"Body pump" classes... a means to an end?

[Amanda Jane]

Hi guys,

First of all - please dont shout at me!

This is a valid question regarding the merits of me attending a few "Bodypump" (Les Mills?) classes. But - before you judge me - please read on to find out why I am considering this....

In the (ladies only) gym last night after seeing a series of appalling things going on (E.g. a woman sitting on the rowing machine NOT using her legs in the slightest but indeed using her WRISTS to curl round and pull the cable towards her... what?!!) I beheld a vision before me....

.... this chick was ripped - amazing, and she was being stared at by almost everyone else in the gym because she was doing press-ups at a very brisk pace whilst a) not on her knees, b) getting right down to the ground and up again without stopping for a wee lie down in between and c) balancing her hands on two medicine balls at the time.

SO - of course I cornered her as soon as I got the chance!
Unluckily for me she was NOT a member of that gym (which she told me in no uncertain terms was a rubbish gym at that) but was just in the country on a work trip for the week. To cut a long story short she wasnt a crossfitter but when I asked her what she did her first reply was "weights, heavy weights" and she described her training (which sounds like she basically is a crossfitter but just doesn't know it! lol!)

Anyhoo... here is the point of this whole post....
On asking her how I should go about getting started on weights (whilst still being stuck at that crappy gym for another couple of months) she told me that I should take a few "body pump" classes as that would get me used to lifting on bars instead of just dumbbells and I'd learn some of the proper ways to do it.

Now - what I'm asking is... does this sound like a good idea or would I be best to just go it alone and go by the vids on the CF site. I really don't want to pick up any bad habits you see?

What do you think?

thankee!

[Sharon Goff]

Yay! Body Pump is something I know about!!
In short, BP is a totally different thing than CF. I'm learning everything all over again--form, technique, even the names of the exercises are different.
I say, if you're planning on doing CF, do CF---BP ain't gonna help you one itty-bitty-bit.

[Amanda Jane]

Hi Sharon!

hmmm... thats what I was thinking - I dont want to learn something only to find out its useless to me in CF and have to unlearn it and start again.

I have the feeling that lifting weights on a bar outside of a BP class in this particular gym will have people thinking I am a nutter - not that I actually give a S*$T


xxxxx

[Herm Blancaflor]

Amanda, do what you learn here from the FAQs and read a bunch. Ask the board if you have any questions. I'm glad you're here instead of bodypump class! Do you rollerderby? If so, I don't see anything more beneficial than crossfit for you.

[Jay Cohen]

Buy Starting Strength if you want to learn how to lift "heavy weight" properly, which then you can do anyplace, or just start lifting anything that looks heavy. Logs, beer kegs, bricks/stones, as per Brook Kubiks book Dinosaur Training.

http://www.brookskubik.com/

Link is w/f/s

[Lurene Grenier]

To reiterate what Jay said, I started lifting with Starting Strength and it made all the difference when we finally did get to a CF affiliate to start our training.

There's no better way to go than getting that book and reading the hell out of it.

[Jimi Miller]

I've actually done some bodypump classes (before finding crossfit). It's an ok workout I guess...gets really boring after awhile, but definitely is NOT helpful in learning how to lift heavy. There is no training in technique at all. They do a ton of reps too.

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

The form in BP classes is horible. SHort range, partials, no explination of muscle activation, don't do it, it sucks.

I will echo Jays and Lurene, get SS. Get it now. Right now

[Stephen Smith]

echo, echo, echo...

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Sorry, slow interent connection and percocet. Mods, delete the extra posts if you will