Fitness Nation in Arlington and Bedford, Texas are dedicated to your fitness needs. We believe in the full body workout, and today we will talk about Body Pump. Body Pump has become a very popular and a great way for you to achieve your full body workout.  Our gyms are 24 hours and are equipped with all the gear and help you’d need to complete a Body Pump workout.

So, what is this Body Pump we keep bringing up? Body Pump is a barbell workout for anyone looking to get lean, toned and fit fast. The workout uses light to moderate weights with lots of repetition. When done correctly, you will burn up to 540 calories. Our instructors will coach you through the scientifically proven moves and techniques, pumping out encouragement, motivation and great music. We will help you achieve much more than on your own!

The workouts are available in intervals of 55, 45 or 30-minute. For those who are beginning a workout program and have not used barbells before, do not be intimidated. Our fitness teachers will help you find the perfect equipment for you along with proper techniques to decrease injury. When you first begin the Body Pump workout we recommend lifting light weights and slowly increasing in increments. Repetition is key in burning calories.

In a Body Pump class, these exercises are used:

• Squats
• Chest Press
• Deadrow
• Clean and Press
• Press Pullover Combo
• Lunges
• Reverse Curl

There are some others that can be manipulated or modified. We will talk about five of these exercises that you can practice now:

1. Squats: this is a simple exercise. First, bend your knees, brace your core and pick up the bar, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart. Then place the bar on the meaty, fleshy portion of your upper back, just below your neck. Elbows should be directly underneath the bar. Initiating the movement with your glutes, sit down and back, keeping knees over toes. Return to the starting position, and keep the weight in your heels as you drive back up.
2. Upright Row: Stand with arms straight, holding the bar in front of your thighs. Hands should grip the bar slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Keep the bar close to your body, wrists straight, lift the bar up, elbows coming out to the side. Pause when the bar is chest-height and elbows are just below shoulder-height. Lower the bar back down, keeping it as close to the body as possible.
3. Deadlift: Stand with your arms straight, holding the bar a few inches away from your thighs. Your hands should grip the bar slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Keep your chest lifted, back straight, chin in and abs braced, hinge at your hips. Initiating the movement from your glutes, slide the bar down your thighs, keeping the bar very close to the body. Stop just at the top of the knee line, going no lower than the middle of the kneecap. Return to the starting position.
4. Static Lunge: Bend your knees, brace your core and pick up the bar, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart. Place the bar on the meaty, fleshy portion of your upper back, just below your neck. Hands should be just outside of your shoulders, elbows directly below the bar. With a long stride, step back with your right leg, planting the ball of the foot on the ground, heel lifted. Left knee should remain softly bent. Drop your right knee towards the floor (do not touch it), until your left thigh comes parallel to the floor. Return to the standing position.
5. Rotator Press: Start in set position, then transition to a split stance by stepping your left leg back slightly. Feet should be hip-distance apart, back heel lifted towards the ceiling, weight evenly distributed on both feet. Hold one weight plate in each hand, plates facing one another, elbows bent to a 90-degree angle. Keeping arms bent, spread elbows out to shoulder height. Keep your elbows bent, rotate weight plates up so that the underside of your arm faces forward. Straighten arms, pressing plates straight up and over your head. Return to the standing position.

If you are interested in starting a Body Pump workout or have any questions, contact us at Fitness Nation today.