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Some instructors tell us we will burn up to 800 calories per class.  This sounds like rubbish to me.  I suppose a very large male participant might achieve this, but it still sounds a bit unlikely.  I weigh 50kgs, and doubt that I would burn more than 200 calories per class (and I like to think I work very hard in class).

What do you instructors really think?

at 50kgs on a cross trainer (elliptical trainer) you would burn on average approx 550 calories, at about 14.0 kms an hour, so you'd be burning about the same if not more in an RPM class :)

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"This is my body and I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it, study it, tweak it, listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I'm on... What am I on!?! I'm on my bike, busting my ass 6 hours a day. What are you on???"

If you are interested in figuring out numbers it may be worth investing in a Polar watch/monitor. I usually burn around 600 +cals depending on what tracks are being used. I have participated in RPM religiously for 4 years and now teach it. RPM is known as the "calorie killer" so in order for you to maximise your calorie burning effort you need to be pretty honest with your load and cadence. When you are training in your peak tracks (being 3,5 & 7) you should be pushing load that makes you feel as though if you stopped pushing the pedal that it would stop the second you stop pushing - does this make sense?  In your pace tracks you use a gear that feels "sticky"  and when you stop pushing the pedals they "wind back" slowly to the half beat. Do you feel this difference when you ride?

In general, what you put in is what you get out...so make sure that you get on your bike wanting to push the boundaries. Get inspired and go hard. You are able to achieve a lot more if you believe you can do it and let go of the fear of how much it hurts. Don't let fear hold you back from being and doing the best you can.

catfanaticau:

Some instructors tell us we will burn up to 800 calories per class.  This sounds like rubbish to me.  I suppose a very large male participant might achieve this, but it still sounds a bit unlikely.  I weigh 50kgs, and doubt that I would burn more than 200 calories per class (and I like to think I work very hard in class).

What do you instructors really think?

First up, not an instructor, but I have worked pretty hard in RPM before.

The best I ever achieved was 725 kcals (I'm about 70kg). This recorded by a Polar F11.

Remember that the total count any HRM reports should be taken with a pinch of salt. The only way to accurately measure expenditure would be to measure your VO2 with a metabolic cart. The trend that a HRM will generate over time will be far more useful.

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The forum member "pipera" is not a Les Mills Instructor, though his posts, signature and profile will claim otherwise.

Since he has been economical with the truth on his profile, read the real facts here.

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catfanaticau:

Some instructors tell us we will burn up to 800 calories per class.  This sounds like rubbish to me.  I suppose a very large male participant might achieve this, but it still sounds a bit unlikely.  I weigh 50kgs, and doubt that I would burn more than 200 calories per class (and I like to think I work very hard in class).

What do you instructors really think?

 

One of my instructors told me that you can reach up to 900 calories per class. It depends on the track.

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Another BP, BA, BC, BJ and RPM freak Fitness Show in Paris : 09/19-20/2009 http://animoto.com/play/0lmvNUk7jNu5XyBwnOiAIA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgv4bVJheBE

In one of the RPM releases they did a study of caloric expenditures.  They had a room of men and women, different builds, different ages, different athletic abilities.  All wore HRM's.   Calories burned depends on sex, age,  athletic ability and how hard did you put the resistance.  Low for a female was about 220, the high was about 479.  For Males, I don't remember low, maybe about 400(more muscle mass) but the high was abouit 800 or 850.   I myself, female, older ( ???? DIDN"T SAY HOW OLD) have burned as much 420 in a class.  Sometime less.  The HRM are not totally accurate and are very dependant on how you set them.  

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jen

It's something I've always been interested in, but more from the workout vs recovery time.  As a result though, I've got a couple of Polar watches (F6 & F11), and a Suunto (T6C) and they seem to correlate calorie expenditure quite well.

 

As a comparison when I first got the Suunto, I wore both it and the F11 and the calorie calculation was within 2%, so I wouldn't necessarily say that they are wildly inaccurate.  All depends on how fussy you are when you first set them up, and keep them up to date with weight.

 

On average though, I burn around 650-700 calories in a 45m class.  I'm 41, 6ft 2, 200lbs

Saftlad:

.. when I first got the Suunto, I wore both it and the F11 and the calorie calculation was within 2%, so I wouldn't necessarily say that they are wildly inaccurate.

Just out of interest, were you using the same chest strap for both, or did you wear one for each HRM?

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The forum member "pipera" is not a Les Mills Instructor, though his posts, signature and profile will claim otherwise.

Since he has been economical with the truth on his profile, read the real facts here.

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Saftlad:

It's something I've always been interested in, but more from the workout vs recovery time.  As a result though, I've got a couple of Polar watches (F6 & F11), and a Suunto (T6C) and they seem to correlate calorie expenditure quite well.

As a comparison when I first got the Suunto, I wore both it and the F11 and the calorie calculation was within 2%, so I wouldn't necessarily say that they are wildly inaccurate.  All depends on how fussy you are when you first set them up, and keep them up to date with weight.

As well they should since they all use heart rate as a basis for calculations.  So assuming that you've used the same weight, height, age, whatever data in all, then they should strongly correlate and even be exactly accurate when used by some mythical model person.  Who may be a lot different than you.

You can get just as significant relative information from just your average heart rate during the class.  Did I burn more or fewer calories in this class versus whatever?  The exact number of calories is about as useful as number of minutes you are awake in a day.

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Excuse me... May I motivate you?

Had to wear a separate strap for each

jen123:

In one of the RPM releases they did a study of caloric expenditures.  They had a room of men and women, different builds, different ages, different athletic abilities.  All wore HRM's.   Calories burned depends on sex, age,  athletic ability and how hard did you put the resistance.  Low for a female was about 220, the high was about 479.  For Males, I don't remember low, maybe about 400(more muscle mass) but the high was abouit 800 or 850.   I myself, female, older ( ???? DIDN"T SAY HOW OLD) have burned as much 420 in a class.  Sometime less.  The HRM are not totally accurate and are very dependant on how you set them.  

 

Bought a Polar HR monitor yesterday and set it correctly to my weight,sex, age and height.  I was disappointed that it recorded I had burned 250 cals in a 55 minute class.  I thought I was working pretty hard (to judge by the wet floor by my bike, I was indeed working hard).

I did a Pump class straight after that, and according to the HR monitor, burned 150 cals.

I guess I just have to work harder in RPM - I don't need to lose the weight (am only 50kgs), but a result of 250 cals per RPM indicates I am being lazy!

 

 

200 cals in RPM!! I've used more than that teaching Body Balance!!

Teaching RPM I average between 550-650 cals in a normal lesson (45min workout + cool downs).