Body Pump

Jackie Mills
Year Released: 1999

Categories: Total Body Workouts


I ordered the BodyPump barbell through the Step CO. and the video came free. Although the barbell is workable, it's hard to change the plates. And when you try to do biceps work with it, the plated rotate which was bothersome. But...the video is excellent!!! It is one of my favorite video's now. It really brings the energy of an aerobic class into a weight training workout. The music is very energetic and upbeat. The squats really give me a good workout. Yes, just doing squats! The upper body work is very effective too. This is a high rep/ low weight(or depending on how strong you are, you can use a heavier weight)workout. You can use any barbell or bodybar. No dumbbells are used for this workout. They use a step for chest work and triceps work. I am advanced and each section brings my muscles to failure. Since the workout has already be wonderfully broken down, I will just give my personal feelings about the workout.

Time flies when I do this video. I love each section! My favorite is the triceps/Biceps section which has great upbeat music that really makes me push myself. I think the music is especially well picked and also it seems like it's much more in stereo than CIA or Cathe video's. For example, if I do the BodyPump video and a 30 minute CIA, I always have to turn the CIA volume up after I did the BodyPump video.

The instructor is fabulous! She looks so much like Kari Anderson and has a great New Zealand accent. She gives good form tips and you can always watch the end of the video where they show more teaching tips on each exercise. All the background exercisers are having a blast and in very good shape. They are all BodyPump instructors. The set is more like the Reebok sets with fans going and bright lights but it's much brighter set. The ab work is mostly slow crunches and they do lower ab work too. No oblique work or floor back work. The cooldown has some good all over body stretches.

I like it when all the instructors just sing along with the music!

I wish the Step CO. would sell the video separate from the barbell. What I do is load the whole BodyPump barbell with all the plates(it's over 40lbs) and use it only for lower body. I don't take the plates off. Then I use the Firm Barbell for upper body. It's worth getting the BodyPump barbell though just to get the free video!! That's the real treasure!

Mandy Lee

09/02/1999