BodyPump Release 80….a review

Last weekend, we celebrated 20 years of BodyPump success by launching Release 80 (we’ve come a long way, haven’t we?) and I dare say that this is the best job Les Mills has done so far.

Right from the squat track all the way to the core track, the hammer goes down and we do not let up. The release featured a mixture of strength training and cardiovascular training, so you get a little bit of everything from this workout.

I was fired up for this launch, as I would be paired with Scott, who is just as wacky, crazy and hardcore on stage as I am, and we vibe off each other really well. It’s also nice to be able to team with another guy, a luxury I didn’t have at BBAC.

I had been getting our participants fired up about this release for about 3 weeks, and let’s just say they were blown away by it. The squat track features 6 minutes of singles, bottom halves, more singles and more bottom halves. The chest track wasn’t too challenging, but I did like the music.

Once we got to the back track, it was on. The new power-press triple-row combination is an excellent new feature, since it not only builds more tension in the muscles, it spikes your heart rate and therefore burns more calories.

The tricep track was probably my favorite (I had tracks 1-5 last weekend). It only features 3 sets, but they are extremely tough, with 16 push-ups (all singles) in the middle, followed by 16 overhead extensions, with some barbell work in the beginning.

After I rocked the first five tracks, Scott rocked Tracks 6-10, including the new Propulsion Lunge in Track 7, which is a cardio, back-stepping lunge where you leap into the air at the top of the move. I was impressed at how many participants actually executed it, and to perfection at that. The shoulder track had a couple of new moves, a ton of push-ups and a ton of bar work. Yikes!

The only track I wasn’t impressed with was the core track. I’m not a huge fan of side-planks, and the fact that the song was “Rolling in the deep” wasn’t too impressive either. An Adele song in PUMP? C’mon Les Mills 😛

Overall, it’s a fantastic release. A stronger athlete is a better athlete, and this release really embodies that. If you haven’t gotten a chance to try it yet, we’ll be using it for the next month or so over at USA, so opportunities are plentiful! It’s a release that’ll leave you feeling stronger, mentally and physically, in no time!

Scott Kahkonen (left) and Ryan McLaughlin perfectly execute a bicep deadrow during the warmup track of BodyPump 80 at Union Street Athletics Saturday.

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.