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Body Pump

Hanker after muscle tone but have no intention of hanging out with the grunting meatheads in the weights room? Prefer your exercise to be set to motivational music with clear instructions about what to do? That doesn't sound so unreasonable, in fact it sounds a lot like BodyPump.

BodyPump came out of New Zealand in 1990 and has proved an instant hit in gyms worldwide because it answers an obvious need.

Lots of us are looking for more toned upper bodies, and we've come to realise that cardio work and normal aerobics aren't going to do the job. There have always been weights of course, but the macho atmosphere of the weights room can be a serious turn off and the complexity of the equipment can be offputting. Cue BodyPump (a patent of the frighteningly successful Les Mills company) and its imitators.

By combining barbells and bench (in the form of an aerobics step) the BodyPump routine is designed to give a complete body workout. On the way it gives you an idea of all the most common weights moves - squats, lunges, bench press, shoulder press, curls, etc. It also follows good form in the order of working. First there's a warm-up, then the big muscle groups and combinations are worked with squats, bench press and back work. Then it moves on to focus on smaller muscles like biceps and triceps, the shoulders and finally the abs and a cool-down and stretch. It's pretty much a lesson in good workout procedure. By using light weights (which the user chooses) and high repetitions the aim is very much on toning, not on building muscle. It won't turn you into Arnie. Bodybuilders despise it partly for this very reason. Non-bodybuilders just give thanks.

Look around in a pump class and you'll quickly see that a lot, probably most, of those working away are women - which is the hallmark of BodyPump's success. It's clear what to do, the basic pattern stays the same, the instructor is there to show you and the whole thing is set to thumping music to keep the blood up. Of course it appeals. Nor is it just 'weights lite' for newbies - it's a pretty good all-round workout for anyone interested in toning. Because it uses free weights and thus recruits the balancing muscles, and because it imposes the discipline of working all the main muscle groups, it's a lot more thorough than most of those hesitant sessions you see people putting in on the fixed weight machines.

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