So we’re onto a new release already (okay this post is late going up, we’ve been onto the new release for quite some time now) – cue obligatory remarks about how fast time flies etc etc. Despite my initial reservations of 90 I actually grew to like it, so release 91 needed to be a good one. And it is, I think. It’s taken a much more simple approach but is deceptively really blimmin’ hard work. I didn’t feel fully DOM-less between my first 3 or 4 91 classes, so it’s clearly been challenging my muscles in a new way.
Here’s a little run-down of my thoughts of each track along with my weight selections for release comparison’s sake:
Warm-up
This is the first release I’ve done where plates/dumbbells are used in the warm-up – it’s a bit weird transitioning but I suppose it makes sense to warm-up for all the plate work in the shoulder track.
My 91 weight: 10kg
90 weight: 10kg
Squats
Horrible song choice. It’s more of a bicep track to me and lacks the energy of the normal dynamic squat style music. Lots and lots of singles in this one and also quick stance changes, I missed the switch from narrow to wide the first couple of times I did this release and got yelled at by the instructor. D’oh.
My 91 weight: 25kg
90 weight: 25kg
Somebody Told Me – The Killers
Chest
My BP instructor calls the 90 chest track ‘legendary’ because it was so much tougher than its predecessors and after it, this chest track seems a bit of a doss. I do enjoy the press-ups being moved from shoulders to here though – they seem a lot harder to do after chest work for me so I feel I’m getting more out of them. A-presses are back which is also good IMO, I like the switching back and forth between isolation and compound moves.
My 91 weight: 10kg, decline pushups
90 weight: 10kg
Goodness Gracious – Ellie Goulding
Back
I complained a little (okay a lot) about the previous release’s back track, but now I miss it. I’m loving the return of consecutive clean and presses to get the heart-rate up but there are just so many deadlifts and rows that by the end it’s my forearms that have taken the brunt of the workout. I’ve had to reluctantly lower my weight for this release to avoid building bulging vascularity in my lower arms, even though I can go heavier for presses.
My 91 weight: 20kg
90 weight: 17.5kg
Beautiful Life (Remix) – Armin Van Buuren
Triceps
Thank-you Les Mills for an extension and press-less release! For tris I love me some dips, kickbacks, tricep pushups and overhead plate extensions, and this track has all of them. The song is a bit chilled but don’t let that fool you, there’s lots of work to do in this one and the transitions are fast so you can’t be dilly dallying. Like.
Avicii seems like a bit of a funny song choice but it works.
My 91 weight: kickbacks: 5kg, o/h extensions: 5kg, dips: 5kg, pushups on toes
90 weight: 10kg
Biceps
Back to heavier weights, yippeeee. And a new move – bicep rows, which give your muscles a break without actually giving them a break, if that makes sense. I always ignore the bar recommendation and use dumbells for bis, I just find them more comfortable and like twisting on the rise and I like to do what I want, so.
My 91 weight: 2x5kg dumbells
90 weight: 2×3.5kg
Bad Company – Five Finger Death Punch
Lunges
There’s no bar this time round but holding plates instead. The squat presses that have disappeared from the back track since 90 crop up here for some ridiculous reason and there are a heck of a lot of squats for a lunge track. It nevertheless gets those butt muscles firing and the heart-rate up so it’s all good, even though the music is contradictorily very mellow.
My weight: 2x5kg dumbells
90 weight: 20kg bar
Shoulders
Here lies the best song of the whole release and frankly the only memorable one as well. It pretty much follows the standard shoulder track format with upright rows and presses followed by dumbbell presses but this time with some lovely hard peck decks.
My weight: 10kg bar, 4kg dumbells
90 weight: 10kg bar, 4kg dumbells
Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat (Remix) – Fatboy Slim
Core
Planks! Planks! The king of core exercises is back and my obliques are very happy for it. There are front planks and side planks and side planks with dips in this one and it’s truly great. The side abs get some attention finally after 90 which was merely boring crunches. Planks rule. That is all.
Cooldown
Stretching, what more can I say really?
Verdict: Body Pump release 91 is deceptively tough! The music is largely mellow and pretty boring, actually, I miss the signature BP techno and dubstep, but the workout itself is sweat-inducing and quite a killer. That said, I’m eager for the grace period to be over and for the instructors to start mixing it up with older releases again.
The Endorphin Diaries 