Body Pump!!!

Hello!

Late blog post tonight, still recovering from the disappointing So You Think You Can Dance- Ashley over Miranda, really judges?  I'll get over it.  I am also still recovering from my first BODY PUMP class.  My friends Tess, Delaney (shout out to 2/3 of my blog readers!), and I took the class at our local Y last night and all agree that we are really feeling the burn today.

Body Pump is program designed by Les Mills International, the largest exercise-to-music workout routine distributor in the world.  According to the Les Mills website, "BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast! Like all the LES MILLS™ programs, a new BODYPUMP™ class is released every three months with new music and choreography."


According to Olivia, "Body Pump is a workout routine that kicks your butt (and the rest of your body) through weight lifting exercises isolating a muscle group.  Each muscle group is a part of a 'track'.  Basically one song long equals one track and during that track you work a specific muscle group.  The groups include biceps, chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, back, glutes, etc."


I personally loved this class and have been looking forward to taking it for a while now.  Things I liked about it:


-Helpful, enthusiastic instructor
-Focus on technique prior to starting each track
-Total body strengthening 
-Each track goes by quickly since you are lifting to fun music
-Mindless way to get in your strength workouts (I love lifting so this is a big one for me)
-Burn up to 600 calories a class


Other comments: 
If you like lifting on your own and do not like to follow instruction then this class may not be for you.  If you are a guy, I don't think this is a "girly" fitness class.  There definitely were more women but depending on the amount of weight added to your barbells, this could be a great workout for men as well as women.  


I'm definitely going back to class next week!


Have any of you taken a Body Pump class, or any Les Mills classes for that matter?


What do you like better, strength workouts or cardio?  What kinds? (running and lifting for me)


Night!