body pump results
A reader wonders how long it should take to start seeing effects from body pump.
Good question, given the claims made on the body pump portion of the Les Mills website, to wit:
BODYPUMP®is proven to be "the world’s fastest way to get in shape" by
research which has confirmed higher than expected fat-burning effects
alongside endurance, strength and ‘wellness’ benefits.
Well, hmmmm. A quick look over the website does not reveal the findings or the source of this research. My opinion–worth every cent you’re paying for it–is that all exercise is beneficial, but no specific form deserves to be called "the world’s fastest way to get in shape" for every individual. Weight-training is certainly the fastest way to build muscle, but body pump’s high reps are going to enhance muscular endurance more than stimulate size.
(You say you don’t want size because you’re a woman and just want beautiful curves? Beautiful curves are made of muscle. No such thing as "toning." It’s all muscle building. Besides–unless you’re a genetic freak [a term I use with affection] or on gear, you ain’t gonna build any size you don’t want. Those of us who want more muscle have to work awfully hard for minor gains.)
So I guess it depends what you’re looking for–and what kind of shape you’re in when you start the class. I do body pump for the sake of variety and because staying in constant motion for an hour burns calories. In other words, I see it more as a fat burner than a muscle builder. My other days in the gym are for building size with free weights and machines; body-pump day is a fun and shorter workout than usual, and because it involves high reps, it stimulates my muscles in a different way.
Can’t find my copy of Fred Hatfield’s Power: A Scientific Approach, but Dr. Squat says that although the biggest size gains are stimulated by low reps and medium reps, certain portions of the muscle cell are turned on, so to speak, by very high reps.
I still haven’t answered the question, have I? Short answer is that the body begins to respond immediately to whatever stimulus it gets. If one is new to weight training (and manages to avoid injury and is taught good form), gains are rapid. The leaner one is, the easier it is to observe those gains. I’d say give it three months to start noticing significant visual changes. But I’ll bet you start feeling more energetic within a few weeks.
March 5th, 2005 at 11:56 am
Excellent response!
My gym offers BODYPUMP and that is how I got started with weight training … a full (almost) two years ago. I will admit that it is a great way to introduce yourself to weight training. With a good instructor, you can learn about good form and technique, the most important thing that is often overlooked when you simply start training in the weight room.(Unless you hire a personal trainer to help with that.) Plus, you get a full body workout in an hour. How cool is that? My own personal review of the program would look something like this:
“My name is Lee. After two months of doing BODYPUMP, I lost 13 pounds and 10 inches!”
It’s true! (You can see the results here: http://bluezfire.org/ixi/photos2.php - Compare April to June.) But what I didn’t say is that I also incorporated daily cardio sessions and gradually changed my eating habits in the process. So take that for whatever it is worth.
I’ll share something with you. I know the best kept secret in the fitness world. I *know* the best and most effective workout in the world that will help you get into shape and lose weight. Want to know what it is?
The one we are NOT doing!