Your opinion about BodyPump as a depletion WO

[Espi]

This morning I've once again participated in a BodyPump class. It's been 2 years ago that I did my first and only one.

I was wondering whether or not to add in a pump class as part of my workout routine, and whether this should be considered as cardio or as lifting.

My hunch is that it's neither : not enough intensity to make HR go up, but not enough weights to make a dent. Yet, would it be suitable as a more pleasant depletion workout?

I lift weights on Tues/Thurs/Sat morning. The only day I can easily do the pump class is on Sun monrning.

My idea was to either
1 incorporate BP after a refeed so that I go back into fat burning mode the soonest
2 incorporate BP before a refeed and get supercompensation that way

The advantage of 1 is : better control over refeeds
The advantage of 2 is: better performance 2 days after a refeed

Anyone here who's ever done BodyPump for that purpose?

Also, what do you think about how people do all these exercises? I was completely baffled at how the squats and DLs were done. Squats not even half way and DLs with the bar barely reaching the knees and not going further down. I was about the only person who squatted parallel.

Is it because the music doesn't allow for slower reps , or is it because squatting to parallel and deadlifting below the knees is too difficult for most?

[Sportsgirl]

Also, what do you think about how people do all these exercises? I was completely baffled at how the squats and DLs were done. Squats not even half way and DLs with the bar barely reaching the knees and not going further down. I was about the only person who squatted parallel.

Is it because the music doesn't allow for slower reps , or is it because squatting to parallel and deadlifting below the knees is too difficult for most?

I think it's more to do with the music. I used to do this class a couple of times a week years ago and I tried to go below parallel with the squats, but it was just too awkward in time with the music and everyone else. In the end sometimes I'd just dance to the beat of my own drum :lol3:

I think it could be used as a depletion workout. I remember being STUFFED after these classes. You're typically doing around 40 reps+ per bodypart. I don't know what you're doing but I used to have my heart pumping quite fast and sweated like a pig during the class. I used to always choose quite heavy weights though, this is the key.

[Espi]

Wisened up by what I'd read from others, I used ridiculously low weights, since that first time I had to DNF halfway because my shoulders hurt too much after using a too heavy weight for the 'military press'.
And again, shoulders were acting up during the chest routine. I was really happy that I've been practicing front squats and militaries recently, so wasn't injured again.

I'm not someone who sweats easily, so that's a difficult thing to judge. But indeed I was quite pooped by the end, actually almost nauseous when at home. Probably since I'm not used to doing a lot of ab exercises.

While perhaps not really a 'proper' weight routine, I can see how I might start to enjoy this kind of thing and indeed use the pump class as a depletion workout.
My current food plan has me do a large refeed once every fortnight, so it could either precede or follow that refeed. Next time I'll try whether doing a pump class before a refeed works out better. I guess I'll be throwing up towards the end then..

[Sportsgirl]

Wisened up by what I'd read from others, I used ridiculously low weights, since that first time I had to DNF halfway because my shoulders hurt too much after using a too heavy weight for the 'military press'.


Right. Normally I would load up 2-3 barbells. One for my lower body weights and one-two for upper body. If I got tired I would drop the heavier weight and pick up the lighter one and carry on.

[Espi]

Brilliant idea! If only they will allow me to do this. I was really bummed because I can do an 1RM of up to 70 kg for rows, but have to be really careful with militaries and rather go too low than too high. So that would be about 3 times the weight for rows as for militaries.

Actually they were an amalgam of bent over rows, upright rows and cleans+militaries, so it would still have been best to keep at the lowest weights for BORs.

I know this isn't really weight lifting, but it can be a real fun thing to do. There's a challenge here too, to use higher weights for endurance workouts.

[Espi]

Don't tell me nobody here ever did BodyPump and doesn't have an opinion about it?

[Rumbach]

Don't tell me nobody here ever did BodyPump and doesn't have an opinion about it?

I have never done BodyPump.

:lol3:

[ladybug]

Don't tell me nobody here ever did BodyPump and doesn't have an opinion about it?
:confused: I had never even heard of it :oops:

[mich56]

Have done it...almost three years ago. It was alright.

But I don't know the answer for your question, sorry.

[Espi]

It's been discussed for a bit in Bodyrecomp.com but I didnt want to kick an old thread. General consensus was : trying to do a depletion WO for UD2.0 is 'an accident waiting to happen'. Wasn't planning to really deplete deeply, but use a high rep training either prior to or after the refeed.

SInce I dropped cardio mostly, I'm looking for something else/different/interesting to replace it.

[thefuture]

Don't tell me nobody here ever did BodyPump and doesn't have an opinion about it?

I did pump for about a year, and I don't know the answer to your question either. But I really did enjoy the classes. I gave it up because of the 'higher rep = lower weight". My wrists, elbows and knees started to hurt from all of the reps.

I saw women who would do the same weights over and over again and then complain that they weren't seeing a difference. I used to tell them to "load up", but then they would complain and say it was too much weight.

[Espi]

At least the smallest weight they have is only 0.5kg so it should be possible to increase weights with small increments despite the very high reps.

Still torn on where to place them: before or after a refeed. Before a refeed would be best to get supercompensation, but might lead to injuries. After a refeed might be throwing 'pearls for the swines' as we like to say, viz. spend 'precious' glycogen on a not so important workout.

Anyways, as I said, I'll try both approaches and see what works best.

Would EDT be a better way to deplete? Escalating Density Training that is..

links: http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459765
and http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459764