I am absolutely in love with the Les Mills PUMP workout. It’s truly amazing. When Beachbody announced it last year, I wasn’t very interested. I’ve never been a big group fitness person, which is why Beachbody’s in-home fitness solutions have really worked for me. But, my friends kept telling me how great it was and how I needed to try it. After we finished the Ultimate Reset earlier this year, I decided to pick up one of the DVD’s and see what all the fuss was about. It was Pump & Shred (45 mins) and it kicked my a$$.
Les Mills PUMP is very different than anything I’ve done before. The strength training I’ve typically done has been similar to what you’d find in the P90X workout. You do 8 to 10 reps on a particular muscle group, take a short break and then do 8 to 10 reps on an entirely different muscle group. That’s basically a high-weight/low-rep format. Les Mills PUMP is entirely different. It is a low-weight/high-rep workout. PUMP works each individual muscle group to exhaustion, and then moves on to another group. So, you might do squats for 5 minutes and then (with your legs shaking), move on to a 5 minute chest track. This uses the concept of “time under tension” to completely exhaust the muscle group. Most of the time you are using a straight bar that you can see in the video below. That time under tension format builds muscle fibers and extends muscular endurance. While you are doing all that, you are sweating…a lot and burning more calories than you typically would with a high-weight/low-rep workout. That really appeals to me because it kills two birds with one stone.
The format is fun as well. Every track features a different trainer, and each one has a different energy and style. That keeps things flowing and interesting.
I also REALLY like the schedule. The basically schedule, particularly in Phase I, builds in workouts like walking so anyone can do it. P90X is way too extreme for many people, but this isn’t. It’s very manageable. It’s also perfect for people like me that workout for functional fitness. That basically means that I want to be able to do the things I want to do, when I want to do them. I love surfing on my stand up board, riding my road bike, running, and generally getting outside whenever I can. It’s great to see a “walk” day and know that I’m going to ride my bike 30 miles instead. That’s really tough to do with something like P90X or Insanity that has 6 tough days every week. On September 30, 2012 I’m riding the bike leg of the 1/2 Ironman SuperFrog Triathlon benefiting the Navy Seals Foundation, so being able to build in other workouts is essential for me.
After I finished the first round of Les Mills PUMP, I started looking at the other DVD’s which came with my Deluxe Pack. I found Combat, Step and Sports Attack. I thought I’d give Combat a whirl and really loved it. I mean I really loved it. Les Mills COMBAT is awesome (check out the trailer for the full version coming this fall). Then Sports Attack… That was enough for me. I started looking for a schedule for these and found the Les Mills PUMP 30 Day Ultimate Cross-Training Hybrid Calendar (page 77). I’ve also posted a picture of the schedule below. You can auto-schedule these workouts on Team Beachbody’s SuperGym, which is what I did.
I’m also eating vegetarian during this time period, which is something I do from time to time. I’m not sure why everyone always asks whether I’m eating vegetarian or vegan during this period, but the answer is vegetarian if you were wondering. I don’t have a big reason for doing this. I just feel like my body needs a break from eating meat. Post-Ultimate Reset I did 3 or 4 days per week of vegetarian eating and I felt really good. As the summer progressed, I got further and further away from that. So, I’m trying something different.
Alright, 30 days and a little 56 mile time trial against some guy named Lance Armstrong are in the works. If you are interested in giving Les Mills PUMP a try and want some support, checkout our Free Fitness Coaching Program HERE. Monica and I are both P90X Certified Trainers, and we’ve completed most of the other Beachbody workouts, including Insanity, so we can help. We coordinate support and accountability groups on Facebook that help people stay engaged and GET RESULTS. Be sure to let us know how we can help you.
Les Mills PUMP 30 Day Ultimate Cross-Training Hybrid Calendar
Les Mills PUMP Cross Training Hybrid Calendar
