Fighting fit! NOW UPDATED TO INCLUDE CALORIE BURNING INFO! (Body Combat)

Member Name: ShoppingGirl

Product:	Body Combat
Date:	09/01/02 (7147 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Get fit, lose fat - need I say more?

Disadvantages: Occasionally booting your neighbour up the jacksy...

Exercise classes - don't you just love them? Draughty community centres, middle aged ladies in lycra g-strings, all chanting 'one two three four five six seven eight' as they repeat their starjumps...

OK, so that was the Eighties. As epitomised by Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Perfect' and of course Victoria Wood ('let's just funky it up a bit' - etc). Classes were attended almost exclusively by women, mnay of whom referred to it as 'keep fit' or 'popmobility' or something equally oh so cringy. Style was not the name of the game!

My how times have changed! Your average class these days is taught in a mirrored studio, by a Geri-alike with enough energy to power the national grid, with the whole class whooping along with each crunch/ rep/ kick etc.

And your class will have a motivational name - something to make you really feel you are cranking up that fat burner as you power your way to a Madonna-esque physique. A quick perusal of the classes at my gym throws up 'pump', 'power', and 'blast' to give just a few examples!

Now, what kind of girl would fall for a gimmick like that? Ummmm... Well, the kind of girl who would like to see maximum results in minimum time. Like me, for instance.

Having never attended any kind of organised exercise class in my life, it was with a wee bit of fear that I turned up for my body combat class. Firstly, I was worried I was going to look out of place - would everybody else be fit and lean, clad in the latest sports fashions? Nah - to my relief they were a mixed bunch in age, gender and body weight. Of course there was the obligatory token 'fit bird' (she haunts every gym, doesn't she?) but the others were just normal like me - phew.

The instructor turned up, and I waited for what I assumed would be a nice chat, some preamble, a few explanations etc. HAH! No chance. Hiya! she said, through her
remote control mouth piece, which appeared to be connecting with Fatboy Slims touring PA system, and basically - we were straight into it. Eeek!

Body Combat is a fantastic, exciting workout. It basically draws (with much artistic licence) from the disciplines of self defence - lots of kicking, punching, right hooks and uppercuts etc! Those of who who are into kickboxing, taebo etc will be on familiar ground here.

But for me, the very best thing about Body Combat is that it is tightly choreographed, so that every kick, jump and stab is done to a specific line/ beat of a specially chosen track. So for instance, when working out to 'Walking on Sunshine', the chorus bit is where the whole class 'walks' (actually shuffles very energetically) across the room.

The moves always follow the music, abd the songs are all really beaty, uptempo numbers.

After a full warm up, it's on to the 'power' section - the bloody hard bit. If you think boxers have it easy as they dance about the ring - think again. Accompany that dancing back and forward with hard punches, high kicks and jabs, all at breakneck speed - it's a recipe for much sweatiness!

Tai chi gets a look in too, with occasional mystic-style arm swirling.

All of this is led by the fitness dervish - your instructor. I have had two instructors in Body Combat and they have both been awesome - shouting, singing along with the music, and generally pumping the energy and atmosphere up to the max. They are specially trained to do the moves along to each track - and their confidence soon rubs off on the class.

Now for the bit that may make you break down and weep - the mat section. This is where each person gets a wee mat to themselves, and proceeds to basically kill themselves along to the sound of 'Wild Boys' or similar, in the name of abdominal and tricep work. Girls, can you do chest press ups? How about doing them double ti
me?? And let's face it, ab work is always going to be agonising, however you dress it up.

This is the part of the class where I just grit my teeth and soon enough - it's over and time for our cool-down.

Cool down is so much fun! The songs vary but a couple of weeks ago we stretched and waved to 'Funiculi Funicula', the rousing opera number! Complete with moch sword fighting - great crack.

And then - look at the clock. A whole hour has gone by, of pretty much solid, energetic exercise! I can honestly say that the time flies by. I mean, who would class doing 'Crouching Tiger' high kick moves to the the sound of 'Kung Fu Fighting' as anything other than fun?

However - be warned. You will ache the next day. And maybe even the day after that. Body Combat is so much fun, you can easily forget how hard you are working. It does get easier with each class though, so don't worry if you feel you can't keep up to begin with.

Honestly - for a person with an inbuilt aversion to doing anything energetic in public, I have become instantly hooked on my Body Combat class. It's fun, motivational, and it promises fantastic results. The energy and commitment of the instructors is totally inspirational - no matter what your fitness ability. And although I think the self defence aspect is slightly over-hyped, it can't hurt anyone to learn how to throw a good hard punch!

Come on...

We will


We will



ROCK YOU!!





*** UPDATE **** UPDATE ****

I asked my instructor last week how many calories this workout burns - she tells me it's an awe inspiring 500 to 600 per session!! Bring on that chocolate!!

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