Weight lifting and body pump

[nbee84]

You often hear people that lift weights dissing body pump classes, telling them that they ought to try real lifting. I just wondered why?

I enjoy body pump but wouldn't tell someone that lifts weights that they ought to be doing body pump instead.

For me it's several aspects - I enjoy training with 10 -15 other people - I love the music, it keeps me motivated and upbeat - the instructor is fun, informative and keeps an eye on our technique - it has made a big difference to my muscle tone.

I have had a couple of sessions with the trainers at the gym in the weights section - but working out alone, rightly or wrongly I'm not hugely comfortable exercising in a mainly male dominated area, not that I've ever had any comments or looks or anything.And I just don't come away from a session with that 'feel good factor' that I get from the pump classes.

I imagine "real" weight lifting doesn't involve dance music, and does involve heavier weights. So, body pump is "girlie" and "real" weights are Macho.

Does that sound right?

I'm exactly the same as you.

I don't want to work out in the weights area. I feel uncomfortable and conspicuous, I can't summon the motivation, and I hate the thing of waiting around for equipment to be free.

Whilst I concede that lifting higher weights for fewer reps is more effective, it's also true that the best exercise is the one you'll enjoy and stick to.

As for 'real lifting' snobs who say BP does nothing - they're just wrong, and I consider myself living proof. If you do Pump consistently (I like 3x per week) with good technique and the highest weight you can handle, it changes your body amazingly.

Crack on, I say!

They're snobs. I see the 'real' weight lifters who have been talked into trying a bodypump class. Usually they load up the bar, expecting to do their handful of reps and are struggling like hell when they figure out we're doing a few hundred reps instead.

I guess it comes down to your goals. Body pump is more cardio based ( I think) so if you're looking to improve muscle size, strength or body composition it's not as helpful as a purpose built lifting program.

If you enjoy body pump and it fits your goals carry on.

I love body pump, mainly because I need to do some kind of resistance training as I run and don't really know what I'm doing with free weights. I also like the fact that I can turn up twice a week and just copy the instructor and switch off and listen to the music without having to consciously think about / plan my work out if that makes sense?

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/07/20/lifting-lighter-weights-can-be-just-as-effective-as-heavy-ones/

Body pump is more cardio based ( I think) so if you're looking to improve muscle size, strength or body composition it's not as helpful as a purpose built lifting program

Oh, you're definitely going to get faster/more dramatic results with a lifting program. My friend does weights in the gym, and the difference between her and me is striking. She has rippling, defined muscles, including a six-pack and bulging biceps, which I certainly do not! And I'm fine with that. I want to feel strong and look firm, lean and slightly defined; am not into the bulging-muscle look (although more power to those who are!)

That said, Pump definitely builds strength. Otherwise I wouldn't have gone (very gradually) from using 5 kg total for the squat track, to 25 kg total. (And equivalent increases for other muscle groups)

Agree with a lot of these comments - real lifters do tend tend to look down their noses at body pumpers and seem to be of the opinion that the class is next to useless - I think it's this stance that I find difficult to hear. Particularly as I wouldn't be telling them that they should be working out in a different way.
But as long as you use heavy enough weights and try to increase them over time then they definitely make a difference to your body, I'm far stronger and much more toned than I was. I do pump classes 3 times a week as well as some spin or body conditioning or a boot camp - I just like to keep it fun and interesting.

I don't like anyone slagging off anyone else's choice of exercise! It's your choice, do what you enjoy and works for you.

I started at the gym doing bodypump and loved it so started reading more into lifting and eventually got a personal trainer to teach me about weights and have never looked back. They are two entirely different things for people with different goals. I do cringe at the form of some of the people in bodypump (especially the squats) and think they might as well not bother, or could even do themselves damage (which could be said of some people in the freeweights section too) and wonder why the instructor hasn't corrected them.

I got much better results (I.e. Lost weight, especially fat, gained muscle, increased strength and actually my running improved) lifting weights though.

I do understand the feeling out of place thing, but you do get over it once you feel more secure in what you're doing, plus nobody is really looking at you anyway! Actually I don't dare go to bodypump since I moved gyms incase it's really cliquey and in take somebody's spot. So don't let that put you off if you want to try free weights.

I think those people making disparaging comments are those who always think they know better, it's not you, it's them.

I think the problem is that loads of people do turn up to Pump class and muddle their way through with shit form and the same low weights every time, barely cracking a sweat. It's the 'you'll get results simply by showing up' mentality.

That's to do with how they approach the class, though, not Pump's fault.

Hmm, I've done both, and got no results from body pump, the weights are too light and it's basically just cardio. I did it for years (before you call me a snob)! Then I got a PT who showed me how to use free weights, just a couple of times a week, few reps, and I was smaller and tighter than I've ever been - no big bulging muscles just very compact and taut. Maybe I was doing the body pump wrong but in my personal experience the heavy weights fewer reps was the only thing that noticeably changed my body shape.

Too light? Depends on the barbells but ours take 60 kilos - I have not seen many people who can do 100 reps of anything with that weight without feeling at least a little challenged.

Would you get faster results with weights and a personal trainer for every session? Yes, quite likely. However, personal trainers are expensive, and working out by yourself is not for everybody, like OP writes.

I agree though that many people can go to Bodypump for years without seeing any changes. (Many people can walk around in the free weights area with similar (non)-results.) The trouble is of course that they are not challenging themselves enough. They want to finish each track comfortably. If you're in the weights area and working out only in your comfort zone, you won't see much change there either.

I promise that you can get beautiful muscles in Bodypump - but when working out you should aim for exhaustion, thgere should be some struggle involved to finish each track. If you feel comfortable and that you could keep going once the track is finished, you need to increase your weights.

As someone who has done both, I would say I dislike body pump because it focuses on high reps without full range of movement and I would classify it as more of an endurance rather than strength training exercise.

From eavesdropping on the men at the gym I know that it's that people say they weight train when doing body pump that irks them as they classify it as cardio/endurance.

However I don't have a bad opinion of the class, it's just I prefer full range of movement with lower reps of heavy weight as that is what causes the pumped feeling.

From eavesdropping on the men at the gym I know that it's that people say they weight train when doing body pump that irks them as they classify it as cardio/endurance.

It seems like they're arguing semantics, tbh. Step classes are clearly cardio, as is running on a treadmill; Body Pump involves lifting weights throughout, so it is weight training (of a sort) by definition, surely?

It just seems like a typical sneery blokey way to put down something that's considered 'women's exercise'.

I don't know, I try and avoid talking to them honestly. They're nice guys but they do try and give me "helpful" hints about doing things which I find a bit patronising (and I can see them doing things with terribl form!). They do defend me when sometimes new people suggest I shouldn't be there.

If they're arguing semantics then they should separate lifting from body building which is what I suspect they mean when they say weight lifting.

Well, name change fuck up there!

I do both. I class Body Pump as more for cardio for me though, so don't have hugely high weights. I've had the opposite experience from you OP - I find the class is more cliquey, and the free weights section tends to be friendlier. That may be because they think girls should be helped, but in my gym they don't come across as patronising.

I dont look down my nose at people doing body pump and I only suggest Crossfit and Olympic lifting to people because there are people like myself who's body will only respond to a really hard work out with heavy weights. All of my life I did exercise but its only when I started Olympic lifting that I felt deep within my muscles that this was the sport for me - Im almost 60 and can dead lift heavier weights than any other woman in the gym. Im also in the top 3 for the clean and jerk. I was made for weightlifting. The heavier the weight the better and the beauty of Crossfit is that the reps are in there as well.

I had extensive personal training to get me up to the level where I felt confident enough to join a WOD and there are no cliques whatsoever where I go. Its a mixed sex Box and you just partner up with who's nearest to you regardless of who they are, how old they are, or the weights they can lift.

I love it. Ive found my sport.

Oh, and the music. Like nothing Ive ever heard before!!!!! I do like a lot of it though.

I imagine "real" weight lifting doesn't involve dance music, and does involve heavier weights. So, body pump is "girlie" and "real" weights are Macho

Does that sound right?

No, its wrong on all levels.

Agree with a lot of these comments - real lifters do tend tend to look down their noses at body pumpers and seem to be of the opinion that the class is next to useless - I think it's this stance that I find difficult to hear

I think its probably the people you're mixing with, or perhaps you have a chip on your shoulder and your imagining things.

Just carry on doing what you enjoy.

And don't worry what people outside a class are doing

Simple as that.

MrsPeely, I'm fascinated by Crossfit but I'm put off by a few things I keep hearing, namely:

1. It's expensive;
2. It's a 'cultish' atmosphere and people are cliquey; and
3. (The biggest one) there are a lot of injuries and it's rough on your body.

Would love to know your perspective as I'm looking for something new to amp up my fitness.

I didnt realise body pump was still popular!!

^ The classes have been jammed at the last two gyms I've been a member of. It's the most popular class by a fair way!

It's about 20 years since I first dud body pump and I also do weights and other gym based work in a mixed gym.

I have never heard any one ever be sweet about one exercise or another!!
Where are all these critics?
I