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We have people coming over from another club and doing some freelance stuff.  We're working on putting an end to it.  One of the things a lot of people do is have their knees/legs up in the air while on the bench for chest and triceps.  Nothing was said in my training about this being an option and there is nothing in the training book about it being an option.  Was there something is one of the education portions of the videos addressing this or is this just not an option. 

I am quite sure it's not an option.  Glen always says before starting the chest/ tricep track in the DVD 'Dig you heels in, shoulders away from your ears etc..."

My usual cue is "dig your heels in, give you more power." 

Have you ever seen a body builder sticking their legs up in the air?

 

 

overdrawn85:

We have people coming over from another club and doing some freelance stuff.  We're working on putting an end to it.  One of the things a lot of people do is have their knees/legs up in the air while on the bench for chest and triceps.  Nothing was said in my training about this being an option and there is nothing in the training book about it being an option.  Was there something is one of the education portions of the videos addressing this or is this just not an option. 

Hi here is an answer to your question, it is an option to do what they do in the class. It activates the abdominals and the core muscles. The cue here is to tell the class to maintain a neutral spine and that they should have a sense of stabalisation before doing this option. I do this as an option and also at the 1/4 workshops and have had no one say a thing about me doing it.

Please check your manual for this as an option and the cues and follow up cues are in the manual for this option.

Yes it is acceptable to do this as an option in Bodypump :)

 HTH!

Totally disagree pipera.  Sorry.  The legs should be in "set" and the end of the bench on the floor.  Dig your heels into the floor and feel correct core set, powerhouse engaged.  Feet up on the bench or knees in the air is a way to NOT set your core! 

 Overdrawn85...it might take a little while to break this bad habit, but keep on coaching correct position.  Explain WHY as you coach it...some will decide to believe you but don't be offended if others don't.  All you can do is teach and coach to the ones that are willing to listen and hear.

If you check on page 20 and page 25 of the Bodypump manual there is an option for feet off the ground in my manual for Bodypump! 

Pipera is correct.  It is an option to have your legs in the air for chest and tricep tracks.

I'm not sure that it's still an option TBH - it certainly used to be but I certainly wouldn't encourage it in my class (actually, I actively discourage it)...

Perhaps Glen or Susan could give us a perspective on this?

My take is, if you need to have your feet in the air then your step is too high or you should put a plate under your feet. No real reason to lift the feet - and if people do this in the front row it could stop an instructor seeing their class properly too!

Pipera how old is ur manual??? i dont have that option in mine the only option ive come across is to put plates under ur feet ...

 

I used to feel uncomfortable in triceps with the bench on top setting if we needed it there for seated overhead but now i pull in and keep a neutral spine its ok..

im not keen on the legs up in the air thing just looks wrong..

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The More You Sweat In Practice The Less You Bleed In Battle..

I am not sure where you teach LM but when I am unsure about technique etc I ring up the Les Mills office.  In Australia that is in Canberra.  On occasion I have talked to their physio or a master trainer and they have advised me on my specific question.

i trained in March and it was a major no no! along with tapping your feet to the music

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"There is nothing like a DREAM to create a FUTURE" - Victor Hugo

There is nothing wrong with the legs in the air option. It is perfectly safe and correct, making sure that your spine is in a neutral position.

It still remains a valid option when doing a "Bench Press" in Bodypump. It may be also classified as an advanced option but requires a person to have a strong (core) abdominal to do this as an option. I have done it as an option and it is a harder workout for me personally requiring me to switch on the abs and pull in the bellybutton engage the core and perform the exercise. The functional part of the exercise still remains the same you are still exercising the chest and still using the same ROM as if you were still doing the same exercise with or without your feet on or off the ground. the main emphasis is the same either way!

 IMO!
 

You're not supposed to tap your feet to the music? Why not if your heels are still on the ground? I find if I don't I put pressure through my knees and they get really stiff when I stand up so tapping my toes reminds me to relax my knees.

jenismint123:

You're not supposed to tap your feet to the music? Why not if your heels are still on the ground? I find if I don't I put pressure through my knees and they get really stiff when I stand up so tapping my toes reminds me to relax my knees.

 i could not figure this one out either. It is a very hard habbit to break

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"There is nothing like a DREAM to create a FUTURE" - Victor Hugo

I have the same manual as Pipera, where it clearly gives the option for legs up (but NOT crossed).

However, I DL'd the newest version of the manual from this website (under clubs section) and the option is gone, replaced with a very clear statement that feet must stay on the floor.

Maybe the latest manual should be under the instructor section instead so that we can keep up to date more easily.

mrtimothy:

I have the same manual as Pipera, where it clearly gives the option for legs up (but NOT crossed).

However, I DL'd the newest version of the manual from this website (under clubs section) and the option is gone, replaced with a very clear statement that feet must stay on the floor.

Thanks for pointing this out, Tim, I have the same manual as you two do and it shows the knees-up option as an advanced technique in the chest press section.

Somewhere recently I learned that this has been outlawed from BodyPump from now on, it might have been in the education session on a recent DVD (within the last 2 releases) or Glen may have said so in the 2007 CanFitPro conference.  When I heard it I thought to myself, "Oh- guess I'd better stop presenting this option" as I used to outline the position for the BP chest presses as that's what it said in my manual.

Knowing that the newest manual clearly states that the feet must stay on the floor relieves me a little and I will no longer include this as an option to my classes.  Frankly, seeing what some of them pull off (crossing legs, tucking knees to chest, rocking legs up and down when chest pressing, you name it, even when I'm repeating several times during the track, "Legs and knees MUST remain at 90° for this to work!!") they still do it anyway.  Glad I can remove the option all together!

It is based on a chest press technique in the free-weight area.  Having the knees up to a 90° angle adds core engagement just as Pipera said earlier and removes the temptation to arch the back when pressing heavy weight from the chest area.
 

Why would toe-tapping be a problem?  It's a hard habit to break! 

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Changing the shape of the world one class at a time.