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I haven't trained for BA, but it must help out the instructors enormously in terms of learning the choreo.

I guess it must be hard striking that balance between not-too-much-difference for newbies and not-enough-difference for oldies.

Wow.  I'm not an attack instructor, but have taken the class several times until it killed my knee.  I am a Pump instructor though - a very static program - that at times gets boring to me as well. But what came to mind while skimming the posts is that anything we do for an extended time will get monotonous - just like cooking meals, cleaning the house, flat, whatever, doing laundry, even going to work, changing diapers, telling the kiddos to stop jumping on the couch 30 times a day.  It's when you reach that point of boredom and disinterest that you need to step back for a bit and find another way of doing the same thing.  I like to turn doing laundry into a game - set a timer and see how fast I can fold and put away the clothes with each load beating my previous time.  RPM is THE most boring thing I could ever imagine doing, but with the use of strong imagery and the pure excitement of the instructor - I keep going to back.  Imagine what an RPM instructor has to go through - stand up, sit down, speed up, slow down.  Not a lot of options there.  So I say reach deep into that creative pocket (I know you have one) and see what else you can come up with to bring excitement and challenge for you back to track 7.  Once you've found that new happy place, then your participants will get it too.  Best of luck!

I cannot wait for the day that I can nail a BA class so well that I can start to be bored with the chorey. I'm with Gamedamsel on this. As a participant I like the familiarity.  The moves make sense. I also love Body Combat but there are a couple of tracks that were for instructors and front row divas only. If I'm floundering to "get" the move, I'm not getting the workout I could with simple moves.

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Don't should on me!

Fair reply.  I cant say i agree with you on the BC moves being for instructors only however.  regardless... just wondering how long you have been doing attack?  since what release, or for how manyyears? 

 im at three and have just noticed that many of the tracks are very very simalar in style. i know its nice to know what to expect, but you know what to expect in BC as well, but not all the songs are the exact same chorey blocks.

To me what is strange is that lis only does this with certain tracks.  mainly 3, 6, and 8.. sometimes 2.  4 5 7 9, are normally diff than the last round and have thier own chorey personality. 

Krafty i gave up attack cus i could not afford to maintain my spray tan!

Oh no! I think that's overly pessimistic. The 'clappy' bits in track 6 aren't just that - they're in there to get the arms working as well. And it's not just claps - it's straight arms high up & down, or lateral raises. It's actually part of the workout. Release 55 was innovative in running in snake fashion lines, but people had to come to an abrupt halt. Running in a circle is as good as you can get in a studio.

As to similarity between releases, I'm not so sure. Release 61 IMO was way different from the others, release 60 (the 15 year celebration release) was 'similar' but harder, 62 had those lateral leaps in plyo, there's the walking plank on the current release, etc. But they can't make them too different - you only have to see how the participants are all over the place on a new launch!  LMI are very aware of that.

It would be a shame if you gave it up, most instructors find that by doing old releases or mixing up tracks (especially after about 10 weeks) helps remove the boredom. But I feel you need to think back and see what you've achieved yourself over the time, and for all your participants.  Invite comments at the end, I usually get a handful of people whose nice comments and questions which motivates me in the doldrums!!  

As for Bodyattack itself, I don't think it's 'morphed'  or dying, and I for one would seriously miss it if it died.  I'm not bigging it up for the sake of it, but a lot goes into the releases, and it would take a super-instructor to match them.

Hope this helps 

 

 

 

hey squizza, thanks for the thoughts but im not sure you read all of what i put.  i was never saying the class was not still a workout(your claps comments), but that we do a lot of the exact same formats per song per release.  and i was only really commenting on a few of the tracks.  Mainly 3 6 and 8.  those are the tracks that have the least personality chorey wise.       see my prediction for next releases track 6 chorey and lets just see how close it matches. 

anyway, i have tought the new stuff a bit and do like how the songs are a bit diff in certain little ways.  (not enough) but hey, its something.

we still run to the center in track 6 clapping....sigh..... but the moving double hop is new!  and the song is great!

single knees and double knees in track 8 offer a little variation, although STILL, the run forward clapping and then kick repeat back format rears its ugly head again.  I mean that combo is in EVERY track 8.  the only question is clap 4 times or 8?

all in all i like the new release.  i normally do!  and the music is great!  it normally is!  just looking for variation!

That's a good one....;-)

Krafty, Im pleased u kinda like the current release. There are obvious differences in the current one like the crab plank and bootcamp.  I agree a lot of it is samey from one release to another, but IMO if most of the moves & basic format stay reasonably similar it makes new releases easier to learn and teach - if especially like me you don't have all the time in the world or teach a number of other programs. Plus  if there's one thing I dread it's participants knocking each other all over the place first time on a new release!  The u turn and gallop on Track 2 on the current release is a perfect example.  

 Still, as we don't like things too samey how about suggesting some 'new moves' to the powers that be. I know we can suggest songs. I wouldn't mind seeing burpees, squat thrusts etc in there. I'm sure they could be choreo'd too.

 I personally feel LMI have it about right. With few exceptions I'm aware of, attack classes are very popular & despite the gripes most of us have, I don't think it can be beat. Chin up!!  

    

i think if you are embarrassed by teaching a format .. then dont teach it..

imo  :(

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Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion; you must set yourself on fire! ------------------------------------------ http://www.facebook.com/n3n378

I'm not an instructor, but am a participant and have been since BA 47.  Put it this way, the only time I don't go is if I am out of the country on holiday, or for 3 months when I damaged both knees running (NOT BA - i hasten to add!).

I am not bored and neither are the full classes that I attend, yeah occassionally there is a bad track which does seem repetitive from previous realeases but its only for 3 months and my instructors usually mix the lesser ones out and replace with our suggestions. 

For me and my friends who attend, it is the workout - lets improve and actually do it harder and better, the music - the more inspirational the better, I like to sing along (helps/makes me breath), the instructor - if they are positive and "up for it" and not dissing a track, song or move - then, quite frankly it will go un-noticed that its not that fab.

However, i have also done BA where the instructor (not at my normal gym I hasten to add!) has behaved as if they don't really want to be there, introduced each track as a lower option and been quite open that they don't normally teach this/like the music etc........................needless to say I did not go back!

I love BA and qute frankly if the instructor dosn't want to teach it - then don't.  I'm sure theres a nice legs, bums and tums class out there that needs an instructor. 

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Attack addict!

I trained on 60 Mar 07.  I teach BS and BP, so I'm glad to get a "mental break" with track 6.  Memorizing 33 tracks of choreography every 3 months gets stressful, so I welcome the simplicity and familiarity of certain tracks.  BP is the most repetitive class, yet it is the most popular.  Squats are squats, biceps are biceps, etc.

 I think another reason why we run into the center is so that the members get to see somebody other than the instructor.

 I'm sorry the program causes you some embarassment.  I'd just be happy if I had that many people in my class.

thanks for the comments everyone!  i know we all have diff opinions on our fav programs.

I really do enjoy attack.  it is an incredible workout and the music is almost always inspiring.

 just hoping for more mixups is all.

Well.......................................hate to say it.........................................

 but i pretty much predicted the track 6 chorey!  i must be able to see the future.  call me with your questions

I totally agree with previous posts. Attack could never bore me because I go for the challenge, and that keeps my interest... and for me.... it NEVER gets any easier :). I also think the music mixes it up and keeps me going. Loving your work, body attack. Especially Souilja Boy, and I need a hero!!!