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Hi all, just after a bit of advise here.

I completed my 4th pump class this evening (loving it) but need a bit of advice regarding increasing the weight.

When I started I was advised to keep the weight low - and did just that, my thighs for the next 3 days were agony ! LOL !  For my second class I kept to the same weight settings - and didn't suffer ANY soreness after.

For my third class I upped the weight a little (doubled squats and added a couple of kg's on chest, bicep curls, etc).  The only soreness I suffered from that class was triceps.

Complete my 4th class again tonight and felt I could have used more weight on a few tracks - will see how I feel tomorrow but only expecting my triceps to be sore again.

I guess I need a bit of advise as to carefully increasing weight and a rough idea as to how often people generally increase their weight settings ? Obviously everyone is different and some will take more time than others to adjust to new weight settings, but from my point of view I want to be able to feel I've done a workout - as for the past couple the only feeling of working out has been in my triceps.

Any advice greatfully received !

Thanks.

Sounds like you're on the right track.  Weight selection is very important, especially when you're new to the program.

My best advice is to keep the weights low until you're 100% comfortable with the proper form and lifting technique.  Your instructor should be giving cues in every track to help keep the workout safe and effective, pay attention to what they are saying, and be sure you understand it.  If you have any questions, run up after class and ask!  I always love the opportunity to explain something to a participant in detail when they have asked the question, that way they actually listen to what I have to say!

 

Anyways, once you have the moves down pat (this could take 5 or maybe 10 classes to really get it), start to gradually  increase weight until you reach your "fitness threshold."  What you should be looking for is near exhaustion by the end of the track.  Yes, you're going to feel it, and yes, you may be sore the next day.

In other words:

1.  if you were not able to finish the track with the weight you selected, that's a sure sign your weight is too high at that time

  2.  If you finish the track without even breaking a sweat, and you didn't struggle at all to finish, it is likely your weight is too light

3.  If you find yourself fighting to finish, but you made it to the end, then congrats you found a weight that fits your fitness level, and will challenge you to become better!

 

Play around with the weights and try to find that balance with every muscle group.  Remember what weight you used and how it made you feel.  Keep notes even if that helps, I did!   

Once you find those target weight selections, stick with them for at least a few weeks, maybe a month or two, until you feel like you're ready to try that one extra 1K plate.  At that time, re-evaluate yourself, and go from there!

Congrats on making one of the most beneficial fitness decisions in your life!  Stick with it, and Turn It Up!! 

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Global Fitness & Jezreel Fitness Spokane, WA Happy to be part of the team!

Thanks for your reply - really useful information.

Much appreciated

Daves929:

Your instructor should be giving cues in every track to help keep the workout safe and effective, pay attention to what they are saying, and be sure you understand it.

This is a very important point.

The same track can vary in difficulty/length/rep count from release to release, so your instructor should be giving you some guidance on when to go up and down on weights.

Speaking as a fellow participant, I found a good way to safely increase weights was to wait until cued that a track was easier than normal and then take the opportunity to increment upwards. Once I got used to the additional load on that easier track, I then tried to keep it on for a more difficult version of the same track ... and so on.

This may not necessarily be the best path for you, but I thought it might be a helpful suggestion from someone who has been there.

And remember that Pump is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no hurry to increase your weights, as that will just set you up for injury. Better to take it in your own time as those classes will always be waiting for you.

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Recently published - my review of BodyPump 73 is available on my blog at:
http://rickinoz.com/2010/03/07/bodypump-73-review

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

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

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 RIck was right in saying Pump is a marathon not a sprint.

 I had the same kind of question as SoundLab( a little bit different)

After 2 years of Pump, now I'm stuck at 6,5 kg in each side for biceps. I would like to put more but I'm afraid I'll have injury.

Any idea or trick to increase weight for that specific workout ?

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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 On twitter : Tiger75Paris

All of the instructors taking the pump classes I've been to advise participants on what they should be doing with their weights for each track - and obviously I always follow this advice.

I'm not looking to rush through as quickly as possible just to get the biggest amount of weight on the bar as I can, I'm just looking to try and get the most out of it and with the weights I'm using at the moment I think I may need to increase them a bit as the only ones I'm REALLY feeling it on are shoudlers and triceps (although on biceps last night my forearms also got a killer workout as I put another 2kg on).

I think I'm just looking to find my level where I'm feeling that I'm being worked rather than just sticking to the really low weights because I'm new and using that as an excuse.  I think I might increase my weight on squats, back and chest as I feel these are the areas I'm going a little too light (I'm only talking going up 1kg on each side) and see how I get on from there.  Obviously the most important thing is to make sure my technique / form is correct, so I won't be doing anything to jeapordise that.

Thanks again for input, it's very useful to me.  I've got a gym induction Friday evening as every now and then I'd like to substitute a pump class or maybe add in an extra weights session in the gym - just for a different kind of weights workout (unless people think that'd be a bad idea ?).

Cheers.

My viewpoint : that's good to mix a gym workout with Pump classes.

My schedule is monday : Pump,  Wednesday : Pump, Thursday : gym workout in circuits and Saturday : Pump

I've been doing that for 3 weeks now

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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 On twitter : Tiger75Paris

Looks like good advice all around, so I'll add just one more thing to think about. Do listen to your instructor, he or she should be giving you some sense of difficulty for the individual tracks (easier, average, harder and sometimes longer or shorter), but also remember that once you have established a good working weight for you, you will probably only focus on increasing your weight for one specific muscle group at a time as you continue with the program.

For example, I've found that when I want to up my chest weight, I sometimes have to lower my back track weight just a little for a week or so. It's not cheating, but it let's me focus on building up in one area while not stressing and over-fatiguing a complimentary or supporting muscle group.

As an instructor, I also try to give my participants an overall picture of the arc of the class--sometimes it's front-loaded with lots of hard work in squats and chest, or I save the hard work for lunges and shoulders, sometimes I go easy on the upper body and really push lower body and sometimes the whole class is just a knock-down, drag out to the end.

The more you take classes the more you will remember certain tracks and will be able to customize to get the workout you need on the day you need it, even really regardless of what tracks the instructor picks.

Hope this helps.

Mrs Smith

tiger75:

 RIck was right in saying Pump is a marathon not a sprint.

 I had the same kind of question as SoundLab( a little bit different)

After 2 years of Pump, now I'm stuck at 6,5 kg in each side for biceps. I would like to put more but I'm afraid I'll have injury.

Any idea or trick to increase weight for that specific workout ?

My bicep weights vary between releases from 4.75kg to 6kg on each side. An option is to add a 1kg plate each side and then drop them in the recovery section or vice versa, add them on for the last section of the track. 

Another option may be to head out into the gym and do some specific weight training to increase your strength if time permits.

Thanks RPM, I will try that next time.

And maybe workout more that area.

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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 On twitter : Tiger75Paris

 Thanks a lot RPMFreak for your advice

THis morning,  I follow it and it works and I can add some more weights up to 7 kg for each side.. But at the end I was really exhausted (my biceps I mean)... 

The biceps track is really really challenging at the end... 

 

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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 On twitter : Tiger75Paris