This type of exercise is becoming more and more popular, especially among women, but also men are becoming more and more convinced to body pump. What are these exercises and what do they consist of?
Body pump is a group fitness exercise, which is performed with weights and with music. It is a strength and endurance workout that helps burn fat, strengthen muscles, and improve fitness. It is often performed on a step or mat together with weights. The whole set of exercises is performed to the rhythm of music in the form of choreography.
The author of this workout is an athlete from New Zealand, Phillip Mills. He composed it in the 90’s. Body pumps quite quickly spread around the world.
The essence of this training is to perform a large number of repetitions of selected exercises with appropriately matched load. Exercises that make up the body pump are mainly:
During the training, 70 to 100 repetitions are performed per body part. Music plays an important role here – for the duration of one song you usually exercise one muscle part. Before moving to the next part of the body, the previously exercised muscles are stretched.
An important element of body pump training is the load. It is thanks to it, among other things, that this training is so effective. The basic prop here is a barbell, with which you perform a significant number of exercises that make up the entire workout. Depending on the exercises performed, the load may change – the instructor selects it. What is important is that the load is selected individually for the person exercising, taking into account their condition, strength and abilities. That’s why you don’t have to be afraid that you won’t be able to do it during the body pump – beginners start with a lighter load.
Body pump classes are conducted in groups in fitness centers. They usually last about an hour. Each person exercises with a barbell – its weight may vary depending on the condition and form of the person. Usually these are barbells weighing 1.25 kg, 2.5 kg or 5 kg. Beginners usually exercise with only the barbell, only with time increasing the load.
Barbells used for body pumps are different from those used in gyms. The bar is covered with an anti-slip material and the plates are equipped with ergonomic grips – this is due to the fact that in body pump training sometimes only the plates are used for certain exercises.
During the workout, the instructor presents each successive exercise, which is performed throughout the duration of one song. Short breaks are taken between exercise sequences. The same choreography is repeated for 3 months and then the instructor presents a new set of exercises.
First of all, the body pump burns a lot of calories. That’s why it’s a perfect workout for those who want to get rid of unnecessary centimeters and sculpt the figure. An hour of exercise burns up to 500 kcal. So if you train regularly – 2 to 3 times a week – you can see the first results very quickly.
main photo: unsplash.com/Scott Webb
