Introducing Get Pumped with Ryan

Every time people come up to me and ask what I do for a living, I often get asked the same follow-up question: “What is BodyPump?”
I guess I should start by introducing what this blog is about. I’ve been a group fitness instructor for a year and a half now, and I’ll be telling you folks why group fitness can be fun, the benefits of it, and my own personal experiences on the BodyPump stage.
First of all, BodyPump is one of 10 exercise programs that Les Mills International offers people from Maine to New Zealand. It is a barbell class that shapes, tones and strengthens your entire body, according to the Les Mills Web site.
BodyPump is a fairly easy class to learn. The only equipment needed is a benchtop, risers, a barbell, a set of weights, and most importantly, YOU! Unlike in the weight room, BodyPump focuses on toning all the basic muscle groups by focusing on a higher amount of repetitions using a lower amount of weight. In other words, when you get to the chest press track, don’t try to chuck 250 pounds on your bar! šŸ˜›
A typical BodyPump class goes like this: Warmup, Squats (legs), Chest Press, Back, Triceps, Biceps, Lunges, Shoulders, Abdominals/Core and cooldown. The class also features chart-topping music, which in my opinion, makes the class a lot more fun!
The benefits of Pump include burning an average of 530 calories per class, developing strength and endurance in all the major muscle groups, and more importantly, having fun in a group-exercise setting.
This blog will also feature my own personal experiences with BodyPump, which include meeting a reality TV star, overnight drives to quarterly workshops, plates falling in the trash, and what happened on my long journey to becoming one of Maine’s top instructors.
Ryan McLaughlin

About Ryan McLaughlin

BDN sports reporter Ryan McLaughlin grew up in Brewer and is a lifelong fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. In "The Boston Blitz" he'll be sharing his perspective with BDN readers about what's happening on the Boston professional sports scene.