I never thought I'd say this, but Body Pump is one of my favorite things to do. Until my first foot injury forced me into Pump class this summer, I only took it sporadically, preferring cardio workouts. I was with strength training the way most people are with flossing their teeth: I knew I should do it, but I never quite made the commitment (just for the record, I love flossing my teeth...no, really, I do!).
Since really committing to being a regular Pumper (which means I am there 2-3 times per week), I have noticed so many changes. Even under all my flab, my arms are more defined. I have lower back problems and needed to sleep on my side, but now my back is strong enough that I can sleep on my back without pain for the first time in probably fifteen years. I have always had strong legs, but I have noticed that when I take RPM, I'm now able to stay on pace during the speed tracks; before, I could never quite keep up.
I don't mind working out on the weight machines or with the free weights (this was not always the case; back in college, my 220-pound self would have been mortified to try that!), but I'm not always sure that what I'm doing is safe and effective. I'd actually have to take the time to research and plan a workout, and I'm so busy planning mealslessonsappointmentshouseholdprojectsscrapbookingphysicaltherapybirthdaypartiesplaydates billpayingtripstoseefamily that it's nice not to have to think about one more thing.
Body Pump class is the perfect mix of a group fitness class and a solo workout - everyone is there together, doing the same moves, but it also requires you to turn your focus inward and push yourself to eke out one more rep when your body is screaming for you to quit. I feel like I've grown stronger mentally as well as physically (I've had to go all zen and go to my "happy place" during the squat track a few times, especially when trying to increase weight!).
I love the Pump instructors, too. Unlike in cardio classes, where they must cue so much choreography, they really get to just "be" with you more. With my schedule right now, the instructors I take class from most often are Lauren and Christen, with occasional classes taught by Jill and Marta. Have you been to one of Jill's Pump classes? The hour flies by because she keeps you entertained! Lauren's technique and timing are perfect, Christen coaches you to get the most out of every single rep, and Marta pushes you to push yourself. Each one of them has a unique coaching style, and you can learn something new every time you take the class if you're paying attention.
Of course, Pump has its downsides. One time, I'm pretty sure I was standing near somebody who passed gas with every squat. And the lunge track... every freakin' time I take the class, I dread the lunge track (seriously, does that one ever get easier?). I don't even like to discuss tricep dips. Pump brings out some things in me that I didn't know existed... like the involuntary grunting once in a while, or the wrist sweat that accompanies the squat track. I'm pretty sure the frown line in the middle of my forehead has deepened since I got serious about Pump, a direct result of my "exercise face" that comes out when I'm concentrating hard on the moves. Oh, and remember to check out your hair in the mirror after the chest and tricep tracks (only if you've been lying on your back on the bench) - I've forgotten to do that a few times, and I spent most of the class looking like Medusa. Also, I got a nasty bruise in a not-so-fun place one time when I set the bar in my lap too hard during the break in the middle of the chest track.
Despite all that, though, at the risk of sounding melodramatic, Pump has changed my life. It's not the changes in appearance that matter most, though - it's the functional strength that counts. One time, I was driving all three kids back from Detroit by myself. We were thirty miles from home, and I had to pee so bad that I feared the next pothole I hit would cause an emergency. Reed and Oscar had fallen asleep in their carseats. Oscar was three months old at them time and would have needed to eat if woken up, and this was during an especially temperamental part of Reed's life when he had a total meltdown every time he woke up (which usually resulted in me having a meltdown as well). So, somehow, I managed to carry Ozzie in the baby carrier on one arm (about 20 pounds total) and Reed in the other arm (about 45 pounds) up to the rest stop bathroom, use the restroom, wash my hands, and carry them both back without either of them waking up (luckily, Braeden was awake and perfectly happy to walk!). I remember thinking in the moment, "This is why I go to Pump."
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