Increasing weights Part 2

This is a side thought as participants you are entitled to descent workout and in a safe and stable environment. I would challenge all participants to ask their instructors to use the same mix more than a few times. See how the difference is. You will notice an increase in your weights. You will also notice that your technique has improved (as you know what is coming up the next week) and you can also work on ROM.

So there is the challenge ask your instructor to do the above and leave their need for mixing out of the equation and concentrate on you the participant attending a Bodypump class. You will notice remarkable differences in your workout.

If they constantly change the music then you are not getting the full benefits of a workout that you can truly work on your technique and physical execution of movement.

You can finally increase your weights safely.

IMO!

Should Instructors Change Choreography e.g. remove the rests from the tracks?

This got somewhere lost in the endless thread over at the Les Mills International (Forum) I often wonder why they would operate a forum and the endless exchanges go on their and not one word from them about what is right or wrong. They seem not to really care about it. There seems to be a open slather where nothing is challenged by TPTB . All they had to do was come into some of the threads and say what LMI says is right.

The situation is opposite at the Radical Fitness Forum where people come in and say something and they TPTB come in and clarify the situation  and everyone is on the same page.

Here is their guidelines:

T01 = 15 seconds transition (weight change squats)
T02 = 30 seconds transition (weight change chest)
T03 = 45 seconds transition (weight change back)
T04 = 39 seconds transition (weight change triceps)
T05 = 30 seconds transition (weight change biceps)
T06 = 30 seconds transition (weight change lunges)
T07 = 30 seconds transition (weight change shoulder)
T08 = 15 seconds (loose weights 1 plate opt for abs)
T09 = No transition to the cool down move directly to the cool down
T10 = None

LMI transition guidelines.

All they had to do is say the above and end the tirade of endless abuse over there which lends nothing to what they should say and have not.

I don't want to appear negative but they run the programs and the forums have turned into a bad situation currently where allot of hidden agendas and back fighting is going on. That is not the intent of the forum. Well the forum I joined in 2007. It was opposite to what is was back then. I really don't mind banter between people. However, the endless yada yada and "straw man arguments" that are going on their are endless and distract often from the posts as they are originally asked.

All people have to do is read the original thread. Yes the person who asked the question. Then simply answer the question. Leave the endless diatribe that leads no-where off the questions and simply answer the question. If you don't know the answer then why really bother at all?

No we got 5 pages of crap and the infighting and adults acting like 2-year olds and instructors working for Les Mills acting worse than that. They are representing Les Mills International as Instructors. It just goes on and on daily. If you are a Les Mills Instructor act like one. Don't go into the web space owned by your employer Les Mills International and denigrate the programs and make the whole situation look like a bad "soap opera" act like ambassadors for LMI and don't act like a 2-year old and cheapen the image of Les Mills International.

Rant over!

IMO!

Inceasing Weights

Read this thread on the main Les Mills International Forum.

Lots of recommendations were made there.

Ideally, you should only increase your weights by a small percentage. You should talk to your instructor before doing so.

In a side issue, with the constant mixing week-to-week increasing your weights should be done with a bit of self regulation. As you have no idea what the instructor taking the class is going to instruct that class. It would be wise if instructors made participants aware of the track selections in advance so that the participant can then make and informed decision to increase weights. Based on their previous history with the track, and what they were able to achieve when they last exercised to the track.

In reality, instructors should work with the same mix for a few sessions so that class members can make an informed decision to increase their weights. The rationale would be that motor pattern adaption can only really occur when an exercise is done repeatedly over a period of time. Learned motor pattern adaption to exercise. In reality, this cannot occur when a new motor patter is introduced. The end result would be redundancy of the previous motor pattern adaption learned. Adaption to a new motor pattern can only be learned if there is a repartition in the same exercise over a period of time. The end result would be a learned new motor pattern. In saying this of an instructor works with the same release over a period of time then (new motor patterns) can be learned and adapted to. Based on this the participant then can increase their weights based on a new motor pattern learned. They then can increase their weights based on a informed decision made.

The other contributing factor is that this a group exercise class and ideally the participant would talk to the instructor about increasing their weights.

The participant is just that they rely on the instructor to guide them through the exercises. It is your choice to increase your weights. If you need to do so please make sure you do this under guidance.

You need to do this in small percentages and only if you are 100% confident your ability to do so as this is a group exercise class not a personal training session.

Exercise during Pregnancy by Les Mills International

Les Mills International in May 2009 updated its advice on Pregnancy and Exercise.

Les Mills North America published the following guidelines relating to Pregnancy and Exercise.

Click the link below to read more:

Exercise during Pregnancy Handout by Les Mills International

Bodypump and Options as Sanctioned By Les Mills International!

Here is a link to the options that are officially sanctioned by Les Mills International pertaining to Bodypump. The document is not exclusive, and not exhaustable but it is a general guide to what Les Mills International require from both participants and instructors teaching Bodypump.

Click on the link below to access this article:

Bodypump Options

Using Handweights in Bodypump

This is a highly debated topic on many forums around the place. I recently came accross the following resource that defines Les Mills International's rules or clarification using weights in Bodypump.

Simply, Les Mills prefers that you do not use hand weights in their classes. They explain the rationale in the article following this article.

Click on the link below to access this resource:


Using Hand Weights in Bodypump by Les Mills International

Thank you!

Track 4 Bodypump 72

You are all going to love this track. Great track tons of range work in the track. It is confusing to learn from the begining of the track, but once you hear it a few times you can get it. It has been a long time since we have had a track 3 like this in Bodypump.

The last time I can remember a track this intense would be the early 40's series of Bodypump.

TIP: Load the bar up and well let the pain begin :)

Big track and big workout.

Great work from Glen and the team in New Zealand!

Best of the 70's my top 10 so far BP 70 - BP 72

This is my top 10 from Bodypump 70 - 72 so far:

01. Don't Leave the Lights On - Danzel (BP 70)
02. I Do Not Hook Up - Kelly Clarkson (BP 72)
03. Infinity 2008 - Guru Josh Project (BP 70) ties with Always be There - Dane Rumble (BP 72)
04. Perfect Day - Cascada (BP 72) - awesome :)
05. Keeps Getting Better - Christina A (BP 70)
06. Gotta Be Somebody - Nickleback (BP70)
07. Gone - Lasgo (BP 72) ties with It Doesn't Matter - Mamad Voltek (BP 71)
08. Operation Blade - Public Domain (BP 71)
09. Circus - Britney Spears (BP 71)
10. Sober - Pink (BP 71)

That is my perfect top 10 from Bodypump 70 - 72 so far.

Just love the 70's series of Bodypump. Excelllent work Glen on this series of Bodypump :)

Track 10 Bodypump 72

I love this release don't get me wrong I love the original release of this track. Well I will leave it up to you when you listen to this release. I might do a poll here on that (attach a poll to the side of the blogger.)

You need to listen to it a few times.

The rest is in your ball court.

Over and out :)

Special Guest Coming to a 1/4 Near You!

A special guest is coming to the next 1/4 they are..... if you were there then you know who :)

Review of Bodypump 72 early next week!

For  the first time in a long time I am going to do a technical review of Bodypump 72 from track 1 to track 10.

I am also going to artist review, which I used to do in Michaels Bodypump site.

So now I have to go through the release and write it up.

Pump Hard Train Hard or Go Home :)

Focus of Bodypump 72 my Viewpoint!

I feel that this release is a body correction release. Working within set range movements, more so in tracks 3,4 and 7. I feel that this release is stripping back and rebuilding from the foundation up. Getting out of a comfort zone and working more on personal challenges and technique. In track 6 this I find this evident that you are actually thnking of ROM and technique. I also find with Bodypump 72 you are taken out of your comfort zone and exploring what your personal best can be. Which is what I think it is all about.

Glen in this release has less rest and more working through the exercise with different range options.

The major thing with Bodypump 72 the exercise dictates this release. Which I think is different from Bodypump 71.

Be prepared Bodypump 72 is going to challenge you in so many ways.

Awesome to say the least!

Bodypump 72 Last for November 2009

Bodypump 72 is a tough release. From track 1 by the Freemasons to the very last track. I am going to do a full review early next week on this release. The only thing troubling is track 10 Careless Whisper I wishe they would have used the original. Apart from this the release is perfect :) The highlight to me is track 3 the chest track and 4 by Cascada.

This release rocks :)

Also while I am here.

During the past few weeks at the forums I also have been made to feel unwelcome.

I have a right to post there. I don't need the permission of any member of that forum to post there. I will go there and post whenever and whereever I like.

I am over the age of 18 and live in a free and democratic country and as apart of my rights I can post anywhere I like.

I don't need permission of members of that forum to do so.

I simply express my view-point there and that is it.

I will never be pushed around by anyone and I repeat anyone.

While I am here!

Les Mills International own the forums it is their business and their forum. They pay the hosting and bandwith of their site. When you post there remember that they own the forum and you are a guest posting there.

Whether, you are a participant, instructor, or a franchise owner of a Les Mills Club you are still a guest there and post at Les Mills Internationals pleasure.

It is their business portal and and a marketing tool.

Not the other way around.

IMO!

How can something well intentioned?

How can a question a person asks in a forum gets distracted from its original intent?

I witnessed this today over at the forum. It happens there all the time someone asks a question and then all hell breaks loose. What gets me is that people need questions answered that are why they come to the forum to ask questions.

They don't need to read the horrendous hurtful things in a forum and people dis-respecting people.

They simply ask a question. That is not hard to do. Simply answer the question. Allow others to answer as well. But never dis-respect anyone and treat people with contempt.

If you don't know anything and are able not answer the question 'Don't enter the thread' and dis-respect people by directing the thread to another direction.

If this their intent then that’s flaming and trolling and generally not acceptable.

Please don't say anything flip and un-warranted and offend the general public.

There are kids and children coming into the site it is a G rated site so keep all the adult talk and dis-respect out of their forum.

Yes kids do go to the forums and read not only adults.

So remember that you are in someones domain that Les Mills International owns. They use the forum as a meeting place for anyone to come and post.

The forum belongs to everyone not a select few now who think they run the place.

Here is the news it is for everyone to post at :)

IMO!

Post Moderation Approval Comment

I posted this on the main Les Mills Forum.

Options are cool, and by saying one option fits all is counter-productive to say the least and mis-leading. They can do either of 3 options 1) Feet off the Floor (still acceptable) 2) Feet planted firmly on the ground or 3) Feet placed on the bottom of the bench.

It is not one fit you need to offer options :)

Well it was approved by the moderation team there and posted there.

So there you go.

They approved the comment.

I have tried!

I have tried to go back to posting on the Les Mills International Forums. Well I gave it ago.

I refuse to post in a forum where I am on the defensive I tried to post there about a thread "Women and the Haka" and was essentially denied once again to say what I wanted to say and leave it at that. I got the usual lets have a go at him posts after mine and then I had to defend myself once again. It is so uncool to be in a forum where this kind of hostility occurs.I simply wanted to post about me experiences  historically wise about the track as I was there back then.

I am sick and tired of all the drama!

Denied the Right to Post

Up until Monday this week I was posting on the main Les Mills Forums. I was a member of that forum since February 2007. I enjoyed posting there and really liked answering peoples questions and getting involved in the general chats on the site.

Now it is impossible for me to post there because I feel un-welcome there. I feel as If I was to post there then it may end up not so cool. The thing is I just wanted to post there and talk to others who have my passion for Bodypump and also Bodybalance. Thats it and thats whaI I wanted to do.

To go to a forum that has been apart of my life since 2007 and it has been a daily visit there to not being able to go there and post is not cool. Because I have no idea who is going to enter the thread and what they are going to say to me there. I have no control of what people write in each thread there and choose not be a part of a thread where I have no idea where and who is going to take it in another direction.

Then there is my fear of what they are going to say to me and what they write about me there. It isn't nice to enter a forum and to feel such fear and being scared to post there.

There is also an element there that delights in going into each thread I post in and well making my life difficult there to post.

I really don't understand it is so un cool.

So to avoid that I cannot post there :(

From now I will never be able to post there.

Rather sad to say the least.

Bodypump 72 Track 4

You are going to love track 4 in Bodypump 72.

Man you are going to love it :)

Shhhhhh :)

Sizzler for Bodypump 72

BODYPUMP® 72 is all about making your class stronger, faster. How? By focusing on Bottom Halves and Partial Range movements, the rest phase is eliminated and the muscles are kept under tension for longer. Look forward to a challenging workout and an overall strength blast where active recovery is your only break! Brace your abs and prepare for more Bottom Halves than you bargained for in the Squats Track. Kelly Clarkson will motivate you to keep going with her huge hit I Do Not Hook Up. New Zealand’s own Dane Rumble sings Track 3 – Always Be There. Bottom Halves and Slow Bottom Halves will put your chest muscles under tension for a little bit longer than usual. Ouch! The good news is this will give you results faster. The Triceps Track is sweet like Sugar! Again, Bottom Halves are the name of the game.

Challenge yourself and go a bit heavier than normal in the rocky and upbeat Biceps Track. The Bicep Row returns, attacking your guns from a different direction. It’s back to the legs in the intense Track 7. The Lunges stick with the theme of the release – you guessed it – lots of Bottom Halves that will push up your heart and burn calories. The Shoulders Track is a tribute to the legend that is Michael Jackson – make sure you watch the DVD for this one! The range of motion in the Singles has been shortened to ¾ Range. Grit your teeth and hang on! Ciara and Justin Timberlake will take you through the Abdominals Track with Love Sex Magic. The mix of deep, lower abdominals work and the Walking Hover will chisel your six-pack and at the same time strengthen your core.

© 2009 Les Mills International (Educational Usage Only.)

New Artist Releases Coming Soon!

It has been a long time since I have written about new music and artists. I have a huge back section of new music and artists to review here.

Some of the artists you would have never heard before so they are going to be a real suprise to you all reading here.