I was so excited when I saw my packages of this program near
my front steps when I arrived home the other evening! I had carefully perused all of Beachbody’s
weight training programs for a fun strength training program that would help me
through the summer triathlon season and especially help me out of wimpdom at my
first Warrior Dash in May. I had decided
on P90X2 for its emphasis on core and balance, which I knew from my yoga
background were invaluable components for all sports.
But everyone was telling me that I should do P90X first, and
I would have wanted to buy some Bowflex SelectTech adjustable dumbbells for
that program because our tiny home prohibits space-hogging equipment. As you know, adjustable dumbbells are very
expensive (at least for me), so when I read that Les Mills required only a
barbell and some plates, I thought it was a better tradeoff for space and
money. But probably the most appealing
thing about LM Pump to me was the 3-5 days per week schedule, which would fit
in perfectly with the other training I had to do.
My background:
running, swimming, cycling, yoga, and a round of Insanity – mostly cardio
and heavy isometric resistance training from the yoga, but little strength or
resistance training beyond walking lunges and the occasional bicep, tricep, and
shoulder dumbbell work done very sporadically and with lackluster enthusiasm in
the past. If you don’t this by now, Les Mills Pump evolved out of the very popular BODYPUMP® classes taught worldwide in commercial gyms and sports centers. Having never had a gym membership since 1996, I had never heard of them.
So I auto-scheduled the program in Team Beachbody’s Supergym
and excitedly pushed play to the very first workout DVD: Pump Challenge.
The Program
What’s In The Box
The program comes in several boxes. I ordered the Deluxe kit, so that includes the
step bench, extra 5 pound plates, and extra workouts: Step (30 minutes), Sports Attack (30
minutes), and Combat (45 minutes). I am
going to look forward to doing these workouts after having completed Insanity. I received two very large, long boxes with
the barbell pieces and the step bench pieces, and three heavy smaller boxes
with the plates.
- 7 Les Mills Pump workout DVDs
- “Lean, Strong, & Unstoppable Fitness Guide”
o
This is such a cool and comprehensive
booklet. Busting the top 5 myths about weight
lifting
o
Who is Les Mills was and the evolution of Les Mills
Pump
o
Detailed information about the trademark Rep
Effect and why it burns fat and builds lean, strong muscles so effectively
o
A primer on New Zealand and Maori symbols and
culture (because this program was born in Auckland)
o
Guides on how to take Before and After photos
for this program’s T-shirt (something I wish I had known before I began
Insanity)
o
Training guidelines
o
Weight tracking guide
o
90-Day Workout Calendar (which can also be found at the Workout Sheets link in the Get Fit menu at Team Beachbody's website)
o
30-Day Ultimate Cross-Training Hybrid Calendar
§
“Sports-inspired cardio workout that combines
high-energy interval training with athletic aerobic movements.”
§
Uses the DVDs for Step, Flow, Pump & Shred,
Sports Attack, Combat, Pump Revolution, and Pump Extreme.
§
This program is designed to be done in
conjunction with the regular Les Mills Pump workouts or after the final phase.
What I appreciate most about this is the care and precision I noticed everywhere in the books and program DVD about form and how to
train properly. Questions I see all the
time on facebook are answered here, such as what to do if you miss a workout,
what to do on “off” days, and should you keep working out or not if your
muscles are sore, among other topics. It
contains the important RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) chart to inform you at
exactly which numbers on the chart you should be at during warm up, work out,
and cool down. This is immensely helpful
information that I personally believe should be included in the Insanity
program. Followed properly and
consistently, this tool can prevent all injuries and maximize fitness benefits
while keeping it fun. I read too many telltale
signs in facebook groups of people overdoing it or not paying enough attention
to their RPE during Insanity workouts.
- Get Lean Nutrition Guide
- This has got to be one of the simplest, easiest to follow nutrition guides I've ever read. I loathe spending time in the kitchen and do not enjoy cooking. With this plan, I don't really have to cook. The recipes are even easier than the ones included in the Insanity nutrition guide, if that's possible!
- The first phase is my favorite. Called the 7 Day Jump-Start Meal Plan, it contains 3 meals + 2 snacks every day for just one week. Each day is around 1200 calories, with the amounts of the macro-nutrients protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber that are nutrition industry standards proven to decrease cravings, reset metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and promote weight loss. Every time I followed this type of eating plan in the past, I lost weight automatically. People who believe that 1200 calories for one week is too little - think again. It is necessary to return the body (dependent upon processed food and the typical American diet) to its optimal state of homeostasis. It "reminds" the system of its preferred nutrition.
- Following this preliminary week, the daily calorie totals go up to meet the program's physical rigors and individual requirements based on body weight. Simple. No other formulas are needed.
- The wholesome, super-easy recipes are tailor-made for each of LM Pump’s
three phases. It has abundant 100
calorie and 200 calorie snack ideas to take the guesswork out of what to eat
between meals when you’re hungry.
- They introduce what they call “The Water Bar”, which teaches you how to be an “expert
water-mixologist” by combining various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and ice to
flat or sparkling water to maintain an optimum level of hydration in a fun and
unique way.
- Weight plates of 5 and 10 pounds each
- You can order extra plates, but the barbell
is designed to hold a max weight of 100 pounds (ideally less).
- Lightly padded barbell
- Before and After Measurement Tracker
- Placard
with an illustration on where to take your many body measurements pre and post
program.
- generic flexible measuring tape
- An offer for a free 7-day gym membership
The Equipment
Now, I admit that I unpacked everything, set all the
components aside, and looked at the barbell, safety clips, and plates many
times for a couple of days, procrastinating assembling them. I just have an aversion to putting stuff
together because I made it such a big ordeal with my O-C nature. Finally, I got out the instructions (they
include them in every box, so you have a few copies), read them thoroughly, and
found that they consist mostly of many safety precautions that most people should
know out of common sense.
The actual assembly required two basic steps, and even
without instructions, they are intuitive and very user-friendly. I was relieved! You take the two pieces of barbell, screw
them together, then slide a weight on each end followed by a round safety
housing whose clip flips up to open and slide on the barbell, and down to lock. Voilà.
Done.
The Characters
In the first DVD, we are introduced to a team of fun, laid
back, very attractive BODYPUMP® instructors.
The instructors are effective at keeping you motivated with
their easy banter and neat kiwi accents.
I was very impressed with their continuous stream of easy to understand
and detailed directions on form and how to perform every single move. They show you how to isolate muscles and demonstrate
the exact placement for your feet, hands, and other appendages for maximum
safety and effectiveness. Having no
weight training background, I found this extremely appealing and was most
grateful for it so that I could get the most out of the workouts!
The team on the first DVD consists of a famous Les Mills Pump standby – the beautiful,
chiseled Susan from Auckland (she appears on Pump infomercials); handsome, buff Joel from Washington; quiet,
chiseled Ben from Florida; fun and vocal Sheldon from Pennsylvania; and inspiringly
strong and gorgeous Rachael from England.
They already feel like old friends, and I know I won’t get tired of
their talk and personalities (unlike other BB fitness trainers). They are so energetic and clearly knowledgeable - true fitness professionals.
The Workout
So far, I have done only the Pump Challenge, but I
fell in love with it! The first
DVD contains a 10 minute primer on pump basics that taught me how to assemble my
barbell and adjust the weights, along with proper grip and stance techniques.
The workout Pump Challenge is 20 minutes long, and it showed
me how to perform squats, deadlifts, bench presses, clean and press moves,
kickbacks, and bicep curls. I used my
HRM, and my heart rate got to within 82% of my maximum (about 70% of VO2
max). This is lower than where Insanity
takes me, but it is a different kind of challenge. My quads were on fire during the final,
fast-paced lunge sets and had to pause a few times. My RPE felt higher than what my HRM was
showing. I loved the challenge! I loved how it felt to raise the barbell; how
I had to tell my muscles to balance it through the moves and keep it steady and
smooth at the same time.
Where Insanity can leave me gasping and struggling to keep
good form despite my best intentions, this workout mixes speeds of fast and
slow so that I had time to adjust my form to always keep it correct. Each speed has its own challenges.
I think that this program works the smaller stabilizer
muscles of the ankles, legs, knees (so important to bone health, density, and
slowing down the natural aging process of this special joint), and hips. It creates stability in the core because the
core is always working to steady the body and maintain the barbell.
I especially loved how Renata discussed how to keep the
knees tracking over the toes, and she even showed a simple test for determining
whether or not you are doing this properly.
This is so important, for EVERYBODY!
I’ve talked a lot about this to my Insanity facebook friends. I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) a
couple of years ago, and I know how important proper knee alignment is. Without it, I can’t do Insanity, Les Mills
Pump, or anything else really.
Some members of Team Beachbody had mentioned that it was “too
easy” after Shaun T’s Insanity. I agree,
but only on the cardiovascular front.
Pump Challenge definitely gets your heart rate up, but not to the level
of Insanity. It kept me in the aerobic
zone, not the anaerobic of Insanity.
I had skipped a couple of workouts earlier this week due to
an illness, so I decided to do Insanity's Max Interval Circuit after Pump Challenge. It was more difficult than usual, of
course. I got through it fine by taking
60 second breaks between intervals instead of 30 seconds, and by stopping every
time I got to 95% of my max (91% of VO2 max), which would occur at the ends of
sets. This ensured that I was still
getting all the benefits without passing out.
I used Energy and Endurance Formula and drank more water than usual.
The 3 Phases
True to its Maori roots, LM Pump’s phases are called Te
Wero: The Challenge, Panoni: The Change, and Kia Kaha: Be Strong. They each are designed to last 30 days,
though I think that the program is flexible enough for an experienced exerciser
to modify the length of time spent in each phase.
Phase One - Te Wero
- Focuses on excellent form and shorter but
challenging workouts to boost metabolism and stimulate weight loss.
- Begins the Nutrition Guide.
Phase Two - The Change
- Pushes the body to become stronger.
- Focuses on changing the body’s shape by building
and sculpting the muscles that will help lean out the physique.
Phase Three - Kia Kaha
- The final countdown to Day 90.
- Focuses on more difficult reps designed to complete
the lean, chiseled, and sculpted look.
In summation, I think this is a high quality program,
definitely worth its price. After
finishing Shaun T’s Insanity and changing my eating habits to consuming a
greater variety of clean, whole foods, I find that workouts no longer make me
ravenously hungry. This is still true
with Les Mills Pump. I felt energized
and happy after the first workout, like I could go on longer, but also like my
muscles had been challenged.
There are
enough off days to prevent burnout, and also for filling in with Insanity workouts
or other forms of training, which is exactly what I intend to do. HAPPILY!
I’ll write my thoughts on the other program DVDs in future
blog posts (if I’m not running outside enjoying the beautiful spring weather,
that is).
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