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In attack it can have 3-4 guys including me. Flow on the other hand actully has more guys taking the class and more keep taking it every week.

are you a jersey boy?  if so what gym?

As an instructor I recently asked to Launch a "Men's Only BA Class" to take some of the intimidation factor away...I'll let you know how it takes.

 

 

Flatgirl:

are you a jersey boy?  if so what gym?

As an instructor I recently asked to Launch a "Men's Only BA Class" to take some of the intimidation factor away...I'll let you know how it takes.

 

Yep, right on the shore. The gym i go to is Oxygen in Bayville. And diffinatly keep me posted, im very intrested to see how it goes.

At our gym there is around 10% guys at the class.  I don't really think I'm too worried by this.

i guess anyone who feels that they won't be able to execute the moves well, should they participate in any class, will have hesitation doing the class unless they build the confidence that they could. well, this is speaking from experience.

others, and i believe most of them are women, have no qualms in trying out the classes regardless of fact if they can do it or not. in my experience, if they find the class too much, they just leave.

i guess we, in general, don't want to thread in unfamiliar territory. maybe that explains why there is a high attendance of men in combat, rpm and even jam classes in our gyms. the men in my country are very familiar with the moves in these 3 programs. 

in fairness though, we had been getting a very good attendance from men in attack. right now, since it was introduced 5 releases ago, it has gotten the reputation as the most gruelling lesmills program i attend rpm, pump, balance and step classes as well. and i agree.

The problem with most aerobic classes is that they don't push fit guys to their limits unless it is push ups or lifting weights, but never pushing cardio wise. Les mills needs to up the intensity so that we can't cope. A few squat jumps and leg kicks is only tiring for a beginner. One needs burpees, squat jumps, pressup lunges. I mentioned to one of the instructors from Auckland that it is too easy for guys, she used the annoying line of "you can't be doing it right as I feel it". If I was wrong then where are they, other gyms have high male attendance in aerobic cardio classes, some even have classes where sometimes only men have turned up, these can even be dance aerobic classes, step classes, etc. So how about it Les, give us men a real challenge.

you have got to be joking....  are you serious?  BA is only tiring for a beginner?  im not sure where you are coming from or what incredible high fitness level you and all your 'guy' buddies are at, but BA is considered a form of torture to many people becuase of how hard it is.

That annoying line of " you cant be doing it right...." , it is true, your intensity sucks.  That is the only explanation. 

Here is the thing, the beauty of les mills classes is also their curse.  because each person decides how hard each class is going to be.  you can easily coast through a vicious class and not feel a thing, or you can push your limits and be dying after track 3.  Straight leg kicks done right will completly drain you.  That means....back straight, (no hunchin over)  knees locked (straight legs....i mean straight!) and pointed toes.  Sorry man, but at the end of track 8 you WILL be winded if done right.  thats a big IF. 

something tells me that your intensity and form arent quite there.  but hey if it really is that easy... become an instructor, then become a trainor.  then become a national trainer.  Then take over the program. 

This would be easy for you because since the class is so easy  that means you could teach with maximum intensity and never miss a beat, never lose your breath, never be tired, and i have yet to see a person do that.  Even the program directors.      so kudos to you man.  your the ***!

you have to realize that when you get on a site dedicated to les mills classes and you say a class isnt hard.... you are going to get some feedback.

by the way, guys dont come to BA because they dont want to invest the time to gain the coordination it takes to perform well.  so then they come once and do the moves half azz, and think the class is too easy.  sound familier?

jvisch:

So how about it Les, give us men a real challenge.

Hello jvish! 

With any group fitness class it's about taking responsibility for your own workout. You can have a one hour class full of burpees, squat jumps, and pressup lunges. If the participant (male or female), doesn't put the intensity or proper technique into it, they're gonna walk out saying it's too easy.  Same applies to BodyAttack. I see some people walking out of class fresh as a daisy. Then there's me; breathing hard, ~1000 calories spent, and looks like was shot with a fire hose. Who am I? I'm a 11 hr ironman triathlete who has done his share of distance races. I like to think I am "fit." BodyAttack is a challenge to me every day. Why? Because I make it a challenge.

Just my $0.02...
 

-Mark D. 

Ok I am curious how do you make it challenging? I am thinking of bringing along a dynoband and some hand weights. Anyone who has watched me work out in a class can see I am going way beyond what they are doing. I like to do about 3-7 hours cardio a day. I have been to classes at other gyms where I am in agony after 15 minutes and that is a 1 hour class, the class is taught by an iron man and two iron women.

 

Yes BA is only tiring for a beginner, you do it 5 times a week for a few months and push yourself and you will find the challenge has gone. Currently I am fairly fit but I have even tried it when my fitness had plummeted after having to have a complete rest for 2 months after surgery and still found that the participants were taking it easier than me and yet I felt nothing. Maybe the music is played faster outside New Zealand but it is way too slow here.

I kick my legs as you mention (the instructors don't, they tend to lean back). I can easily kick like that for a2 least half an hour, that is just about flexibility. I don't get out of breath easy as one shouldn't if one is fit. I tend to overheat first. The instructors at les mills have shown poor fitness, I have seen fit instructors do lot harder workouts and not getting out of breath.

The reality is that i have observed large male attendance at other gyms where the instensity is harder. I remember one class it was 5 degrees or less in the gym but by the end of the class we were all soaked with sweat with steam coming off us.

I have even been in aerobic dance and step classes where all the participants were guys because the class was challenging.

 

markd:

jvisch:

So how about it Les, give us men a real challenge.

Hello jvish! 

With any group fitness class it's about taking responsibility for your own workout. You can have a one hour class full of burpees, squat jumps, and pressup lunges. If the participant (male or female), doesn't put the intensity or proper technique into it, they're gonna walk out saying it's too easy.  Same applies to BodyAttack. I see some people walking out of class fresh as a daisy. Then there's me; breathing hard, ~1000 calories spent, and looks like was shot with a fire hose. Who am I? I'm a 11 hr ironman triathlete who has done his share of distance races. I like to think I am "fit." BodyAttack is a challenge to me every day. Why? Because I make it a challenge.

Just my $0.02...
 

-Mark D. 

 

Spot on.  From a man

An iron man triathalete may be fit at being a triathalete doesn't mean that they are fit aerobic wise, none of the instructors at les mills has ever needed to correct my technique and all can see I am putting lots more instensity than the rest. But all this is irrelevant, they key thing is that I have observed lots more males at gyms where the music is faster and the moves harder. Kicking ones legs up 10 times does nothing for me, I incease the intensity by inbetween kicks touching the ground with my hand, what do you do?

 

jvisch:

Kicking ones legs up 10 times does nothing for me, I incease the intensity by inbetween kicks touching the ground with my hand, what do you do?

 

 Are you kidding?  I wish we had a little laughing smile.

That is the funniest mental image.  You'd look like a little bobbing crazy person.  How on earth is there time between the kicks to touch the floor?

I think you, jvisch, just don't like LM programs.  Why not just go to classes you enjoy.

Clearly there are a whole lot of people that enjoy the LM classes just the way they are.  (Without touching the floor between kicks )

The music is so slow I easily have time. Les mills style classes have taken over the city I live in despite objections of us oldies who prefer free style. Les mills is designed for young mainstream, sure some older people may enjoy it but they are in the minority and as for males there practically aren't any. So why can't les mills introduce a new program for us fit oldies?

 

jvisch 

 Please please come to Perth. Show us how it is done, we need all the training we can get!!!

At least complete your profile so we can see who you are....

The only octogenarian attacker that can touch the ground between kicks, sorry I mean the only attacker who can touch the ground ....

(I have secretly thought that there is a need for a hard core no holds barred version of attack, no low options, the one where we all want to vomit after!!!)

I love anyone who can put a cat among the pigeons.....so hats off to you....