William’s ActiveLife: BodyPump with Anita
William’s ActiveLife
BodyPump with Anita
The BodyPump classes come in durations of 30, 45 and 60 minutes. As I’m a glutton for punishment I turned up for the one hour, Saturday class.
The Pickaquoy Centre’s web site describes BodyPump as:
“This strength endurance workout incorporates barbells and adjustable weights with highly motivational music to maximise the experience and delivers a fantastic all over body workout.”
Unlike most of the classes I attend at the Pickaquoy Centre, this was one where I actually do have considerable experience in the core activity – lifting weights.
I’ve been doing some form of weight training since 1994 when I started ultra running. I also went through a six-year period where I trained intensively, under tuition, with very heavy lifting.
I arrived as usual about 10 minutes before the class began and introduced myself to Anita who explained that I would need a bar and a variety of plastic weights to slip on quickly as we progressed through the routine.
BodyPump is based on high repetition movements using relatively light weights. As you choose the weights at every stage of the class, it makes the session very highly individualized and you can work at your own level.
Also, because the loads are relatively light, small flaws in technique are less critical although I noticed that Anita did intervene with some participants.
Basically the routine starts at the upper body and works down through the body and legs so it is very much a high rep, whole body workout session using a variety of positions.
Most of the weight training is done using the barbell but some smaller moves are done simply holding the weights disk in your hand, which I found was fine, but did notice that some participants went and got some small dumbbells instead, as they found them more comfortable.
Because I wasn’t familiar with the exact movements that we would be doing I guessed at the amount of weight to put on the bar – sometimes I had a little too much and other times it was too light. With additional classes I would soon learn what was right for me and then progress from there.
The plastic weights are easy to quickly change with snap-on fixings.
I have to admit it was the toughest class I have yet done and Anita told me afterwards that I would have done 600-800 reps, in total, during the 60 minutes of the class – no wonder I was tired!
This is one class I can see myself doing again and using as part of my own training programme – I felt it was that useful.
As one participant told me, “if you don’t have the discipline to do your own gym routine, then do a BodyPump class – job done!”
Other blogs in the “William’s ActiveLife” series:
ActiveLife – Get more people, more active, more often
ActiveLife is Orkney’s exciting leisure scheme offering unlimited access to 12 different sports and leisure venues across the county. The scheme by the Pickaquoy Centre Trust gives members access to Picky and 11 Council-owned fitness facilities. This includes access to health and fitness classes, swimming and health suite, kids activities, climbing wall, usage of the track and much more.
There is also ActiveIslands, a membership that gives islanders access to gym facilities and fitness classes on their specific island at a low monthly rate. You can find out all about ActiveLife and its benefits by visiting www.pickaquoy.co.uk/activelife.