We’re going to feature BodyPump all week long (10/24–10/28) with prizes, info and giveaways. We’ll kickoff the week with a MEMBERS ONLY launch party on Monday, October 24th at 6:00pm. Then, on Wednesday, October 26th we’ll host our GUEST launch party — Members get a special goody if they bring a friend.

So join us for BodyPump Launch Week at Studio Z and join the revolution for a stronger, fitter you!

When Les Mills releases their quarterly BodyPump program (#78) it is an opportunity to reset, look ahead and focus your sights on a new goal. Quarter three’s new mantra, “this could be day one” meets each one of us in the here and now as a springboard into the next phase of our fitness plan.

The evening of August 29th was well attended by Studio Z’s most committed BodyPump fanatics led by a gang of top-notch instructors. As the evening unfolded we journeyed together into what has been touted as one of Les Mills’ most well rounded BodyPump releases to date.

The Wall

I walked into my first BodyPump class in mid-May of 2010, nearly 15-years following my last “workout”. (Yes, you read that correctly — fifteen years since I had truly exercised.) Motivated to recapture the fading fitness of my youth, I wandered into class and set up my station. Needless to say, that first class was torture. It was more like purging my body of toxic waste and lazy demons than a weight-lifting routine. Halfway through the class my body began shaking and I became extremely nauseous, ultimately forcing me to leave the room in search of a space to lie down. Yup, that was me – the cadaver in the corner gasping for what felt like my last breath.

A Bit Of History

As I lay there on the ground, my chest heaving, I was taken by the realization of how completely inefficient my body had become over time. Though I found no traces of it in me now, I used to be an athlete.

Beginning in 1988, my accomplishments in Olympic-style cycling included several national and international results, 5-state championships and a national title on the velodrome. At the peak of my atheltic career I could tell you my waking, resting and rising heart-rate, I could leg-press 1200 pounds, and I knew Lance Armstrong on a first name basis (my only claim to fame). During racing season I would easily consume more than 5000 calories a day and my body fat hovered around six percent. During those 8-years I maintained a daily training journal that included my vital statistics, nutrition strategy, training regiment and my reflections on each workout, all of which were reviewed by the top cycling coaches in the United States. But, for now I had a new problem to solve: How to peel myself off the floor and stop my head from spinning.

The Goal

Following Studio Z’s grand opening earlier this year I made a commitment to attend BodyPump a minimum of two times each week for a year – that’s it. To maintain this commitment I focus on three primary objectives:

• My health – to build strength and overall fitness in battle against asthma and long-term illnesses
• My family – to be lively when my children want to play and to enjoy an active lifestyle as I age
• Myself - to look more attractive, feel more capable, and eat the foods I enjoy

A recent conversation with one of the BodyPump instructors has inspired me to add a third class each week whenever I can manage it.

The Results

“BodyPump is a body-changing exercise.” Those were the words spoken by one of Studio Z’s instructors that peaked my interest. Now I can enthusiastically tell you, “It’s true!”

As with all worthwhile endeavors, I have received from BodyPump what I have put in. The methods used in this kind of training transform concentrated bits of time, focus and effort into the results I want. After about 6 classes my core strength improved dramatically. Since that time I have begun increasing my resitance and tracking results. Already, I look and feel like a different person, and I’m constantly anticipating the next class.

The motivation present in this kind of group exercise is amazing. Once the music starts and I pick up that bar, I realize the hardest part was just making it through the door. The memory of my goals, encourgement from the instructors, and the collective effort of the group help me get through each set.

Greg Sicotte

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