Can you think of a better way to start your new year and new term than by trying a new fitness class?
Look no further than Les Mills Body Pump which just launched it’s 100th release. Body Pump 100.
Each year Les Mills releases four workouts, one every four months designed to tone and sculpt your figure whilst most importantly empowering you and developing your physical and mental strength.
But who exactly is Les Mills and the incredible fitness hipe which surrounds him and his global empire?
Les Mills was originally an olympic athlete who established his first gym in Auckland, New Zealand in 1968. However, in 1980, it was Les Mills’ son, Phillip, who joined the business as he wanted to find new strategies to enhance peoples’ motivation, enjoyment and passion for exercise. This was when group fitness was born. The first Pump class was produced in 1990 when barbells were introduced to Les Mills studio. In 1997, the class became known as BodyPUMP which journeyed to the international stage due to its popularity.
It is easy to develop a slight obsession with all aspects of the Les Mills brand; the exercise classes, the endurance and strength training and most importantly the incredible vibe which emanates from a class of men and women, passionate about their health, working together to achieve and empower each other to enhance their agility, strength, stamina and overall cardiovascular fitness. It makes you more motivated to push yourself, push yourself beyond your physical capabilities as you experience the pain and pleasure together.
Attending a Les Mills class a couple of times a week has numerous physical and psychological benefits. It is putting the ‘enjoyment’, ‘passion’ and ‘power’ back into your training regime.
Body Pump is for all those eager to tone, shape and develop lean, athletic muscle. It is one of the most embraced classes because it increases your muscular strength and power and enhances your positive mindset and well-being, leaving you full of confidence, pride and good health. This 60 minute work-out is comprised of 10 tracks, each dedicated to working a particular muscle group.
The workout begins with a warmup featuring a range of movements; squats, wide-arm rows, lunges, deadlifts, upright rows and bent-over rows designed to energise the body and prepare it for a powerful and sometimes painful workout. However, remember the importance of pain; pain is an indication the muscle is becoming fatigued which signals change is happening; change to our fitness, strength and power, triggering fat loss and the development of muscle mass.
The squat track is the first serious opportunity for you to develop this strength. The track consists of squats performed using a range of reps and pulses in a variety of tempos. This track is devoted to strengthening the lower body muscles, sculpting the legs and toning the buttocks.
The chest track features the chest press, bench press as well as push-ups which is followed by the back track, one of the biggest muscle groups of the body, where you will engage in deadlifts, bent- over rows, wide grip and narrow grip rows and overhead presses which endeavour to enhance your back muscles such as the latissimus doors, teres major and minor, rhomboids and trapezius.
The tricep and bicep muscle tracks feature tricep presses and extensions as well as bicep curls and pulses. These isolated exercises will trigger a burning sensation considering they target the specific bicep and tricep muscles. However, the pain and fatigue will undoubtably lead you to developing upper body strength and tone in those arms.
Once you hit track seven, you are definitely over half way. Track Seven features your second lower body routine focusing on squats, pulses and lunges. Strength in your lower body is crucial considering it is home to some of the biggest muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves.
The shoulder track will have you engaged in a range of lateral raises, up-right rows, strict presses and push presses and press ups. You cannot escape the push-up and neither should you want too. It is the best exercise for intensifying the upper body and maximising the power and fire of those anterior, posterior and rear deltoid muscles which is what gives you clear definition in your shoulders.
The core track will have you strengthening your abdominals through reverse curls, sit ups, ab bikes, planks and mountain climbers. This track requires you give an extra push considering a well earn’t cool-down track follows. This cool-down features a beautiful range of stretches designed to lower your heart rate and enhance your flexibility.
The gyms in Exeter which offer this class include:
Exeter University Gym
Clifton Hill Sports Centre
Riverside Leisure Centre
Fitness First Exeter
So there is no excuse not to give it a go if you are a member of one of these facilities. Even without a membership, Fitness First gyms offers non-members one free class pass and Clifton Hill Sports Centre welcomes all non-members who pay for a session on a class by class basis. Therefore, there are numerous opportunities to give this class a go.
So ladies, once you try this class, you will get hooked. Although the pain continues, it eventually becomes pleasant because you soon realise this pain signals the growth of your physical strength and enormous mental power.
So here’s to a new year, term and new goals to gain a whole lot more strength and power. And this class is the secret to your success in achieving that goal.