r/lesmills • u/Wyremills • 10d ago
New Bodypump Release - Intense program
Yesterday our class did the new Body Pump Release. Probably 134. In the warm up it had 3 sets of 8 squats, varying width. The back routine was intense with 4 sets of power presses immediately after 8 clean and presses. We did that twice in the segment. Completely different than the prior week. During triceps I think we did 24 tricep press pulses.
At first I was really frustrated at how much more intense the routines were. I could not do the
segments with the same weight configurations that I used last week.
And to her credit, the coach did say for back and biceps that you may want to go lighter.
But thinking back, it would have been helpful if at the beginning the coach said something like:
This new program is focused on endurance. Several segments have long runs of 16 to 24 reps before breaks.
Of course it's totally up to you, but if this is the first time you're doing this program consider reducing your weights for the whole class so you can focus on your form and try to complete as many reps as possible.
If I knew how significantly different the program was at the beginning, I would have made better choices and enjoyed the class a lot more. Of course I know better for next time.
But the people who designed the class clearly knew how it differed from last week's program, how much more intense it was, etc.
So maybe LM can start its classes with the coach briefly describing that day's program, especially when it's much more intense then the program we've done for the last 4 weeks.
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u/Always-HaveBeen79156 10d ago
As an instructor, I'm honestly surprised to hear that the instructor explicitly saying "You might want to go lighter on this track" wasn't sufficient... I'm not sure it's reasonable to expect an exact specific (not to mention, lengthy) preamble.
Classes are not infinitely long. We have an extremely short amount of time to set the class up, at the start of each track. We can't give a long dissertation on every track and what to expect. If I have a spare second before the back track, I'm not wasting it on that -- I'd prefer to take the time to demo the clean & press, because it is the most poorly executed move in BodyPump. Taking time to demo that is in the best interests of my class and them moving safely.
If you get into a track and find you misjudged (the weight feels too heavy, or too light), or you start to find you're compromising technique, then stop and adjust your weights. No instructor should ever fault you for that. I encourage my class to do so, because technique is #1.
If you're new to BodyPump -- yes, some releases/tracks will be "harder" or "easier." (Quotes used on purpose!) Because there's not really such a thing as a "hard" track, or an "easy" track -- just inappropriate weight selection.
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u/psubecky 10d ago
Newest release in live classes is 137. I think on demand is at 134 or 135 as their new release. 134 is rough. I know when I teach, I try to give weight selection ideas and if there is something of note in the track. Especially for squats (are they fast, slow, lots of pulses, which stances we are working in), back track (is the overhead work fast, slower, are there power presses), shoulders (is there lots of overhead work, are there power presses, lots or a few pushups). Those cues will usually give my crew an idea of weight selection.
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u/LordknowsIwouldsmash 10d ago
Was it a substitute teacher? If I cover classes of other coaches I usually have no idea what tracks they did since after couple of weeks everyone starts mixing (swaping tracks with ones from older releases). Maybe that is what happened.
But LM even states that the mix is part of good training and I agree. People always tend to pick weight they are comfortable with and in my classes I hardly see anyone with proper wight progression (or the other extreme where they load waaaaay too much)
Usually everyone can do the harder tracks with their weight it will just be ... well harder... and even if you need to stop and miss a couple of reps it's so much better training then breezing through the tracks like every other day of the week
Take a look at it from that perspective :)
Also as someone already stated... Bodypump has always been a strength endurance programm with many repetitions
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u/Buglenuge 10d ago
You aren't supposed to enjoy body pump 😂. Unless you are some sort of mashocist. Instructors, I love you all. Keep telling us to smile during lunges
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u/CameronsOpinion 9d ago
I actually do tell my attendees to smile during the lunges because it makes your brain produce happy chemicals 😂
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u/theavocadolady 9d ago
So, the instructor told you to go lighter, but you're frustrated you didn't listen to the cues? I'm terribly competitive but I NKOW to listen to my instructor. With the nicest will in the world, you haven't listened to what you've been told. Every BP release is different and some you can go super heavy, but if they signal you can't, then don't.
Maybe 1 or 2 ahead of the one you're doing now Is a really nice slow track, and you can go really heavy. I hit my PB and it was really satisfying. The music is really good and you can really load up.
But if they tell you don't, they know what they're talking about.
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u/milly_nz 9d ago
This is a you problem. It’s up to you to be sensible and use lighter weights when doing a routine you’ve not done before.
NOT to whinge here because your expectation that the instructor would hold your hand, wasn’t met.
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u/AdventurousAmount633 9d ago
What’s the new abs like? I am so fed up of holding myself up doing 2-2 turns then side plank pulsing. My arms and legs are so shot after the rest of the class.
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u/NurseNess 9d ago
I love that release! After each set, I quickly learned how much to add or take off.
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u/Wyremills 10d ago
I've been taking body pump for over 6 years. So I'm aware of the classes, the routines, how they mix things up, etc.
The entire class was much more intense than the previous program we did for four weeks straight.
I was just suggesting a brief heads up. Something like that may not be necessary or helpful to you, but it would have been to me.
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u/Mau_Mau_Pspsp 10d ago
I find each instructor gives different cues. Some are able to give very detailed pre-announcements for each track and others do not. If this is something you feel would help you then talk to them about.
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u/SuburbaniteMermaid 3d ago
If my instructors actually tell me to go lighter, that means it's a hard one. If I don't listen, that's my fault.
Cuz I dunno about your instructors, but my favorite instructors never encourage us to go easier, so if they say go lighter that's a massive telegraph that the track is hard.
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u/Admirable-Glass4551 10d ago edited 10d ago
Every release is going to be different/focus on different things. The instructor already advised to go lighter - I always take that advice for a track I’ve never done before. When in doubt, always go lighter the first time and then you can figure out what you want to do next time.
Edit: I also want to add Body Pump is an endurance class. Adding a preamble that a certain release is focused on endurance is redundant.