Body4Me

As some of you may know, starting with release 66, the Les Mills team have introduced a new, shorter variation for Bodypump. It’s a 30 minute ‘Express’ class. In this configuration, you do 6 tracks : Warmup, Squats, Chest, Back, Lunges or Shoulders and then Abs (Core). No cool down and we skip the Triceps and Biceps completely. The workout is focused on moving the major muscle groups and using the maximum calories possible for that class type. You will still need to cool down and stretch after the class yourself.

Now, obviously, Les Mills is just doing what the market is asking. People want shorter classes to fit into their lunch breaks and around their ‘busy schedule’. It first glance, I was really excited about the idea. Hey, it’s a short ‘taster’ class to get new people interested in Group Exercise. It can be used as a warm-up class to something else (RPM, Body Attack, Body Combat, etc). You can squeeze it in anywhere when you want to get a quick workout. That’s all really good and I am totally for it.

But now, I’m a little worried about what this may do to the perception of people and the class. Are we diluting the program ? In our society, everything is about making things quicker, easier and more convenient. Does it make sense to apply that principle to exercise and keeping your body in shape ? At the end of the day, if you want to get fit or lose weight, there are no shortcuts. We all know there is no magic pill that will suddenly make you lose weight (long term). Yes, you can grab a tablet that will stop your intestines from absorbing fats or go to the doctor and get your stomach cut in half, but that’s not really solving the root of the problem. If you don’t change your mindset and how you think about your body, none of these things will last you long term.

If you wan to lose weight, you need to expend more calories than you take in. If you want to build muscle, you need to train them beyond their capacity. By offering shorter and shorter classes, are we giving people false impression that they can achieve their goals with minimal effort and barely raising a sweat ? All too often, I see people in the gym, walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes while chatting to their friends. Yes, I know it’s better than nothing, but really, who are we kidding? You’re not going to achieve any real results with that.

I’m just worried that busy clubs will start offering these classes instead of, rather than alongside, the normal classes and that participants will come to think that half an hour of exercise is all they need to get trim.

So, the way I look at it, it’s a double edged sword. On one side, this new format is an awesome weapon in our fight against globesity for those that use it to supplement their existing workout routine. On the other side, it can be misused to give you a false sense of security that you’re doing everything you need to.

If you’re an instructor and you’re teaching this new format, please make sure that you educate your participants  about the purpose of the class. Explain the benefits of each class format and try to ‘up-sell’ the longer formats.

If you’re a participant or someone who has not done a Group Exercise class before, try it out. BodyPump is an absolutely fantastic way to get in shape. Use it to add to your workout regime. You can try the short format as a warmup to a bigger workout or you can do it on an off-day. Just be aware that the class was originally designed as a 55 minute workout that targts every muscle group to give a full, balanced workout. The 30 minute class will be a compromised version that you may not want to solely rely on. And maybe, let’s ask ourselves, how busy are we really that we have to cut 15-30 minutes out of keeping ourselves in shape. At the end of the day, you only get one body. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Is your email, that spreadsheet, that report, that tv show really that important…. ?