:43:00.000-05:00

Now that we're at the end of the BodyPump 50's series, it seems appropriate (aye, some may even say imperative) we take a look back at some of the best, the worst, and most memorable tracks of the last two-and-a-half years of releases. You know the ones - the songs everyone requests, the ones that make you slap an extra plate on the bar and take it up a notch, the tunes that stick in your head long after you've stuffed your sweaty clothes in your duffle and went back to the life you lead between classes. Yeah, those.

And it's not just the music. There's those certain tracks that get down deep, like the tricep dips in 55 or the fast-action curls in Pump It. How about the MAC raise a couple releases back? For some, it's all about the motion - the music is just a sideshow. Background noise, if you will.

Of course, we'd be remiss if we failed to include the tracks some people love to hate. Like Sweet Home Al and Save A Horse. Not to mention the bubble gum Celebration squat track from 50, or the dark Somewhere I Belong bicep number from that very same release.

So what's with the "RFE" bit? With a nod to the business world's Request For Proposal (RFP) process, we thought we'd share the fun with our little Request For Email (RFE). Knowing there's 100+ tracks spread across these ten releases, there's probably a few (or maybe more) that stick out in your mind. Love 'em or hate 'em, we'd like your help as we compile our upcoming set of posts to this blog. Can't remember the tracks? No problem! Just slide on over to fellow blogger Pipera's BodyPump Tracks list and scroll to the bottom for releases 50-57, or here for release 58 and here for release 59. Then send us some email - we'll read 'em all as we get down to the business of putting together our posts for the best, worst, and most memorable of the 50's series!

BodyPump 60 Preview

2006-11-09T05:30:00.000-05:00

>>> Updated 12/1/06:
>>> We now have BodyPump 60 in our hot little hands!
>>> We'll post our review very soon. In the
>>> meantime, here's a preview we posted earlier...
Now that 59's been released, launched, and joined the rest of its friends on the playlists of instructors worldwide, it's time to turn our attention to what lies ahead. What we always look for is the Sizzler - the little gem Les Mills includes on the back cover of each release to whet your appetite for what's inside. Well, the Sizzler usually starts making its rounds on the Internet a few weeks before the real deal hits our mailboxes - and this release is no exception. In fact, you can click right here to take a look at the BodyPump 60 Sizzler on one of Pipera's sites. Or you can save 30 seconds and read my Cliff's Notes version:

Bon Jovi's Have a Nice Day is the chest track
E-Type performs the back & hamstrings track (again)
Tricep dips are back in the house!
Lunges have some new moves, along with core abs work in the form of a side plank
Fans of One Night in Bangkok are gonna love the shoulders track

Finally, there's a thinly-veiled hint at Cherry Pie as a bonus biceps track. Could this be the big top-40 hit from Warrant? Now that would be a biceps track.

One more thing. Melissa logged a comment on our BodyPump 59 By The Numbers post that instructors can now fast-forward through the "Are You Ready" DVD intro. Cool!

The Machine That Exercises You!

2006-10-26T05:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Tami showed me an advertisement for the the latest innovation in weight training: It's the Whole Body Vibrator! According to the ad (PDF), you simply stand or lay on this thing just 10 minutes a day for improved circulation, strength, flexibilty, and balance - not to mention elevated mood, vitality, and increased mobility. And here all this time I've been under the (apparently) mistaken impression you gotta get your butt in gear if you want those kinds of results. Well alrighty then, sign me up! And tell Gramma she can forget that afternoon walk - now she can vibrate herself right into fitness nirvana!

Are The New Shirts Magic?

2006-10-24T07:49:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading our blog for awhile now, you may recall my past dissertation on the magic in my BodyPump teaching uniform. Yes, like an old dog that won't turn loose his worn-out chew toy I'm still wearing the same set of threads. What's it been, three years now? That's pretty sick. (no, they're clean - Tami washes them after every class, but still...) It took a wardrobe malfunction in front of the entire class to make me trade my beloved black lightweight pants for shorts. And then for nearly two weeks afterwards I was a half-count off on all my cueing. The magic was still there - it just had to transfer from the old pants to the new shorts. I kept them together in the same dresser drawer for awhile, in case you wondered.

Anyway, for the last several months I've been pondering a change in my uniform. I really like those snazzy new shirts the guys wear on the latest set of videos. Yeah, the nearly US$93 price tag is pretty steep, not to mention shipping costs from halfway around the world. I met another instructor who was wearing one at a BP class up in DC this summer, and she said it was worth its weight in gold (considering the price, gold might actually be cheaper).

So I'm getting closer to placing my order. I'm just wondering - are these new shirts worth the money? Will they make me look as good as these guys? (or do they look "totally gay", as one of my co-workers put it) And, most important, are they as magical as the old shirts? I'd love to know!

BodyPump 59, By The Numbers

2006-10-17T06:35:00.000-04:00

123	Squats in Simply Irresistible
48	Total minutes of music
5	Masterclass presenters on the DVD
8	Releases on which E-Type has performed the Back & Hamstrings track (including 59)
50	Seconds instructors gotta wait through mandatory "Are You Ready!" Les Mills promo every time they play the DVD (how many times have we seen this now?)

Lost your mojo?

2006-10-12T07:44:00.000-04:00

What happens after teaching your 700+ Body Pump class? Instructor burnout. Thats usually as sign, for me anyway, that I need some time off. But it seems different this time. I was off the end of September for a week due to some minor surgery. Our launch is next week, but we will be in Biloxi for the week rebuilding homes. I have never missed a launch and I'm a bit bummed that it was scheduled on the week we would be gone. But then again, I haven't even gone over my new music. Generally, I will practice the new stuff continuously until I know it, which means listening to the CD about 100 times! Not happening this time. I feel like I have to strive harder to learn the stuff because I want/need to know the choreo perfectly and I get really un-nerved when I foul up.

So what do you do? I still love Body Pump. I still love the people in our class. I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Maybe it is all the changes we have seen at our club. Maybe it's using second rate audio equipment (see Craig's post) to deliver a top rated class!

I'm hoping when we get back from Biloxi that my mind set will have changed and I will be chomping at the bit to teach. After all - it has kept me in shape for the past 4 1/2 years. I have also met some very wonderful people in our class - including the lady who married Craig and I! (who happens to be DR. Pierson's lovely wife!)

Has anyone ever gone through what I am? I would love some feedback - some tips that will pull me out of my slump.

Tami

Audio Equipment: Plan for the Expected!

2006-10-10T22:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Tami handed me the microphone before our class. "It's not working again" she said, then looked up at the clock. Neither battery replacements, knob adjustments, nor fiddling with the cables did any good. This mic - the second in as many months - was well and truly dead.

We've taken to carrying our own personal backup mic - an older unit that I managed to fix by soldering the contacts of the minature power switch in the "on" position (sweat has a tendency to corrode switch contacts - and we BodyPump instructors can be a sweaty bunch sometimes!) Fortunately, I was able to get us broadcasting over the sound system after a short while.

The demise of our club's unit, however, will once again set off a series of events that our GFM (Group Fitness Manager) has had to repeat far too many times in the last twelve months. These microphones ought to last longer, especially for what they cost - yet a studio running 3-5 classes per day seven days a week is lucky to get 8-10 months out of one (lately it's been more like 3-4 weeks, in our case). CD players do a little better, with some lasting two years or more. Amplifiers and speakers are a mixed bunch - usually they just degrade over time rather than quit altogether like microphones and CD players. There's always exceptions of course, but it's hard to argue that sweat and a fair amount of jostling don't exact a heavy toll on electronic equipment.

So it's a virtual certainty that over the course of any given year a busy studio will require replacement of at least one of these components. And although there's little that clubs can do to control equipment failure rates, the one thing they can control - yet seldom ever do - is their level of preparedness for that eventuality. It's a fact of life: Microphones, CD players, and yes, even amplifiers and speakers are going to die.

Here's a few things I've learned in my career as a BodyPump instructor:

It's hard to teach a BodyPump class without a mic
It's even harder for participants to hear
It's practically impossible to teach BodyPump without music
Very few clubs keep spare microphones or CD players on-hand

My evidence (if you can call it that) is anecdotal at best, but it's a never-ending source of amazement to me that clubs consistently wait until these vital pieces of equipment break before procuring replacements, while paying members have to settle for classes compromised by a lack of proper equipment. Stealing the mic from the cycling studio isn't a viable backup plan, nor is borrowing the GFM's personal CD player or relying on expensive overnight shipping for replacements.

Seriously, how many clubs - knowing full well this equipment breaks with almost predictable regularity - actually keep even a spare microphone on hand, let alone a CD player? What happened in your class the last time one of these things broke? Click the Comments link below and tell us about it!

BodyPump 61 Filming Date Set

2006-10-08T20:31:00.000-04:00

I just happened by Reymond's Blog this morning and noticed that he's posted the Q1 07 filming schedule - which, of course, includes BodyPump 61. Monday November 6th is the date, and and 7:30pm is the time. So if you're planning a trip to Auckland in the next month or so, perhaps you'll want to contact the folks at Les Mills and reserve a spot!

Reese's, Alabama, and the BodyPump 59 Ab Track

2006-10-04T22:33:00.000-04:00

During the 1970's the Hershey Corporation ran a series of television ads depicting several variations of collisions between two people - one savoring a jar of peanut butter, the other happily munching a chocolate bar (parody). You got chocolate in my peanut butter! You got peanut butter in my chocolate! and the slogan "Two great tastes that taste great together" achieved iconic status at a time when America was struggling to come to terms with racial integration.

At about that same time, Southern Rock band Lynyrd Synyrd released Sweet Home Alabama - a song that would eventually become one of biggest hits of their genre. It didn't take long for controversy to swirl around the racial and political overtones the song's lyrics suggest. To some, Sweet Home Alabama sounds more like an outright endorsement for racial segregation than a celebration of the songwriter's home state. Whether or not there's any truth in that (probably not, though I'll leave that analysis to other more capable writers), it's pretty safe to say Skynyrd likely didn't sell too many albums in America's Black community - including those that called Alabama home.

So as that era drew to a close, a whole new musical genre began to emerge - and this time, with roots deep within African American culture. Hardly a decade later Hip Hop had far eclipsed Southern Rock as the music of choice for a whole new generation. Fast-forward another twenty years, and Sweet Home Alabama had long ago taken its place in music history when rap duo B.A.M.A. released Sweet Home Al, which would later become the Ab track on BodyPump 59.

I wouldn't have had the musical intellect to imagine rewriting this song in that musical style. Truth be told, ten seconds into the track I found myself re-living those Reese's commercials when the opening cords of my cherished classic gave way to an onslaught of twisted prose. It didn't take me long to come full-circle though - by the end of the song, track #9 had earned a spot on the short playlist of BodyPump music I actually play even when I'm not rehearsing for class.

Am I so presumptuous to think that Glen had America's racial struggles in mind when he chose this song as the Ab track for BodyPump 59? Heck no. My money says he liked it for an ab workout, and that's about as deep as it went. But for those of us here in the States with a few more grey hairs that we'd like to admit, the irony of that musical combination gives us a little something to think about while we're pounding out that final round of crunches.

Turn it up. And pass the Reese's - I like a little peanut butter with my chocolate.

So did I hit the mark, or go way off the deep end? Click the Comments link below and speak your piece!

Form Friday (w/pics)

2006-10-02T09:44:00.000-04:00

As we've mentioned in past posts, every now and again we run a special session of our class called Form Friday. While one of us teaches, the other walks around offering personal instruction to class participants. We love Form Friday because it's our opportunity to help our attendees maximize the return on their time investment.

Our goal is to interact at least once with every person in class at some point or another during each of the exercise routines. Here's what we do:

Squats - Primarily we're checking to ensure that knees stay behind the toes, and that backs are straight. Though the squat motion seems simplistic, this exercise involves the largest muscle groups - so the potential for injury here is significantly greater than that of the smaller muscles (not to mention the pain).

Chest - For beginners, we check to make sure elbows don't drop below the shoulders on the downstroke, that handgrips extend out to the plates, and that bars stay centered over the chest (bars to drift over necks as fatigue sets in). We check wrist alignment on the more advanced folks, correcting the all-too-common backwards torque action by having them straighten their wrists.

Back & Hamstrings - If we had it our way, we'd have a personal instructor for every participant during this track - plus a couple for ourselves. Beginners struggle to put the moves together, while more advanced folks often select weights that are either too heavy or too light. Perhaps its the complexity of the technique, or maybe just the sheer number of joints and muscles involved in the motion - whatever the case, what we most want to ensure is that class participants execute these motions safely and effectively. It's rare for someone to achieve perfection in this track without some one-on-one help from an instructor.

Triceps - The integrity of any exercise involving the arms is heavily dependent on elbow positioning - and that's more true than ever with the tricep track. It's not enough to simply move the bar in the general direction of the forehead or chest - the elbows have to be kept inwards in order to ensure the triceps stay engaged. So our goal is to make sure class participants' elbows stay in that zone, and to help them do that we check for a narrow grip on the bar

Biceps - Once again we're scoping elbows as we walk around the room during this track. The good news is that it's relatively easy to achieve the perfect bicep curl - just lock upper arms and elbows in and give it a go. The bad news, however, kicks in about halfway through the track, so we try to encourage weight selections that will allow class participants to make it all the way through.

Lunges - Feet are to lunges as elbows are to triceps and biceps, so we're looking to make sure they're placed such that we're seeing right angles in the legs on the downstroke of each rep. That's easier said than done - especially for beginners - so we recommend keeping the bar on the floor until their legs are strong enough to maintain that right-angle form through the entire track.

Shoulders - It's the track people love to hate, where often the definition of success is survival with some semblance of dignity. Yet this is one of the few routines that actually feels better when it's done correctly. What we watch for here is inertia; specifically, any elbow motion that continues past the shoulders - and when we see it, the correction is both simple and a welcome relief to shoulders sore from over-extension.

Abs - Abdominals are, quite frankly, some of the laziest muscles in the body. They'd recruit your nose if they thought they could use it to get out of doing any real work. So aside from lifting peoples' chins up off their chests, our coaching during this track is all about what goes on upstairs - mentally focusing on the abs so that they get their full share of exercise.

So there it is: Form Friday. We don't do it every week, but we do try and hit it often enough to optimize its effectiveness. Got some tips you'd like to pass on? Click the Comments link below and have your say!
Photographer: Merle Pierson (yes, you read that right)!

BodyPump 59 Review

2006-09-20T00:29:00.000-04:00

Since last December we've been contemplating what fate might befall the BodyPump workout when a new head choreographer took the helm. How would the workout change? Would the music be different? And wouldn't it seem strange not having Mike there in the instructor video? Here's what we found when we unwrapped our fresh new BodyPump 59 release:

Warm Up - Veteran instructors will appreciate the familiar feeling of this routine - until it trails off suddenly at the end of the lunge sequence. Yep, your five minutes are up folks - time to load up those bars!

Squats - Nifty triple staggers punctuate the chorus transitions in this Robert Palmer classic as images of expressionless models with bright red lipstick haunt those of us old enough to remember when MTV actually played music videos. By the way, isn't that fellow blogger Reymond making a cameo appearance about halfway through the track? Dude!

Chest - We're so used to hearing Aussie- and Kiwi-accented English on these videos that it's almost shocking when Canadian John Cleland takes the stage. But that soon wears off as the reality of this routine begins to set in - better lighten the weights up a bit for this one, and keep the towels close by...

Back & Hamstrings - Bar? Check. Set position? Check. E-Type? Check! (yeah we BodyPumpers gotta have that little robot guy singing in the background whenever we do clean & presses)

Triceps - Normally, presses are a nice break from extensions. Not this time: there's no rest for the weary when these guys get in the basement. Even the standing extensions spend half their time lurking in the Bottom Half Zone. Eeoww!

Biceps - If you're the kind of instructor that likes to put a little performance into your routine, you'll love this track. Plug a little funky stomp in the last eight counts of the break and your class will thank you for taking their minds off the pain!

Lunges - It was a nice change to have dynamic lunges lead this track off. It certainly makes the weighted lunges more interesting - especially when the same leg goes back for round #2 after the break.

Shoulders - INXS is one of those groups that just gets better and better with age. To wit: "Pretty Vegas" - the perfect backdrop for a shoulder routine that features rotator presses and an insane set of bottom-half overheads that'll have everyone seeing stars!

Abs - The opening notes of delicious remake pay homage to the original before getting right down to business. It's an unlikely marriage of rap and Southern rock paired with a deep core ab routine that classes are sure to request over and over again. Skynyrd would be proud.

Cool Down Stretch - It's become a personal mission of ours to try and keep hurried participants in class through the final stretch, and compelling tracks such as this one from Eros Ramazzotti and Anastacia definitely make that job much easier. Long poses ensure an effective stretch for those who take their workouts serious enough to stick around for all ten tracks.

Release 59 represents both the end of an era - the 50's releases, to be exact - and the beginning of a new one with head choreographer Glen Ostergaard. So how'd he do? Here's what we think:

Music - The 50's series of releases has been a mixed bag, musically. It seems that for every really great track there's another that's - well - one that just never gets played after the launch. So we held our breath as we spun up CD #59 - but thankfully we didn't have to hold it very long: there's something here for everybody, and we think that's a really good sign. In fact, early discussions we've witnessed amongst instructors rank this playlist as one of the best, and that's a definite A.

Workout Routine - Playlists notwithstanding, one of the hallmarks of the 50's release series has been the evolution of the workout routine. As we've said in past reviews, this is most evident when you compare these routines with those of the 40's (or earlier). That said, we think maybe Glen may've wanted to play it safe for his debut - there's a few standout bits in 59's routine such as the staggered squat and some insanity in the triceps and shoulders, but nothing too risky. So we're going to give this one a C+ because it's definitely better than average. Keep in mind of course that the definition of "average" is becoming increasingly more challenging, so that's not a bad grade.

Instructor Video - One of the first things we noticed with this release was slightly less "polish" - between the warm-up and squats, for example, we see the presenters trading places, setting up weights, drying off - all while talking through the upcoming workout. It seems a little awkward compared with past videos. There were some noise issues here and there as well, possibly because LMI's tech crew is still working out the "bugs" this is a newly-built taping area. Those are really the only distractions in an otherwise informative and entertaining master class. By the way, as a husband-wife team ourselves it was particularly encouraging to see Peggy and John Cleland onstage - hopefully we'll see other couples up there in the future. The education section continues to improve - The use of a white background improves visual contrast over that of past releases as Susan Tolj, Glen Ostergaard, Corey Baird, Maureen Baker, and Mike McSweeney provide excellent technique and coaching demonstrations. So we give the instructor video an A-, especially for LMI's continued attention to detail in the education section.

Well, that's our review of the 59th BodyPump release. Agree or disagree? Let us know - click the Comments link below and have your say!

Tami's Big Webcast Debut (w/pics, video)

2006-09-15T06:33:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, we got an email through our blog from the Roanoke Times asking if we'd be interested in doing the weather spot on their daily webcast. I wasn't sure what to make of it at first, but Tami was game so we decided to give it a shot.

September 14th was the big day. We arrived at 11:30, and were shown into their webcast studio - a surprisingly large room with walls covered by sound-insulating foam. Multimedia producer Daine Vineyard described how the webcast had evolved over the last year from a closet-sized back room to the present facility. The explosive popularity of blogs and podcasts caught many media outlets completely by surprise; clearly, the Roanoke Times doesn't intend to let that happen with webcasting.

We talked over a variety of ideas about how we could incorporate fitness into a 20-second weather spot. Daine's goal with the webcast weather spot is primarily to keep it fun - people don't tune into this webcast to get an in-depth forecast - so we could do pretty much anything as long as it was at least remotely related to the weather. Several other Roanoke Times folks joined our short brainstorming session and it wasn't long before a concept emerged.

The basic idea was for Tami to do the talking while I suited her up to teach BodyPump class. Originally, I was going to put workout gloves on her hands, put her mic on, then hand her a bar. The first time we tried this she put her hands out opposite of what I expected, and rather than fumble around I simply put her gloves on... backwards. So the whole glove thing got tossed out - and that's why you see her putting her own gloves on while I sort of stand there looking sheepish.

Which reminds me of something. It's a source of never-ending wonder to me how people can look so different in pictures. I, for example, manage have the most ignorant expression on my face in practically every picture I've ever seen of myself. I know I don't look this way in the mirror, and (I hope!) I don't look this way in real life. The camera, on the other hand, loves Tami. Maybe it's because she looks so good in person. But in case you noticed she's featured in most of the pictures on this blog - this webcast not withstanding - it's because I've learned one of life's more humbling lessons: Some of us belong behind the camera!

Promotional Clip

This is a promo video that ran on the Roanoke Times webcast page. The actual webcast would be accessed by clicking on this video (click on it now to play - click again for larger view).

The Webcast

This is our portion of the webcast - the full video (with news, etc.) can be viewed by clicking here.

Yes - we are still alive and well!

2006-09-10T16:44:00.000-04:00

Wow!! it has been a long time hasn't it? I guess between summer vacations and getting kids back to school there hasn't been much time to write. And then I could not get logged into our blog - but all is well now so I will chat a bit!

We did not make it to the 1/4ly this time around - trying to save some money! However, we did get in the mail yesterday BP 59, and although I did get it first - Craig will get first pick! We have not listened to it but we'll try to do it tonight and I will beg my hubby to post on it. What is the general feeling? Thumbs up, down, or in the middle?

Here is something pretty kewl....Craig and I have been asked by The Roanoke Times to do their webcast weather! Apparently they invite peolpe in (like students, politicians, etc.) to do thier weather and they chose us because of our Blog! Isn't that neat? We will do it this Thursday at 11:30 so I think you could just go to The Roanoke Times.com and check us out! Hopefully we will not do anything to totally embarrass ourselves.

Craig and I will be going to Romania in December to Galati, Romania in December. Are there any BP classes out there?

Our classes have been picking up lately and that is good. Lots of college kids but some older ones as well. Whats been great is that many of the wives have been bringing in their husbands, and they end up liking it and coming back! I would love for Craig and I to do a 'couples only' BP class, maybe in the evening, like a date night! I think we would have a pretty good turnout. I'll have to ask the new owner/managers....Scott...what do ya think?! : )

Tami

I need your help!

2006-08-05T16:30:00.000-04:00

We receive several private e-mails on a weekly basis requesting info on where to buy DVD's so people can do Pump in their own home. As always, we explain that they are only available to certified instructors. Yesterday, an anon reply came to my response and since I have no way to tell to them, again, the reason why they are not available to the general public, I thought I would just publish the e-mail and let other instructors reply. Maybe you can explain it better that I can!

"How disappointing to find that you do not do Body Pump DVDS!!! I understand your reasoning but with two pre-school children, a business to run and studying at university all this as well as living some way away from a fitness club and not having the funds to join anyway makes it look like you just want to cater to a select market - those who have time and money. How sad!"

Thanks for your help!

I'm not invincible?

2006-07-28T16:33:00.000-04:00

As a personal trainer I am constantly telling my clients that if something hurts, stop doing it or you may risk more serious injury. I also repeatedly tell them to rest 48 hours between sessions, the dangers of overtraining and the importance of warming up and stretching.

I teach Pump 3x a week – M, W & F. I also teach Healthy Backs right before Pump on M & F. I train clients 4 to 5 x a week, and while working with them, will also do some of the exercises with them, like abs, core work, etc., no weights though.

Last weekend, I noticed my left shoulder beginning to hurt. Just a little. Even so, we went for a 30 mile bike ride, I mowed grass (with a push mower!), helped clean out the garage and pulled weeds. No slowing down for me – I won’t get injured. After all, I’m indestructible!

While teaching Healthy Back on Monday, we do a move in a prone position called Y, T, W, & L. It’s an exercise to help strengthen the scapula muscle. When I tried to do it I noticed a bit more pain so I did stop and just talked everyone else through it. Then came Pump. Everything was going great until I got to the tricep track. As I was on my bench I realized I needed to slide down or else Craig and I would be bumping barss. As I slid down – a pain shot through my back. I barely made it through the rest of the class. I took some aspirin and over the next couple of days started feeling a tad better. So – Wednesday, I decided that the living room needed to be rearranged. Bad move. Thursday I woke up in pain severe enough to make me call the doctor. She said I had torn my trapezius muscle and that I could do no upper body lifting until it healed – The worst news a fitness instructor / personal trainer can get is that you can’t work out. If I follow doctors orders, I could be back teaching by Monday.

I have learned a valuable lesson. If you feel pain – stop. Don’t over train. Warm up and stretch before / after workouts. Where have I heard that before….? I did teach Pump today with Craig using a bar with no weights. Not cool. I felt so whimpy!

So now I sit here in bed, feeling groggy from the pain meds and hoping Craigy will fix me dinner tonight.

As instructors, I think sometimes we feel nothing can ever happen to us physically, after all, we are in shape. But it CAN happen. We need to take our own advice and take care of our bodies. Do we teach too many classes? Work out every day? Skip the warm up because we are in a hurry? If we don’t take care of ourselves we won’t be there for our class members.

Speaking of taking care of our bodies I would like to mention an instructor at our club. I will not give her name but she is amazing. She had a baby about 2 years ago and like most of us, put on weight. Well, she has lost around 80 pounds! She has worked so hard, never giving up, teaching classes and taking classes. She has such a great attitude and always has a smile on her face – a great person to have in class because she likes to make a lot of noise and just have fun. Kudo’s to you TD!!!!!!

Our 58 Launch (w/pics)

2006-07-20T05:34:00.000-04:00

After months of speculation, the time has finally came for us instructors to get on with life without Mike. And yet he's still with us, as head choreographer for the BodyPump 58 release. So while the bad news may be that we won't be seeing one of our favorite international trainers presenting future releases, the good news is that his shoes are already being filled with some very capable athletes.

So, on to our launch. As with past mid-summer events we weren't completely full, especially since Blacksburg is a university town. But our attendance lately has been consistently much higher than past years, no thanks of course to my propensity for regularly botching choreography. Naturally the 58 would be no exception; not less than two minutes into the warm-up I called squats instead of overhead presses. You don't suppose the class noticed that set of 32 2x2 squats seemed a bit excessive, do you?

Well once we got that little gaffe out of the way, the rest flowed pretty smoothly. It seems the combo squats in Republica's Drop Dead Gorgeous caused a bit of consternation, as did a dizzying array of presses during that B52s classic on the chest track. Once we got through those numbers it was smooth sailing through the back & hamstrings, triceps, biceps, and lunges.

The party really got into high gear with the shoulder track. If you're a ZZ Top fan, this Bodyrockers' track combined with a round of MAC Raises serves up a mean rijsttafel that won't soon be forgotten. The MAC Raise, incidentally, is named after legendary New Zealander Paul McDonald who developed the exercise for training kayakers. The abs track proved equally challenging, with a seemingly endless set of reverse crunches that challenged even (Ms. Abs) Tami. Only when the cooldown stretch commenced did I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

To our way of thinking, this was definitely one of the more enjoyable (and, yes, playable) releases. Yeah Mike, you went out with a bang on this one: just when we thought we'd seen all the moves that could possibly be fit into ten tracks, here comes a release with a slew of combos and that nifty MAC Raise for our exercise enjoyment.

Which leaves us with one question: How's Glen gonna top this one? We'll find out soon enough - 59's right around the corner!

Our launch for 58

2006-07-19T19:44:00.000-04:00

We finally did it! I feel like we are so behind everyone else - are we the last ones to launch?

It did turn out pretty well. Learning this release, as most others posted, was fairly easy. For the very first time since I have been teaching I did not use my big dry erase board to recopy the notes. I just put my glasses on, picked up my notes and did it. Of course I practice using "air weights" so when I do teach its hard to know exactly how difficult the track is. I thought that using medium plates was almost too much for the shoulder track - especially in trying to cue good form with the new "Mac Raise". I felt it was kinda like rubbing my belly and patting my head. It can be done - if you start slowly. Today I encouraged everyone to use small plates if they had had trouble on Monday and they felt that it helped. I don't feel like it was a "WOW" release, but it was right up there. We did take some pics and if I can talk Craig into posting again I will get him to put those on.

Does anyone have any info for BP59? Always anxious for the next release!

Here we go again...

2006-07-12T15:23:00.000-04:00

And I don't mean the song. Our club opened up in the summer of 2001 and I have been with them since November of 2001. I have seen lot's of changes over the past few years. Instructors come and go, department managers have been replaced, owners have changed. For the past year or so, things have been running very smoothly. Our GFM has done a terrific job in organizing and managing a difficult department. She is able, and does, teach numerous classes and is always there to sub. Monday evening, at a spur of the moment employee meeting, it was announced to us that as of August 1st we will be under new owners. We are a small town fitness club - very family and community oriented. And I like that. I know sometimes that changes are good but I think I had gotten into my comfort zone and dread seeing yet another dramatic change. It wasn't long ago our club was swaying towards BTS. I got the shivers. Fortunatly we stayed with Les Mills and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. The new owners have promised good things and I will keep an open mind, but my big toe is beginning to tremble...

Thanks for all the great tips on clean and press form. Today in class I had everyone use a partner standing in front of them and practice. It worked pretty good, but as usual, some slowly went back to the reverse curls. I have told them that when they all get it right I will quit nagging them!

We launch BP58 this Monday so I am listening to it as I write. I really like it!

Our trip was great - just very wet. Also, we did not manage to visit any BP classes. We were nerver close to any. We did manage to ride our tandem alot - over 120 miles total. One day was a grueling 45 mile trek with a lovely 2 1/2 jaunt up a mountain. 30 minutes to get up, about 8 minutes to get back down! And here is an interesting observation: last year Craig and I did alot of hiking on our summer trip. No biking. We missed two weeks of Pump and when we taught for the first time when we got back, neither Craig or I could get out of bed the next day. On this trip, all we did for exercise was ride the tandem and after we taught again after two weeks - we had very little soreness! So the moral of the story is if you go on vacation - take your bike! Next year we plan to go to the midwest where hopefully it will be a bit dryer!

Good form?

2006-06-26T12:29:00.000-04:00

Well, here we sit in West Danville, Vermont and all hopes of going for a ride on the tandem have floated out the window. It's been raining all day and it seems will continue to do so for the rest of the day. So, since we are stuck in the camper I thought I would throw a new post up regarding form, or lack thereof.

It seems no matter how many times we demonstrate proper form, slowing going through each stage of the move - particularly the clean and presses - some members just can't get it right. I understand newcomers, but those who have been regularly coming to classes should have it down by now. Most of the problems usually come from trying to lift too much weight, and the bar is being flung up in the air putting great strain on the back. No matter how many times during the clean & press we say "bring the bar straight up to your chest", or "like your zipping your coat", we will still have those that do a reverse curl. I have even demonstrated the proper move by having someone stand directly in front of me to show that if I try to do a reverse curl, I will smack the person standing there. Some will get it - others don't.

One thing I do notice is that many times while Craig is showing what the proper form of the upcoming track will be - many partcipants are chatting, or looking bored - like they have heard it all before and they know what to do. Maybe they need to pay a bit more attention. After all - it is for their benefit that we say the same things over and over again! We all, no doubt get tired of repeating ourselves, but we have to.

Proper form is so very important to prevent injury and to make sure the right muscle is being used. I feel alot of folks are wasting time beacause their form is off and they are not recruiting the muscle we are intending to work.

Are there other instructors out there experiencing the same thing? Maybe you could give us some helpful cueing tips. What are your phrases that work? Let us know!

How long has it been?

2006-06-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

Yes, summer has arrived and kids are out of school, thus - no time for writing! I do happen to have a few minutes before heading off to the club so I thought I would jot down a few things.

First of all, Craig and I leave Wednesday for our long awaited road trip, and from what I can gather, it looks like southern Vermont will be a 'Body Pump' stop for us. I have the clubs info so I can figure out which class we will be able to attend. We are really looking forward to seeing how other clubs promote Body Pump!

Then, imagine my suprise when I went to the mailbox and there was BP58, and the chest song is in fact 'Love Shack'! I'm soooo excited! We did happen to pick out our liscense plate back in 2003 so there is no correlation - just pure happy coincidence! So if you see the 'lvshack' chugging along the highways of New England - honk!

Our club has not yet announced our launch date but I'm sure it will be soon. Has anyone out there launched yet? How do you like it? We have not had a chance to review the DVD yet but that should be out in the next week or so. I did watch the chest track, ...very kewl. BTW, are the women's speedo's available in red? : )

See ya soon!

Tami

Road Trip

2006-05-25T09:19:00.000-04:00

The time has come once again for Craig and I to plan our summer vacation. Instead of backpacking this year out west, I said I wanted to go to Maine, NH, and Vermont. Places we have never been to and places where there are more trees than dust. I guess I should probably give Craig all the credit for planning because when we sat down to do it this past Sunday, I was more or less just an annoyance to him. (I hate maps) So, he was diligently trying to come out with a route to fill up 14 days, taking us up through Pennsylvania, NY, and then on into Canada - I think Montreal & Quebec, more places I have never been, and then into NH, Vermont and Maine. I thought I was being helpful in suggesting that he pick out cities that had Body Pump so we don't have to come back to teach after 2 weeks and start back at the beginner level. He got this real funny look in his eye as he glared at me and started vibrating. So I said never mind. So - here is my plan. If you live near the above mentioned route, (I can give hwy#'s later), let us know and we will drop in for a workout in your class! I promise to make Craig behave so he won't cause any problems...of course I can only do so much! I think we are leaving June 21 and we will be driving the "Lvshak" (actual liscense plate - cheesy, I know...), our little home on wheels so make sure we have room to park her - she has a big rear end!

We look forward to seeing some of you!

Tami

PS: Hi honey! Isn't this a great idea? : )

The Wardrobe Malfunction (w/pics)

2006-05-10T20:15:00.000-04:00

Tami handed me the mic after completing her squat track. Whilst bending my head downward to don the headset it became apparent that once again I was smack dab in the middle of an instructor's worst nightmare. Yes, lo and behold my fly was wide open - the operative word being wide. Quickly, I reached for the zipper. Nothing doing - it was already up. Apparently my three-year-old workout pants had reached the end of their useful life. Time for a new pair.

Now, I don't know about you, but I've had this dream before. You know the one - you're on the bus going to school, or at work, or something like that. And suddenly you look down and realize you're either not wearing your drawers or your fly is wide open. But eventually you wake up and breathe a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness that was only a dream!" For some reason though this seemed awfully real. Stunned, I looked up.

I'd already started to talk about the next routine, but having stopped mid-sentence I'd managed to pretty much get everyone's attention at that point. My hand dropped to my side as I recalled one of Tami's most memorable quotes: Time to face the music.

"Oh my gosh, my fly's open!" I deadpanned. The class erupted in laughter. "Why don't you just zip it back up?" Tami asked. "I can't. It's broken" I whispered back, realizing only too late the mic I'd just put on amplified my words for all to hear. "I knew this would come in handy sometime" Tami said, as she wrapped her sweater around my waist and tied the sleeves behind my back. "Just don't get it dirty" A round of applause from the class sealed my fate - so, I grabbed my bar and kicked off our next routine.

I don't suppose this would be what the BodyPump Instructor's Manual means by "Make ever class a WOW experience!"

BodyPump 59 Filming Date Set

2006-04-27T17:54:00.000-04:00

>>> Updated 9/20/06:
>>> We now have BodyPump 59 in our hot little hands!
>>> Click Here to read our full review...

Instructors: If you can make it to Auckland, New Zealand this coming May 6th, you might want to book your place in the BodyPump 59 filming! Click here for details...

PS. You might want to bring along your winter coat - we have it on good authority it's starting to get cold over there!

How We Learn New Releases

2006-04-26T14:55:00.000-04:00

Since Craig’s topic has struck a familiar chord with so many, we have decided to post again how we learn our routines (click here to view our prior post on this topic from last year). And I feel pretty ‘safe’ writing this because I believe it to be a non-controversial subject so I won’t be whacking a beehive.

Craig and I have totally different methods of learning. He is a technical person and writes computer codes for his real job. Therefore, when he rewrites his notes – that’s what it looks like to me, computer code. And only he can decipher it. (Or another computer person). He will watch the DVD and write down the moves from that. I only watch the DVD if I don’t understand a certain move. I need the notes so I can see the timing before a move actually starts, between breaks, pause, etc.

When the new release first arrives, I play it over and over again. In the kitchen while I’m cooking the King his dinner, in the car, on the treadmill, etc. This helps me to learn all the tempo changes, the places where we can ‘jazz’ it up, etc. When I know we are getting ready to launch, and I know what songs I need to learn, usually about 1 week before, I then take the notes and go to the basement where our workout room is. There I have a huge dry erase board hanging on the wall and I will rewrite mine using pretty much what the notes say. I use many abbreviations so I don’t have to write so much too. For example, 2/2 overhead press becomes 2/2 OH. I know that it is a press. For the Clean and Press combo – I will write ‘C & P’ –I know there are usually DRs’ (deadrows) right after. If not, I’ll write ‘NO DRs’’. So in essence, it looks somthing like this:

PUSH IT – Chest
16ct set up – from btm
4/4 press 1x
2/2 press 8x
3/1 press 2x
sngl 8x
4/4 press 1x

Doing it this way makes it easy to practice without having to keep looking at the printed notes with really small writing. And since usually I can’t find my glasses anyway – this works best for me.

As I’m writing it out I will also look for patterns in the notes. It may be how a sequence is repeated 2 or 3 times. Or how it’s always a 2/2 on a certain phrase. Or maybe I notice there is only one set of bottom half squats. Or no 3/1s’ in the entire song. I try to keep this in the back of my mind. And then I practice. And practice. And practice. I will do the song till I get it right. When I play it in my car, or listening at home, I’m doing the moves in my head. I don’t worry so much about when to start calling out the next move because if I know my music and choreography well, I will know when the changes come. I think it takes being really comfortable with the music. And even after hours of practice – you can still goof up. The trick is moving on through it. It’s easier when you have a partner to teach with because between the two of you, you should know the choreography. It’s tougher when there is no one to back you up!

I remember when I first started learning BP and I was overwhelmed at the amount of information that needed to be memorized – especially at my age… But for the newbies out there – don’t give up! It gets easier with each release. Now I can learn a new song 2 hours before class if I need to. I prefer not to because I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to BP and worry about getting it wrong without enough practice, but it can be done!

So there you have it. I’m sure Craig will add a few things when he is not working so hard. He is up in DC and he has been going to the Body Pump class up there. Anyone seen him? : )

Anatomy Of A Crash & Burn

2006-04-21T13:49:00.000-04:00

After a rousing warm-up that carried with it the promise of an excellent workout, Tami passed the mic my direction. Even as I strapped it on, a faint pang of concern welled up inside, then passed as quickly as it came. There's no going back once the music starts - yet as we wrapped up the first three rounds of singles in Paris to Berlin I kinda wished we could hit the pause button.

I've practiced this song a hundred times, but for some reason I was having trouble synchronizing my thoughts with the music. Instead of the combo, I called singles. Instead of 3/1, I called 2/2. Then, as the music tempo changed, I realized a few people had stopped briefly - wasn't this supposed to be the break? I had already called super-slow, so half the class was with me while the other half rushed to catch back up. Two sets later I realized I had no idea where we were in the music. I had blown it.

Thankfully Tami was there - ashamed of myself, I handed her the mic. She picked the routine up and took it to the end. The next two songs were hers. As I laid there working through the chest track, I realized I couldn't give up like this. These folks came here to get a workout. Yeah, I botched up their squats track, but I owed it to them to pull myself together. When the mic came my direction for triceps I knew I'd better make the best of this second chance. Somehow I managed to work the kinks out in my mind and do a respectable job with my next four songs.

This wasn't the first time I'd crashed a routine, and I bet it won't be the last. I sure am thankful that I had Tami there to cover for me though, and that our class was willing to give me a second chance!

Should Instructor Staffing Be Senority Based?

2006-04-19T22:16:00.000-04:00

I recently took a six-month consulting assignment in a large city that takes me away from home several days a week. There's a gym right across from where I work that offers BodyPump, so I make it a point to attend their classes on the days that I'm in town. I left a note for the GFM (Group Fitness Manager) saying that I'm a certified instructor, and that I'd be happy to co-teach or sub any classes they might need covered. A few days later I got a call back - after the customary introductions, I was politely told that the gym wasn't hiring right now, but that they'd keep my name on file. "No," I replied, "I'm not looking for a job. I'm just offering to audition in case you need to have some classes co-taught or sub'd." Again I was told that they weren't hiring, and that they "had enough BodyPump instructors right now."

For the record, I wasn't at all offended by my conversation with this GFM. In fact, I happily paid that gym for a one-month membership, because now I'm in the process of learning everything I possibly can from their BodyPump instructor staff. And next month I'll repeat the same process right down the street with the another club. So back to my point - my experience with this GFM is not at all unique. We've had several folks tell to us that they talked with their gym's GFM about getting certified, only to be turned down because they were told their club didn't need any more instructors. It happens on a daily basis in gyms all around the world. And, after turning this experience over in my mind for a week or so, I felt inspired to write this post.

It's been my admittedly unscientific observation that many GFMs place their instructors based on seniority - The instructors who've been teaching the longest pretty much get the timeslot of their choice - and, once the timeslots are filled, gym owners aren't too keen on letting their GFMs bring on new instructors. You can't blame the GFMs for being loyal to their long-term staff, nor the gym owners for keeping costs down. This hiring model - which is has been refined to perfection by the service industry over many years - closes the loop to any new recruits until someone quits, gets fired, or the need for more capacity is recognized (such as a new fitness studio, longer opening hours, etc.)

Which begs a simple question: Should gyms model their group fitness hiring practices on that of the service industry, where a premium is placed on senority? I think we can work the answer to that one out pretty quick. Take a good look around your club - are the "big" classes packed because they happen to run during convenient timeslots, or is it because the instructor rocks? Lemme put it another way - are there packed classes running on seemingly inconvenient schedules because people make time to work out with their favorite instructors, while some so-called "prime time" classes are only half full because the instructor isn't all that inspiring?

If you can honestly answer "yes" to any of that, then it should be clear that the performance aspect of group fitness can't - and shouldn't - be ignored. BodyPump is about fitness, yes, but I really have trouble seeing it as a service. So why do so many gyms staff their instructor teams like a service business, choosing an easy measurement like senority rather than establishing quality-oriented metrics? Instead of wasting any more space postulating about the problem, I'd like to submit that gyms with seniority-based hiring models consider a results-focused model instead. I believe that such gyms would continually seek new talent, and implement feedback loops that would allow their instructors to be evaluated regularly by their GFMs, their fellow instructors, and (especially) their classes. Instructors that consistently achieved high ratings would be compensated accordingly, whether it be financially, their choice of timeslots, or both. Instructors with lower marks would have the opportunity to better themselves before facing the prospect of losing their timeslot to new talent.

Do I have an ax to grind here? Heck no - I'm happy with our timeslot, and I truly respect all of the instructors on our team. Truth be told, our class isn't necessarily the biggest at our gym, either. I guess it was my conversation with the GFM at this other club that got me thinking about how new talent gets recruited in the group fitness industry, and whether or not its senority-based staffing practices are really as widespread as I've observed. Agree or disagree? Click the comments link and have your say!

Our BodyPump 57 Launch (w/pics)

2006-04-17T17:49:00.000-04:00

It's been five and a half months since our club had its last launch, so it wouldn't be an overstatement to say we were hungry for new music. Well, we had a feast today - and BodyPump 57 was a meal worth waiting for. Smiles all around the room for Tina Cousins' Come To Me warm-up quickly gave way to looks of determination when the reality of five and a half minute squat song began to sink in. There was no rest for the weary as Tami took over the mic for Garbage's Push It chest track, and then proceeded to toss out the final break in a back and hamstrings routine that - by popular vote - needed a just a bit more juice.

If hoots and hollars are any indication, we've got a new class favorite with Scissor Sisters' Take Your Mama, the deeper meaning of which was explored in our last post. Not to be outdone, Pump It earned high marks as one of the most intense bicep workouts in recent history. It's certainly the fastest by far: At a harrowing 3:45, this song packs as many reps as any other release's 4+ minute bicep track. Thankfully we kept the cry towels handy.

As our BodyPump 57 review mentioned, one of the great things about the 50-series release is the continual evolution of the workout routine - and that's plainly evident to even the most casual observer with the shoulder track's Triple Pulse Side Raises and the Double Pulse Dynamic Lunges. "Miss Abs" Tami topped the workout off with Pussycat Dolls' Don't Cha, and I (reluctantly) wound the party down with Regressa A Mi - the Italian version of Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart hit from the 90's.

By the way, we need to point out that ours was an "unofficial" launch - our GFM was kind enough to let us pull 57 out a day early since I had to be out of town during the club's main launch days. That was quite a favor, and one we truly appreciate!
Photographers: Kerri Hill and Laurie Travis

The Deeper Meaning of "Take Your Mama"

2006-04-14T09:55:00.000-04:00

This morning, Tami and I were bumping along through our usual morning routine when she popped an intriguing question. It was about my song of the morning - the one I'm either humming, singing, or whistling incessantly - which happened to be 57's tricep song Take Your Mama. "So what does that song mean, anyway?" she asked.

We're gonna take your mama out all night
Yeah we'll show her what it's all about
We'll get her jacked up on some cheap champagne
We'll let the good times all roll out

Recognizing a rare opportunity to prove my worth as her closet intellectual husband, I surprised even myself with the speed of my BS generation capabilities. "The meaning of this song" I intoned, "is that there's this guy, and all the girls like him, right? So he gets this girlfriend but then she leaves, and now he's all alone but he wants to go out and have some fun, so he takes his mama out." Tami gave me a sideways look while she turned that over in her mind.

But now your girl's gone a missin'
And your house has got an empty bed
The folks'll wonder 'bout the wedding
They won't listen to a word you said

"So he takes his mother out instead?" she asked. "That's a little strange." By now I'd had time enough to think it through again. "No, actually, his mom is lonely, see? Because her son's popular with the ladies and all. So he gets his boys together and they take her out dancing and stuff. By her some cheap champagne, you know, and show her a good time."

And if the music ain't good, well it's just too bad
We're gonna sing along no matter what
Because the dancers don't mind at the New Orleans
If you tip 'em and they make a cut

Amongst Tami's skills as a wife and lifetime partner is her ability to make me believe - for the moment, at least - that I'm some sort of walking encyclopedia with huge reserves of untapped intellectual prowess that she (and only she) can truly appreciate. It wasn't until later when I listened to the song again that I realized how clueless I really am.

We're gonna do it
Take your mama out all night
You can stay up late
'Cause baby you're a full grown man

Yeah, it's just a song. Nothing more, nothing less. Which is precisely why she asked me that question in the first place - to get 30 seconds worth of entertainment out of me before heading off to work. I feel so used.

Our Nifty Instructor Challenge (w/pics)

2006-04-06T15:17:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile - a long while, really - but we finally got our instructor challenge off the ground! Here's a look what went down when eleven of us warriors chose our weapons this past Saturday...

With a word of encouragement and a brief round of opening instructions, Tami set the team in motion. First on the agenda: Get the heart rate elevated with a fifteen minute run. We took ours on treadmills, but a dash outdoors is just as effective.
Then we took the party back to the studio where we split into teams of 3-4 instructors to tackle each of the four workstations. With teammates cheering and Pump music hammering overhead, each instructor dives into the workout. Having trouble getting all the reps in? Well that's where the team comes in - you gotta finish what's on your plate before your buddies get their turn, so they're gonna help you get every last rep in! Oh yeah, it's three rounds per team before moving on to the next station...

Chest - Start with a bar loaded heavier that your usual and get busy: 15-20 rounds on the bench, then hit the floor with a round of push-ups. There's no getting around this one!

Clean & Press + Lunges - The action goes straight overhead with 15-20 reps and a bar heavier then you'd ever dare to move in front of the class. Then move it to your back for a round of lunges - and don't forget to hit both legs!

Biceps + Triceps - The muscles may be smaller, but the pain's just as real. A big round of 15-20 with the bar, followed up with bench dips and a long drag from your water bottle - if you can still lift it to your mouth...

Aerobic Shuttle - You'll either love it or hate it, but the job's gotta get done. A fast dash down the straightaway with a round of fancy footwork on the bench, then back to the middle for a round of shuttle jumps and pushups. That flash you saw after your last rep was your teammate flying past for round #2!

Well, there it is. What took you a minute or so to read took us an hour to complete - and it was a long hour at that! The sandwich plate waiting for us in the break room was almost as good as knowing we'd completed the toughest workout of our week. You know, we'll have to do this more often!

How's that for a can of worms!

2006-04-04T12:11:00.000-04:00

If you follow our blog, you've probably seen Tami's recent post where she addresses the importance of instructors as role models in their weight selections for each track, as well as their own personal appearance. As you might expect with such a controversial topic, we've gotten a ton of feedback - the comments you see here are just one part of that, as we've also received a good bit of personal email and interaction with members and instructors at our club.

One thing I'd like to share about Tami is that she's one of the most decent and kind people you'd ever want to meet - and I'm not just saying that because she's my wife. She has no enemies. So when we first starting getting all the feedback, her first reaction was to replace the post with an apology for having offended anyone. She's spent the better part of her life as an overweight person - and if anyone understands the difficulty of losing weight and keeping it off, she certainly does.

There were two reasons I encouraged her to leave the post as it stands. First, her thesis is sound - the core of what she's saying is that we as instructors need to be role models. Whether we realize it or not, we have an influence on the people who attend our classes, and it's our responsibility to make that the best influence it can possibly be. Most (if not all) of us are on a never-ending journey to lose weight, gain strength, or just generally be in better shape. Nothing she's written there implies that you've got to have a "hard body" to be an excellent instructor. But if you're getting complacent - and you know if you are or not - then maybe it's time to up your weights a bit or drop a few pounds. Just like the comment from Mark R where he challenges me to start using weights during lunges - yeah, I've gotten complacent in that area, so now I've got the bar on my shoulder during that track!

Second, I believe the reason we have as many readers as we do is because we're not out here being "politically correct" all the time. We don't give an "A" to every new BodyPump release, we don't gush about every song selection, and we've never shied away from giving LMI their due when they goof up. Folks here in the States who watch American Idol: Truth be told, if Simon kissed up to every contestant that show would be a lot less interesting. Now, we're not out to be the "Simon" of BodyPump, but when you think about it there's a certain value in "stirring the pot" every now and again.

So anyway, I wanted to thank everyone for the feedback, both those who agree and those who disagree. Because that's what makes the time we put into this blog so worthwhile. (BTW, we've got another post right around the corner with pics from this weekend's instructor challenge!)

Let the games begin.....

2006-03-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

The Instructor Challenge is breathing down our necks. This Saturday, April 1st, Craig and I, along with about 10 other instructors will get together for the grueling hour of fat burning, muscle building, bonding experience of the challenge. No foolin'. We have put it off long enough - it's time to get serious. According to the Body Pump maunual - "Instructors are recommended to use this form of training a maximum of twice a week, in association with other forms of cross-training to achieve and maintain superior BodyPump fitness".

How many of us do this? I can usually get my extra workout in on Mondays and Fridays - the same days Craig and I teach - but it is not quite as intense as the IC. Which brings to mind an interesting observation from the 1/4ly in Baltimore. Almost everyone there was an instructor - however - what I noticed was that a good percentage of them were somewhat out of shape. (I'm trying to be very polite!) I was discussing this with a couple of BP participants from our classes and what one said was very eye opening. She said she would not go to a hair dresser who had bad hair. Good point. I know that some of us came from chubby backrounds and have come along way - but we need to be great role models or we may start losing our class members! If we don't 'practice what we preach' - maybe we should be doing something else. I see some instructors using minimal weight on their bars - like a beginner. Maybe it's time to start keeping the IC an integral part of our ongoing training so we can 'have great hair'!

Keep pumping!

BodyPump 57 Review

2006-03-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

It's been a long five and a half months since the last BodyPump release graced the confines of our lonely mailbox. Was it worth the wait? Let's have a look:

Warm Up - Tina Cousin's energetic "Wonderful Life" was one of the most memorable tunes on release 56, so it's no surprise to hear her kick off 57 with "Come To Me". Feature: The squats lead-in stops the action mid-stroke while the class resets their stance. Brilliant.

Squats - If you think there isn't much to squats choreography, you'd better think again - this track #2 introduces a 2-1-1 combo move that will no doubt become a staple in future releases. Back again is the super slow "down and hold" to maximize the benefit of this thigh buster from Infernal.

Chest - Poke around on the 'net a bit and you'll find much ado about Garbage's campy "Push It" - heck, it's even got its own fan site. We doubt you'll be listening too closely though: it's bottoms-up on this one, folks - the whole way.

Back & Hamstrings - Mike intros this track with a warning, but we beg to differ - with an unprecedented three breaks, this might just be your chance to up the weights a bit. We love the grip changes for recruiting different muscles.

Triceps - When your triceps track leads off with skull crushers, you know it's gonna be all business. Tricep push-ups top off what's sure to be a favorite for those looking for some ROI.

Biceps - If you've been following this release for the last couple months, you already know one of the most anticipated tracks is this chart buster from Black Eyed Peas. Just make sure that excitement doesn't intoxicate your weight selection - with round after round of bicep-loading phases punctuated by 3/4 range singles, your arms will thank you twice for leaving that extra plate on the floor!

Lunges - Ever have trouble picking up the rhythm of a track? Not this time - Paris Avenue drives it home with a powerful backbeat for a routine featuring brand new Double Pulse Dynamic Lunges for dessert. It's one of the few times we actually wished for a longer lunge track!

Shoulders - BodyPump enthusiasts know the bigger the sound, the tougher the workout - and 57's track #8 brings home the goods. As an intense round of floor work gives way to front raises and upright rows, you'll be looking for the finish line as the final round of twelve overhead singles hit home!

Abs - If you like a little torque in your ab workout, you'll love these twisting bicycle crunches with leg extensions. Keep a plate handy if you'd like a little more heat from the crunch combos in this slow cooker from Pussycat Dolls.

Cool Down Stretch - Whether or not you speak Italian, you'll know exactly where your at with this remake of a Toni Braxton hit from the 90's.

If you're an instructor, you've probably heard this is Mike McSweeney's final release as BodyPump program director. So, is Mike going out with a bang? Here's what we think:

Music - Maybe it's just us, but by the middle of the fourth track we could swear it we'd heard the same lead vocalist singing the same five notes for the last twenty minutes. Maybe that's why "Take Your Mama" comes off as such a welcome relief for the triceps track. In fact, from that point on it's like we're hearing a whole new release: Black Eyed Peas, Paris Avenue, and N.E.R.D. ignite a playlist that was starting to wear like a worn-out pair of shoes. So we have to give the BodyPump 57 playlist an C+... not because the first four songs are bad - they just sound too much alike.

Workout Routine - Two years ago we thought the BodyPump workout was the absolute pinnacle of strength training in a group fitness format. If you run 57's routine against, say, something in the 40's, you'll see just how much this series has evolved. Everything from the squat reset in the warm-up to the Double Pulse Dynamic Lunges shows that this program continues to innovate in ways that keep the workouts fresh and the classes full. So, as with 56, we'll tag the workout routine with a solid B simply because we know the next workout will raise the bar even further!

Instructor Video - As we mentioned earlier, this may be the last we'll see of the Pumpfrog videos for awhile. So it was absolutely fabulous to have him grace center stage throughout the master class, along with International Trainer Susan Tolj and Sydney's own Alani Mala. When Steve Renata introduced Susan as "the new face of BodyPump" at the Baltimore Quarterly earlier this month, I asked her if that meant she was taking over the program. "No," she laughed, "I wouldn't want all that responsibility!" Maybe not, but having her onstage will sure help relieve the pain of losing such a dominant figure in the BodyPump culture. Anyhow, whether or not the trainers in this video were aware of Mike's impending departure, their enthusiasm and routine execution are top-notch. The education section of the DVD - sometimes ignored by instructors who (to their detriment) just want to "get the next release launched" - is especially well done this time around. Gone are the lengthy monologues, replaced now with corporate messages from Phillip Mills and an exceptional set of technique and coaching tips from Alani Mala & Susan Tolj. So we give the instructor video an A, especially for LMI's time and thought investment in the educational materials.

Well, there it is. Agree or disagree? Let us know - click the Comments link below and have your say!

Finally, 57 Arrives

2006-03-15T12:36:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time coming - too long, in fact - but it's finally here. We'll post our review shortly!

Baltimore Quarterly (updated with pics!)

2006-03-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

I know your all anxious to find out how this weekend went, and since Craig is busy at his real job - I will have to fill you in. (actually he is still duct taped in the back of the van...)

As promised - we made only ONE bathroom stop. Plus - a GIRL mapped out the route on how to get there and Craig had his doubts - but we made it in less time than if we would have taken the route he thought was best. (I'm grinning wildly here).

So we arrived safely and at 7am Saturday morning we were all decked out in our New Town Fitness t-shirts and headed for the Towson College rec center. It was huge! Great place to hold a 1/4ly. Lots of floor space, big cycling room, and plenty of bathrooms (although we did run out of tp pretty quick). No food on site, only drink machines. We all brought loads of energy food items so that was not a problem. And besides - time in between classes were pretty short and not alot of time to eat anyway - that is if you took all the classes!

The first class was Body Attack, which we all liked (except Craig!) but don't think we will ever get it at our gym. Kylie (from Flow/Jam) taught along with two others. Then you could do RPM or take BodyCombat, Craig and I did RPM along with a few otheres from our group. Steve R. (can't think of his last name...sorry!) the guy from Pump taught that along with Anthony. All the girls kept talking about how hot Steve was - except me! I behaved! Great class. Can't say anything regarding Combat because I did not take that.

Next - I did BodyFlow. Kylie was fantastic! And the new stuff is great too. I loved how they spent about 45 minutes before each class giving instruction on the new moves. It was very helpful.

After a 30 minute break came Pump training and then the class taught by Steve and Susan, plus two other women. It's hard to say what I think about the music because it was so loud the music sounded distorted. And that being my fourth class I was starting to zone out! It was hard to understand the cues and I couldn't see the stage from where I was at so had to just watch Craig.

I find it interesting that they are now pushing iPod use for our music. There was a time when we were not allowed to download/copy their CD's. I guess thats progress. We do use our iPod all the time, It's great when trying to put a playlist together for Pump and it's all right there. No searching endlessly through CD's!

Unfortunatley I did not get to take Step because my shoulders were not feeling so great so I just watched. It looked pretty good. And Body Jam...well...lets just say I would need a few drinks in me before even attempting it! It did look like fun - but what was more fun was watching others!

So - over all it was a great 1/4ly. It was cool meeting the 'top' trainers and being with all the other instructors who have a passion for fitness. Sadly - there was a downside. I was very disappointed in the behavior of some of the instructors. We ran into several that were very rude. During Body Attack - I left my spot before we were to go down on the floor for abs and when I came back someone placed themselves on my spot! Of course it was very crowded so I had to move off to the side - away from our group I was with. Then I'm trying to watch the instructor in the middle of the room and someone else comes and stands right in front of me. Putting weights away was a frenzy. I stood holding my weights standing in what I thought was a line to put them in the boxes and everyone is just rushing in front of me. I'm not an aggressive person but I did have to say something to the person who did it to me last!

During step - our group got to the front to set up their benches. They were pretty close - or so they thought. Another person came and set up in front of them - so close that her bench was touching the stage! Are these rude instructors the 'Prima Donnas" I hear about? Please - if you are an instructor and attend one of these quarterlys - don't leave your manners behind!! Is this the kind of behavior we want in our classroom? Treat people the way you expect to be treated. I know we get excited about being there, hearing the new music, trying new programs, meeting world famous instructors - but there is no need to loose control! Treat fellow insructors with respect.

I almost forget - we also received CEU's for attending! I believe there are 6 which is great when your a personal trainer and trying to collect CEUs for PT renewal! Not a whole lot of clothing but they did have some. No guy stuff however.

There - I think thats it. I know Craig does a more thorough job but at least you got the basics! Go to the next quarterly - it's worth it!
Photos courtesy of Arlene Harris

Your Workout Rhythm: Rebooting

2006-03-02T07:46:00.000-05:00

So you've been getting that workout in - every day, every other day, whatever you're doing just seems to be humming along. It feels good, and you wonder what took you so long to get into such a great rhythm. Then, for whatever reason, you miss a workout. Make that two. And before you know it, you've been out a week or more.

Okay, it happens - and, truth be told, it happens to everyone sooner or later. The fact that you get out of the rhythm isn't the disaster here - it's how you handle it. Here's what I'd like to suggest:

Acknowledge that it isn't the end of the world. You're not doomed because of this. As any athlete will tell you, they're either up or getting up - you can't always prevent the fall, but you don't have to lay there on the ground, either.

Think about what happened. Often times people say "I just got busy". Said another way: "Other things took higher priority in my life than my workout". So if that applies to you, think about the things that are taking priority over your workout - then either re-align those priorities, or modify your workout schedule so that it's not constantly getting trumped by things that truly are more important.

Then get back in the gym.

That last point is pretty important - you've got to move past this point and recover your rhythm. But you must also do it wisely. If it's been a week or more, don't try to move the same weight as your last session - the goal here is to get the rhythm back, and that means being there, not just picking up right where you left off.

Male Instructors

2006-02-23T07:37:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we got word there's two more instructors joining our forthcoming trek to the Baltimore Quarterly. Hopefully I got a few laughs out of folks for my grousing that I'm the only guy amongst the fourteen travelers in our group. But underneath that post was a serious message: We lack male instructors in this program. "We", by the way, is not just our club.

It's not that BodyPump lacks the requisite masculinity most guys require before they'll take on a workout program - you instructors out there know as well as I do who's been choreographing this show. It's not that gyms are short on men, either. And though I've got my theories as to why the male attrition rate seems high, it's a fact that female instructors lead the vast majority of Pump classes here in the States (I'm told this is true in other countries as well). A female GFM once commented to us that male instructors didn't have to be all that good to be popular with their classes - their novelty was more than enough to draw in the crowds.

Ladies, I'm not knocking you here. It's fabulous that, as a group, you've embraced BodyPump as your weight training program - a remarkable achievement given that aerobic activity tends to dominate the female fitness class offerings. Your loyalty to this program has brought it into the mainstream in a way that's nothing short of remarkable. Yet I've heard attendees say time and again they'd definitely like to see a more balanced mix of male/female instructors.

Club owners, GFMs, and instructors - If you've got a deficit in the male instructor department (as our club does), I'd like to offer up this challenge: Make 2006 the year you correct that balance. As you know, class attendees become committed members of your gym. And as a man, I'm here to tell you that we're much more inclined to try - and stay with - classes where there's a male presence. Put some men in front of your classes and you'll start to get that male presence. I've seen that develop in our own classes, so I know it's real. It may mean you have to make more of an effort at first to reach out to the men. Fine, go ahead and do it. Once you gain a critical mass of male instructors, I'm confident you'll see more men in your classes - and we all understand the value of increased class attendance. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen over time if you make it a priority.

Everyone understands the importance of balance in life. You already know whether or not your instructor team's got a balanced mix of men and women - and so does your club's membership.

Want to add your thoughts to this post? Click the comments link below and have your say!

We're Off To See The Wizards

2006-02-20T10:54:00.000-05:00

After the last quarterly workshop this past November, we decided to make it a point to attend as often as possible. So, when the Baltimore Quarterly hit the schedule and our club announced they'd be sending a contingent, we knew it was time to make good on that promise. And when International Trainers Steve Renata, Kylie Gates, and Susan Tolj showed up on the schedule we started packing our bags.

As luck would have it though, a little problem has cropped up. Tami thinks it's funny, but I'm not laughing. See, it's a 5 1/2 hour drive from here to Baltimore, and our club is renting two vans for us twelve instructors - eleven of whom are ladies. They're already coordinating outfits. By the time we get there they'll probably have me bound and gagged, hands tied behind my back, wearing a pink dress. Look, you can call me chauvinist, prejudiced, whatever you want - but, I'm here to tell you this won't be a fun trip. Not for me anyway.

I've already established with our GFM that I won't be driving. The laws here in the States tend to frown upon drinking whilst operating a motor vehicle - even for medical reasons.

Empty Mailbox? You're Not Alone

2006-02-13T10:29:00.000-05:00

Slipping and sliding down our icy driveway this morning, we wondered if it'd be worth the all the effort. And then quick peek inside our mailbox confirmed what we already suspected - no BodyPump 57. After years of getting new releases like clockwork, there seems to be a slight hiccup in the system. And, as luck would have it, this is probably one of the most important (if not most anticipated) releases in a long, long time.

For those of you who haven't heard, we here in the States are in the midst of yet another transition. LMI is regionalizing their delivery system, which - in the long run - should improve their ability to personally interact with clubs and instructors. They're a hard-working team and we know this'll further raise their standard of excellence.

In the meantime, though, we'd sure love to join the rest of the world's instructors who are already rockin to this legendary release...

BodyPump 58 Filming: A First-Hand Account

2006-02-09T08:45:00.000-05:00

Instructors: As you probably know by now, we're about to witness a changing of the guard as Mike McSweeney passes on the leadership torch of the program he helped build for so many years. Until this post appeared on Kia Kaha, we've seen little - if any - official word from LMI corporate sources on the upcoming departure of our favorite international trainer. It's come to pass though, and the dawn of a new era is upon us.

Of course you know the Les Mills crew wouldn't let such a huge milestone go by without throwing a massive party! (that's why we love those guys) BodyPump 58 is that party, and we'd like to direct your attention now to fellow blogster Reymond's Journal for a superbly crafted first-hand account (with pictures)...

Your Workout Rhythm: Keeping Steady

2006-02-08T07:27:00.000-05:00

The summer before my college freshman year, a recent grad shared with me a piece of wisdom that I've never forgotten. "You'll soon find," he said, "that getting in here isn't hard. The tough part is staying." As the years went by I found this principle applied to my workout routines as well. In fact, BodyPump is the first - and only - routine I've ever stuck with for more than a month. There's nothing magical about BodyPump - it just happened to be my latest workout routine when I had the epiphany.

Let me explain: Every time I started a new workout routine, it soon became an internal competition. I always felt compelled to increase the workout intensity and, if it was a class, I just had to move more weights than anyone else in the room. Within a month, whatever routine I was doing left me exhausted and sore. I even ended up with a hernia once. As any fitness professional will tell you, discouragement is the primary reason people don't stick with a routine. So, while it seemed like my schedule always managed to derail my routines, it was actually my mind making everything else a priority over those increasingly painful workout sessions.

One night I was watching BodyPump training videos with Tami. (I wasn't an instructor - in fact, she was just going through the training herself). What really blew me away - and here comes the epiphany, folks - was that they were moving less weight than I. A lot less. The form of the trainers on this video was so exquisite, even artistic, that I just sat there and watched the whole thing from start to finish. The next day I went into class and cut all my weights in half. And, for the first time ever, I focused solely executing each motion as perfectly as possible. Most importantly, my workouts became one of the highlights of my week - an opportunity to shut out the rest of the world and focus on doing something to the very best of my ability. In less than two months I began to see the results that had eluded me for so many years.

If you're committed to developing a steady workout rhythm, the most important thing you can do is make certain your workouts are something you look forward to. For me, that meant dropping the weights and focusing on my form. When you leave a Pump class - or any class, for that matter - you should feel energized and rejuvenated inside. If you're completely spent, if you've constantly got a backache, can't climb a set of stairs the next day, or find yourself hardly able to complete each workout set, chances are good your workout rhythm won't last long. Whether it's dropping the weights, switching timeslots, classes, workout partners, or anything else - do whatever it takes to make your workout one of the very best times of your life. Because the most effective routine - the one guaranteed to bring you results - is the one you stick with week in and week out.
(Next Post: Your Workout Rhythm: How To Reboot)

Your Workout Rhythm: Getting Started

2006-02-06T07:27:00.000-05:00

If you've ever cut a piece of wood with a hand saw, you know the first few strokes are the toughest. You take a swipe, then another, and then another - and, depending on how hard the wood is (and how sharp your saw!) - it may take several swipes before you can really get that back-and-forth sawing motion going. But once you get the rhythm started, chances are you'll complete the cut. And so it is with your workout - you may try a few things here or there, but until you get that rhythm going, you really won't enjoy any real results. So, how do you get that rhythm started?

As I mentioned in the last post, what you bought when you purchased your club membership was a destination - a means to a goal. If someone came up to you during class and asked "Why are you here?" you'd probably have an answer - and (hopefully) that answer would indicate what your goal is. My experience has been that most - maybe even all - people in Pump classes have some sort of goal in mind. And more often than not, it's the attainability of those goals that differentiates the regulars from the part-timers.

Nothing's absolute, but I would submit that goals such as "I want to get into better shape" or "I want to lose X amount of weight" probably won't get you into a workout rhythm. They're either not measurable, or not realistic (BodyPump builds muscle, which weighs more than fat!). If you're new to BodyPump (been at it for a month or less) or trying to get a workout rhythm started, I'd like to suggest focusing on modest, short-term goals such as dropping one pant size, or being able to climb a single flight of stairs without getting winded. Because when you're first starting out, these small, attainable goals are like the short swipes you take when sawing that piece of wood - before you know it, you've surpassed those goals - and gotten the workout rhythm started. And, once you've gotten a workout rhythm started, the bigger goals get a whole lot more attainable!
(Next post: Your Workout Rhythm: Keeping Steady)

What did you buy?

2006-02-02T11:42:00.000-05:00

When you fill your car with fuel, what are you buying - a tank of fuel? No, when you think about it, what you're really buying is a destination. And so it is with your club membership - it's not the little card that you bought, it's that personal goal you have for yourself. The magic of BodyPump (or any class, really) is that there's a schedule attached to it, and so a certain built-in accountability starts to happen. You've got that time blocked off, and so you're going to be there. And being there is what ensures you'll reach that destination!

Body Pump DVDs and CDs

2006-01-25T15:18:00.000-05:00

Recently we have had several e-mails from Body Pump enthusiasts wanting to buy DVDs and/or CDs. These are available only if you are an instructor! We put alot of time, effort and money to become an instructor and to stay certified - it would be all in vain if anyone could purchase the releases. Besides - the best part about Body Pump is coming to the gym - being in a class with other members, motivating one another and just plain having fun! You can't do that in your living room! So please - no more requests for DVDs!

On to my next topic - Being a substitute instructor

I have been teaching the noon spot on Mon and Fri (used to do Wed too) for about three years. Craig joined me about 2 years ago. I have come to know the regulars very well. One member married Craig and I, I've had some to our home for our annual Christmas party, and even go to church with some. We are like family - you know - the warm and fuzzy feeling? Well, yesterday I subbed for someone else and I have done so in the past - but it hit me that I am very partial to my own class! This class was ok - just not alot of spunk. I tried to get them going but most were straight faced. My thinking is that they are like that because they dread having a sub! I did have a fea folks come up to me after class and said is was great but I just sensed they were tolerating me! Anyone else ever feel that way? Of course for me - I hate having to have someone sub my class! I'm very territorial! A while back our GFC wanted me to change time slots and I told them absolutley not! These were my friends! I could never give them up! Anyway - I would love to hear your thoughts.

Our classes have been really packed these past two weeks. At almost every Body Pump time slot we are having to turn people away! It's been great! But alas - I fear it will fade soon!

Survivor is coming to audition potential participants in our little town of Blacksburg! We're getting famous! Last month the TV show Exteme Home Makeover came and redid someones home! It was great!

Gotta run - keep pumpin'!

The Calm Before The Storm

2005-12-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

It's quiet around most fitness clubs in the States right now - anyone taking a workout pretty much has the place to themselves, the tranquil peace broken only by the occasional clatter of plates from somewhere across the building. Want to run on the treadmill for an hour or more? No problem. Take in a class? The choice is yours. In fact, you could probably spend the entire day at your local club and never once have to wait in line for anything. Yes, it's your own personal slice of heaven, isn't it?

But we all know what's just around the corner. See - here in the States, at least - January is by far the biggest sales month for fitness clubs across the country. Nothing even comes close, not by a long shot. Why? Getting into shape is tops on many New Year's Resolutions lists. Classes are full, workout stations get queued, and don't even think about getting a shower. Even though it can be aggravating sometimes, I actually look forward to the madness of it all in a warped sort of way. Sadly, it'll all be over before the end of February.

So, if you're one of those folks just joining the fitness community, we hope you feel welcome. But more than anything else, we hope you'll stick around for awhile...

BodyPump, Post-Mike

2005-12-22T07:18:00.000-05:00

By now you've probably heard that Mike McSweeney has stepped down as BodyPump head choreographer (if not, just troll through the next couple of postings and you'll see how that revelation evolved). You know, everyone's had the experience of showing up to class one day only to find their favorite instructor has moved on - no matter how good the next person is, there's always the feeling that things will never be the same. And they won't, but that doesn't mean it's all bad.

BodyPump is more than one person. Okay, Mike is a really important person in this case, but you know what we're saying. The vast majority of folks attending Pump classes are there to get in a good workout, and most of them have no idea who Mike is - so his involvement (or not) in the program doesn't matter a whole lot to them. They'll be there tomorrow, and next week, and next month because they're committed to the workout. To them, their instructors are the face of BodyPump.

So we're really gonna miss Mike when we get those videos each quarter. And yes, it won't be the same. But someone out there is next in line to fill his shoes, and we're actually looking forward to seeing what they come up with. You never know, things may turn out alright after all!

Has Pumpfrog Left The House?

2005-12-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

About a week and a half ago, the following anonymous comment showed up on our BodyPump 56 review:

I hear pumpfrog has resigned, filmed 57 and thats it!

Personally, I like a little more detail with my revelations, but I decided to follow up anyway. So I called the folks at Les Mills USA. No, as far as they knew no such thing had happened. And - the fella who answered the phone assured me - if it had, they would certainly know. By the way, 'Pumpfrog' is none other than Mike McSweeney, head choreographer and cult celebrity of the BodyPump program. So as far as I was concerned this thing was a thankfully short-lived aberration.

Until this anonymous comment showed up on the 56 review last night:

The 'pumpfrog' has definetly left the house, word is he resigned and the company is keeping it under wraps till they have someone else. Apparently he filmed the last release 57 and we will see him no more.

Sadly, this one sounds a little more credible than the first - and, I have to admit, it's got me feeling a little crummy. Longtime readers of our blog have heard me say more than once that I want to be like Mike when I grow up - and truth be told there's a probably a lot of folks out there that really look up to him and respect what he's done for the program.

Thoughts or news you'd like to share on this or any other topic? Click the comments link below and tell us about it!

The Most Important Track Of All

2005-12-05T07:13:00.000-05:00

We always talk about how effective or challenging certain tracks are, but have you ever given thought to whether or not there's any one track in the BodyPump routine that matters more than the others? In other words, of the ten tracks we spin every session, does one emerge as being so important that no BodyPump attendee should miss it?

I'm talking about track #10 - the cooldown/stretch. Maybe it's because we often refer to it simply as "The Cooldown". Or maybe it's because it's the last track in the sequence. Whatever the reason, it seems to have sunk so low in the minds of many BodyPump attendees that they simply pack their stuff up and head for the doors before it even starts.

So, when was the last time you saw a gym offer a class devoted entirely to back and hamstrings? Or biceps? And can you honestly say that triceps are important enough to land a track in every group fitness class your gym offers? Me neither. But I bet your gym does offer a class devoted entirely to stretching, and I'm certain there isn't a class on the schedule that doesn't include a cooldown/stretch.

My point is simple: If stretching is so important that gyms routinely offer entire classes on the subject, and if it matters so much that you can count on it showing up in every group fitness class, doesn't the BodyPump cooldown/stretch merit serious consideration as one of the most important tracks in the entire routine?

And if that weren't enough, consider this - if you routinely miss, say, the squats track, I seriously doubt you're risking any major injury. But the cooldown/stretch? That's another story. Ask around the room sometime before class and I bet you won't get very far before someone gives you and earful about their painful recovery from an exercise-related injury. The sad fact is that many of these injuries could've been prevented by proper stretching. I'm no sports physiologist, but I do recognize that the effects of not stretching after exercise can become cumulative - and that it gets worse as you age (yes, people in your 20's, believe it or not you are aging - right along with the rest of us!)

It's no surprise that the oldest and wisest among group fitness participants make it a point not only to stick around for the entire cooldown/stretch - but also to stay focused on the routine during the entire track. So how can instructors help all class attendees avoid getting injured from not having taken this part of the class serious enough?

Stop calling it "The Cooldown" - Yes, it is a cooldown, but more importantly it's a stretching routine. It's easy to skip when an attendee comes to believe that their shower or the ride back to work/home is their "cooldown". Refer to it as "Stretching" or "The Cooldown Stretch".

Discuss it during Prime Time - That's usually during some of the midway tracks, when people are still focused and not looking for the door. Give a 30-second mention to the fact that the final track is one of the most important, and remind people that the ride back to work or home isn't a cooldown stretch.

Be an example - If you truly believe in the importance of this track - and you should - then don't just go through the motions. Make certain you present the cooldown/stretch with the same level of quality that you bring to your favorite chest or biceps track. Chances are you became an instructor because you wanted to help people in some way - doesn't that include helping them avoid injury as well?

So, is the cooldown/stretch one of the most important tracks - if not the most important track? Click the comments link below and have your say!

The Amazing pre-Pigout Workout

2005-12-01T09:46:00.000-05:00

Before I explain what the "pre pigout workout" is - let me say I've missed writing in our blog! Craig keeps me soooo busy cooking, cleaning, etc. I just haven't had time!! ; )

So - let me explain. Our GFM came up with a fabulous idea of doing a two hour workout on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It consisted of the following: The first 5 songs were from Body Combat, then Craig and I did squats, chest, and back & hamstings from Pump, that was followed by 5 songs from Body Step, then, Craig and I were back for Triceps, biceps, lunges & shoulders. It wrapped up with Body Flow Abs, Twists, and Forward bends. It was fabulous! We had a sign-up sheet the week before and it filled up so quick we had to have a waiting list! And yes - we did get prior approval from Les Mills before actually announcing this endeavor. It was such a huge success that some wanted us to do it every month! We do plan on continuing our new tradition before holidays so we will probably do it again before Christmas. It was a great way to burn about 1000 calories right before the Thanksgiving feast! We even had Craig doing Body Step - and he liked it!

As Craig mentioned - we attended the quarterly in Lorton and it was really nice to be able to chat face to face with some of the instructors. At the Supers - that was pretty hard to do. I'm not into the glitz and glamour of major productions. I think smaller venues allow you to get to know the 'major' instructors better. They were all very approachable, friendly, helpful, and just plain down to earth.

My favorite thing about the quarterly was taking the RPM class - something I was never able to do at the Supers because they were always filled up. Craig and I both loved it. The music selection was awesome and the hour passed quickly. We are both hoping to get our club to allow us to bring RPM's in.

Till next time....Tami

Are Quarterlies Worth Attending?

2005-11-28T07:08:00.000-05:00

Back before The Changeover (as it's called here in the States), BTS would organize large instructor events called "Supers". These things were great - imagine doing Step or Pump in a large exhibit hall with eight onstage presenters and 400+ excited participants. It was super, in every sense of the word. And we miss them.

When LMI took over distribution of their programs, one of the biggest changes they promised was to get closer to the instructor community by holding instructor events more often. And they wasted no time making good on that promise - within days of announcing the changeover, the first round of quarterlies were scheduled in locations across the country. The lucky instructors who attended those events were treated to an all-star cast of international trainers (sadly, our schedule was such that we couldn't be one of those attendees).

We did sign on for one of the Fall quarterlies, though - up in Lorton, VA this past week. The venue was a Gold's Gym - not a convention center like the Supers. To us, this meant maybe three or four trainers and maybe 35-40 participants. Yeah, we were still looking forward to it - but we felt it wouldn't be the same high-energy experience of our beloved Supers. Or so we thought.

Maybe it was the nine national and international trainers. Or maybe it was the thrill of working out with over 100 revved-up instructors. Whatever it was, the whole experience was far more exhilarating than anything we expected. The morning started off early with an hour of the new BodyAttack (similar to Step, but without the bench), followed by a BodyCombat master class. The next several hours included RPM and Step break-out sessions, two Pump master classes, a Flow master class, and the new BodyJam to round out the evening. Short fifteen-minute breaks punctuated the otherwise non-stop schedule; if you didn't leave there totally exhausted it wasn't for want of activity!

So was it worth the trip? Well, we drove five hours each direction for this quarterly - and to tell you the truth, we can hardly wait to do it again. We came away inspired to take the quality of our instruction to a new level, and with our own personal workouts rejuvenated. And although we've heard that the first round of quarterlies this past summer were a little rough around the edges in terms of logistics and general organization, things must've smoothed out quite a bit since then because this event went off without a hitch.

But was it as good as the Supers? Well, yes and no. Yes, the classes were a Wow! experience. Yes it was exciting. And yes it was well-organized. But it's almost impossible to fully match the show quality of the Supers with the smaller venue size. It's also tough to cram seven programs into a single-day format - even as attendees we were totally exhausted after only the third session, so it has to be tough for the trainers to pull that off week after week. As a result, the educational sessions had to be kept pretty short. And our ability to absorb the information was probably less than usual because we were so fatigued. Maybe a day-and-a-half format would work better - do some instructional work for two or three hours the night before, then do the master classes the next day.

In any case, the quarterly format here in the States is still evolving from what we gather. The trainers we talked with were very interested in getting feedback from the attendees. So while we came away from this experience both impressed and anxious to return, we're also looking forward to seeing how this program improves over the coming months. The bottom line? Yes, they're definitely worth attending - just make sure you bring several changes of workout clothes, lots of snacks, and get plenty of rest the night before. Oh, and don't come alone - it's even more fun when you're with friends!

BodyPump 56 Review

2005-11-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

The BodyPump 56 pre-release publicity has had us excited about the prospect of an even more challenging workout to some very enticing tracks for well over a month now. So, will the final product live up to our increasingly high expectations? Here's what we found when we spun it up this evening:

Warm Up - The grip changes from 55's Back & Hamstrings track have found their way into this energetic and motivating warm-up. While some may find the beat a little less intense than the warm-ups of recent releases, we like the message this Joana Zimmer tune offers.

Squats - If 8-rep single sets leave you hungry for more, perhaps this Rogue Traders track will satisfy your appetite: Your first set of 24 work progressively deeper, then a short pause with a with a pair of super-slow and (the only) 8-rep single set round out the appetizer. The 16-rep single sets in the next three rounds are followed by bottom-halfs with no midway breaks; the last of these gets the job done with a second set of bottom halfs. Yes, you'll get your money's worth on this one.

Chest - The first few beats of this Fine Young Cannibals tune will be instantly recognizable to fans of 80's music. After the pressure-cooker chest tracks of the past several releases, we'll gladly rock our way through this number!

Back & Hamstrings - DJ Sammy is well known to fans of trance music worldwide, and his past appearances on BodyPump releases ("Heaven" and "Boys of Summer") have been class favorites. So there's little doubt his cover of this Annie Lennox classic will play well - in fact, you may just like it better than the original! Four sets of Clean & Presses with a 6-rep set at the end - what more could you ask for in a Back & Hamstrings track? How about reverse-grip deadrows for an intro and a couple of breaks thrown in for good measure? Done.

Triceps - When was the last time you had a good laugh during a triceps track? Yep, it's the comic relief tune for this release - but you won't be laughing for long. With a nod to 46's "Rise Up", every possible permutation of tricep kickbacks dominate this routine, topped off with a debut of the Triple Pulse Tricep Kickback and a single super-slow tricep pushup for old time's sake. Still smiling?

Biceps - If you've been following our past reviews, you know every BodyPump release features a track we fight over like a couple of wet cats in a potato sack. So when C+C Music Factory showed up on the Biceps track it was a sure bet that this'd be the one. Final score: Tami - Gloating. Craig - Sulking.

Lunges - Focus, control, power. Tina Cousins' "Wonderful Life" won't be the toughest lunge track in the CD case, but it's definitely one of the more energetic tunes of late.

Shoulders - You probably wouldn't spend a quiet evening listening to BodyRockers' "I Like The Way", but it sure makes a terrific backdrop to one of the most challenging shoulder routines in the BodyPump arsenal. Charismatic instructors will love the performance opportunities; your shoulders will love the Crossover Pushups and Rotator Lifts. Oh yeah!

Abs - How often does your abs routine have you starting and ending on your elbows? If your core workout includes hovers, you'll know exactly where this one is going...

Cool Down - Robbie Williams fans will be thrilled to find BodyFlow favorite "Angel" lands a spot in the 56 Cool Down. If you thought the final stretches in 55 passed by a bit too quick, you'll be pleased to find a thorough set this go-around.

Bonus: Biceps - A Christmas track? Hey, this thing's gonna rock all year round!

The promo said this release will bring participants "face to face with the real essence of BodyPump" putting muscles "under a bigger load for longer". We were ready for a Herculean workout - but is that what we got? Let's take a look:

Music - Maybe it was the promo material, maybe it was the post-filming reviews, or maybe it was just something we made up. Whatever it was, we were so focused on getting slammed by the workout routine that we hardly gave 56's music a second thought. Until we gave it a listen, that is. Without a doubt, this is one of the most playable releases in recent history - fully half of the tracks are either re-makes or originals of worldwide classics from the 60's, 70's, and the 80's - and every one of 'em rocks! Even the stuff we've never heard before sounded great on the first spin, and that's why we give the BodyPump 56 playlist an A.

Workout Routine - As we've been saying for the last couple of reviews, we believe the workouts of the 50's series are evolving much more quickly than those of the 40's and prior. You've got the grip changes in the warm-up, those nifty Triple Pulse Tricep Kickbacks, and Rotator Lifts in the Shoulder track. It's great to have the Crossover Pushups back for another go-around, and to see the plate becoming standard fare for the Abs track. It's an awesome workout, but will it leave you busted like 55 did? Probably not - despite killer Squats, Triceps, and Shoulder tracks, we expect the balance of the routine to be challenging but not brutal. For some that may come as a welcome relief, actually. So we'll tag the workout routine with a solid B - not because it isn't exceptional (it is, actually) but because we know the best is yet to come!

Instructor Video - After two "purely Mike" releases, it was actually kind of nice to have a couple of new faces in the spotlight for awhile. Well, "new" being a relative term - BodyPump veterans will immediately recognize International Trainer Susan Tolj, and no doubt the Portuguese National Training Team is extremely proud to call Luis Cerca one of their own (was it only us, or did you half expect Luis to growl "I'll Be Back" halfway between Squats and Chest routines? Heck, he sounds more like the Terminator than Arnold!) When your release includes a bonus track, coaching tips, a thorough set of execution instructions, and (our favorite) "Chat With The Chaps", you've got to give it an A. By the way, we're absolutely thrilled LMI came back to its senses on the cover graphics - we'll just forget that little deviation with 55...

Well, there it is. Agree or disagree? Let us know - click the Comments link below and tell us about it!

The Launching of 55

2005-10-28T08:05:00.000-04:00

We finally launched Body Pump 55 this past Tuesday and Wednesday. Let me fill you in a bit on how we do it at our club in October. We usually launch on Halloween but this year had to do it a week early. The best part is we have to dress up! I though last years outfits wera great - I was dressed as a Groom, and my willing husband was the blushing bride! Complete with wedding dress, veil, garter and flowers! It was a little hard for him to do squats...and chest presses...and...well - just about everything was hard since his dress was a bit too tight! The class loved it too but I had to promise to never make him wear a dress again.
This year we were inspired by our trip to Vegas this past summer. The 'older' folks tend to have a certain look about them. So Craig had to wear some very loud, red plaid, high water pants, white shirt - half untucked, gold chains, a hat that was too small and he waltzed in carrying a cocktail glass complete with cherries and some coffee in the bottom to give it that 'real' look! It was fabulous! I was his side kick. Satin leopard capri pants, black lacy top, frizzed hair, slot machine card around my neck with lots of extra necklaces, gold shoes, bucket with coins....and oh yes - the big belly that kept sliding downward with each upright row! It was hard for anyone to keep a straight face! We did take one photo so maybe Craig can post it somewhere so you can get a good laugh!
I thought the music went over pretty well. As I expected - some did not like the squat music. I still don't. And I felt alot didn't like the tricep song only because of all the tricep dips at the end. In each of the two classes Craig and I launched in - about 60 - 75% did not finish the dips! The bicep song has really grown on me, but I think when you hear it for the first time, like me, it just doesn't hit you. Our whole family has been chanting "world - my finger is on the button"!!!! Craig will get into more of the details of our launch.
We will miss teaching our class for the next week since we will be in Biloxi, Mississippi helping familys to get their homes rebuilt after the devastating hurricanes. We understand they need lots of help - any volunteers? I wonder if there is a BP class in Biloxi...

push the button.

Tami

Instructors: Need Some Rut Busters?

2005-10-18T07:31:00.000-04:00

So, it's been awhile since you got certified. You're comfortable with the routines, you've got your timeslots set, the participants know you, and maybe you've even got a set of "regulars". New music? No big deal. You can learn a new release in a weekend. So one day you pull out the playlist, and all of a sudden it hits you - it's all old stuff. Sort of like having a closet full of clothes, but there's nothing to wear. What happened?

You're in a rut, that's what. It can happen with anyone, with anything, and at any time. It just happens. But here's the good news: you can bust that rut right now - and we can help! Here's some of our favorite rut busters:

Run a "Form Clinic" - It takes two to do this right, so you'll need to buddy-up with another instructor. Tami and I like to do these on Fridays - we call them our "Form Friday" class, and it's a real big hit with the participants. While one of us teaches a track, the other walks around giving personalized instruction. We begin the class by telling everyone that our goal is to visit each person at least once during the hour, and that we try to tailor the instruction to their level of experience. For newbies, you simply want to help them get the mechanics of squats, clean & presses, and lunges worked out. For regulars, work on fine-tuning techniques such as keeping wrists straight during chest and triceps.

"Everything Old is New Again" launch - If you have an extensive release collection, pick songs that you haven't done in a really long time - or ever. And don't forget the 11th (bonus) tracks on those past releases. Better yet, if you have an instructor on your team who's willing to share some of their extensive collection, pick a release that you've never taught. Now, learn it just like you'd do a new release, and then do the entire set just like you'd do a launch. We did this one time and called it our "New To Us" launch, because it was all old music that we'd never taught before!

The "All Request" Hour - Pick three song titles for each track, and write them down on a sheet of paper. Hand copies out in class, let people circle their favorites - then do the most-picked titles for each track. Or pick 'em on-the-fly - just before a track, name three songs and ask for a show of hands - then do the one that gets the most votes.

The "Hopper" - Take two CDs, put one in the CD player, and the other becomes the "hopper". Now, just before a track, tell everyone the name of the song that's queued up next in the player. Pick an unsuspecting volunteer, and tell them that they get to choose the next track - either the song you just told them, or what's "in the hopper" (but you won't tell them what that one is). This works best when you pick one of your regulars, and especially when they pick the hopper and it's a really tough song! Try it a time or two for a fun twist whenever you need to liven things up a bit.

The "Jukebox" - This is my favorite, because it really puts you on the edge (Tami hates it though!). If your club has one of those "carousel" type CD changers then you're set, but you can also do it with a single-CD player as well. Pick any three, four, or five releases, the number them. Now, just as class starts, tell the class you're going to do something different today. Quickly go around the room and have ten people pick any number between one and five (or however many releases you've numbered). Write the number sequence down as you go - and that becomes your playlist! For example, if you get this: 3-5-4-4-1-5-2-2-5-1 that means your warm-up comes from CD #3, squats from CD #5, chest from CD #4, and so on. You're still doing the tracks in BodyPump's 1-10 order, but neither you nor the class will know what song was selected for each until it starts playing! A variation on this is to do it only with a couple of tracks rather than the whole batch - either way, it's a sure-fire rut buster!
(PS - Listen to the podcast for our disclaimers on this technique...)

The thing about some of these rut-busters is that they put you on "the edge" a bit. So maybe you won't call every move perfectly. So what? As instructors, we shoot for perfection when it comes to the choreography. But what matters more is the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the class - and that's tough to do when you're in a rut. So the next time you find yourself there give one of these little twists a try. You might just surprise yourself at how well you do under pressure!

The Accelerator Class

2005-10-13T17:56:00.000-04:00

A key point stressed during instructor training is to keep the gaps short between tracks. Generally, you want 60- to 90-seconds - just long enough to stretch, change weights, demo the next motion, and get the next song queued up. Not only does this keep the class moving (and on time!), it also ensures that everyone's heart rate stays up, and muscles stay warm.

Every once in awhile, we like to push that envelope just a bit with our "accelerator class". It's when we cut the breaks down even further, to about 15-20 seconds - just long enough for the stretch. And, as a bonus, we sometimes toss in a second ab track to take up the extra five or so minutes we've gained at the end of class. Since the weight changes are done extremely fast, and there's no time for demo, it's a format that should only done with a room full of regulars - never when there's newcomers. It's an exciting change of pace, and we often get requests for it!

Did "Save a Horse" Get Burnt?

2005-10-10T17:30:00.000-04:00

Every now and again a really good song hits the airwaves. The tune is catchy, people love it, so it gets a lot of airplay. Of course you know the rest of the story.

A song that's been overplayed is what DJ's call burnt. Songs like Devo's "Whip It" and Los Del Rio's "The Macarena" got burnt. Nena's "99 Red Balloons"? Burnt. Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'N' Roll"? Toast. And here in the States, "Achy Breaky Heart" got burnt so badly that any DJ who spins it puts their job on the line.

Don't get me wrong - every one of these songs were fresh when they first came out. That's why they got so much play - people loved them. And so it is with certain BodyPump songs. When Big & Rich's "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy" first hit the tracklist, it was the first time we'd heard anything like it in a Pump class before. So it got a lot of play at first, and we loved it. Until it got burnt. I bet we have haven't rolled that one for months now.

This past week we dusted off the "Stomp" song - another really catchy tune that finally wore out its welcome. Yeah there were some groans at first, but after a few rounds of squats it freshened up a bit. It seemed that "Car Wash" and "Cross The Border" were starting to wear thin as well, so we've put'em away for awhile - lest they too wind up in the burnt hopper.

So what do you think - did "Save A Horse" get burnt? Any other songs? Click the comments link below and have your say!

BodyPump 56 Sneak Peek

2005-09-28T21:27:00.000-04:00

>>> Updated 11/7/05:
>>> We now have BodyPump 56 in our hot little hands!
>>> Click Here to read our full review...
Now that 55 is in instructor's hands, we're beginning to get some preliminary information on the upcoming 56 release - and from all accounts we're in for some serious sweat. According to the pre-release promo, BodyPump 56 will put "muscles under a bigger load for longer through the working tracks and putting a real bite into bottom half squats and tricep kickbacks." It goes on to say that "participants will also come face to face with the real essence of BODYPUMP", confirming recent posts on Reymond's Journal and Kia Kaha about how tough this release really is. By the way, BodyPump 56 includes tunes from Rogue Traders, Fine Young Cannibals, Annie Lennox, and Robbie Williams - plus a bonus biceps track. Look for it sometime in November-December! (source: www.fitpro.com/bts/workshops.cfm)