Les Mills BODYPUMP and Athleticism Study

Introduction

Athleticism has become an increasingly popular term in the fitness industry as a growing number of people look to science-backed fitness programs to enhance their athletic performance.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of 52 weeks of low-load / high-repetition resistance training in the form of BODYPUMP on athletic performance in healthy adults.

Method

Twenty-six, healthy adults (4 males and 22 females) took part in the year-long study. Prior to it starting, participants had been doing BODYPUMP at least twice a week for a minimum of one

year. BODYPUMP was their sole method of in-club training. Participants were assessed for strength, power and speed via the following tests:

• Strength - isometric mid-thigh pull
• Speed - 10m sprint time
• Explosive power - countermovement jump
• Total score of athleticism - a combination of the above

These results were then correlated to the loads lifted in a BODYPUMP™ class per kg for each participant.

Conclusion

The study findings show that doing BODYPUMP does have athletic carry over for improving strength, power and speed. In addition, total score of athleticism is strongly correlated to lifting ability within the training program. In summary, regular BODYPUMP offers an alternative training mechanism to assist athletic/sports performance.

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