More new, exciting things to come in BodyPump 85

Whenever a new BodyPump release arrives in the mail every four months, it’s similar to unwrapping a video game on Christmas morning. You just want to rip off the wrapping paper, put it in your game console and sit on your butt for the next three hours.

Even though my club had just launched Release 84 about a month ago, a lot of folks had been inquiring about the tracklist for Release 85, so when it showed up in my mailbox on Tuesday, I was eager to see if there was anything new.

I had been hearing rumors that Track 7 was going to be bigger and better than ever, and boy were they right.

Since this is the release we’re going to be doing at an upcoming St. Patrick’s Day quarterly in New Jersey, I kept trying to tell myself not to pop in the DVD, but I was curious to whether there was anything new.

When I saw Track 7, which was presented by Josef Matthews, one of my AIM II trainers, I fell in love almost instantly. This particular release, we’re going further in terms of changing the training stimulus. We’re sticking with the propulsion movements, but adding some jumps off the benchtop! EPIC!

Of course, there have already been complaints from the old-school naysayers who think Pump is heading in the wrong direction yet again. I will diffuse this talk by saying this track is extremely challenging. Once again, we don’t hit the propulsion movements until the final set, and our legs are likely going to be fatigued from multiple weighted squats and lunges. To say Pump is heading in the wrong direction is beating a dead horse at this point.

The squat and back and legs tracks are certainly going to be a challenge, with two sets and one recovery in Track 2 and power presses in Track 4. We have a lot of slow work in Track 3 to isolate the chest and pectoral muscles. Walking pushups in Track 8 will set fire to the shoulders, and there is another challenge to go heavier in Track 5.

For me, I think the legs tracks will be the highlight of this release. Glen said in the preview that the movements in Tracks 2 and 7 will cater to athletes of all shapes and sizes, with a big emphasis on the lower back and glutes in Track 2 and the entire lower body in Track 7. It should be an awesome release, and we’re looking forward to learning it!

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.