Body Attack exercise class
Remember when a good athletic aerobic class workout was just that – simple, motivating, satisfying work? Yvette Flacke prepares you for the most challenging workout on the planet – BODYATTACK ®.
The seventh Les Mills programme launched in the UK will ignite all your energy systems, push your boundaries to the extreme and leave you and your body on a high.
The creation of BODYATTACK ®
BODYATTACK ® was created in 1980 to attract those people wanting a simple, athletic cardiovascular challenge. Originally known as “jazzergetics”, it was taught in church halls and community centres around New Zealand. Over 20 years on, BODYATTACK ® is the longest running Les Mills programme and has evolved from church halls to being one of the most popular BTS classes in the hundreds of clubs currently operating the programme. You can experience BODYATTACK ® in 20 countries and in over 1,500 clubs in most major global cities. The consumer popularity already boosts over 100,000 visits per week with a monthly average of 30 new clubs joining the global network, and an expectation that this figure will double by late 2004.
So what is the appeal?
BODYATTACK ® continues to defy industry innovations and fads by providing simple easy-to-follow moves attracting large numbers of fitness enthusiasts back into the group fitness arena. The success of BODYATTACK ® can be attributed to its basic principles, pre-choreographed athletic exercise, music with appeal, and instructors who live to get active. Appealing to men and women, BODYATTACK ® is ideal for anyone with moderate fitness levels who is seeking an athletic challenge. This is no dance class but a high-intensity workout for those who want to be seriously fit. Participants can expect high energy, high heart rates and rapid changes of posture. Our aim as instructors is to increase participation by providing an unforgettable exercise experience that works and works fast!
The workout
The workout structure, exercise techniques and choreography style draw from a variety of disciplines including; athletics, sports, callisthenics and good old-fashioned aerobics! Predictable pre-choreographed exercises ensure your success – there are no surprises, just progressive movement.
The 45- to 60-minute workout is structured around three cardio phases that place demands on your aerobic stamina and anaerobic strength. No equipment is required – each phase is laced together by specific strength endurance work that provides active recovery and conditions the whole body. The class is fully optioned, reducing the risk of injury and allowing training alternatives for the less fit consumers to enter the programme.
BODYATTACK ®: Phase 1
Phase one sets the scene with a warm-up, a series of basic low-impact aerobic exercises followed by two medium-intensity tracks, raising the heart rate through the use of music speed, lever length, and range and direction of movement. The choreography is predictable and follows the verse/chorus structure making it easy for consumers and instructors to feel comfortable with the movements. The first of three strength endurance tracks focuses on upper body strength and core stabilisation with a combination of push-ups and tricep work.
BODYATTACK ®: Phase 2
Phase two comprises three specific tracks with progressive intensity. Track five is the circle track and is designed to kick-start the body and energy systems again giving a gentle reminder of the athletic culture of this programme. Organised action for track six splits the class into two halves facing each other while performing propulsive and dynamic moves – each side motivating the other. Track seven is the high leg kick track and the last track of this phase, encouraging participants to push to the limit before another active recovery. The second strength endurance track provides conditioning for the lower body with a combination of squats and lunges, allowing the heart rate to recover in preparation for the final phase.
BODYATTACK ®: Phase 3
Phase three consists of two final peak cardio tracks which further provide anaerobic workloads. Track nine is a high-knee track, leaving the body wanting more as it enters the final and ultimate track ten. Participants and instructors take their bodies to extreme energy, pushing the boundaries and shedding a skin! It’s not about tomorrow but all about today.
The class then goes through a final strength endurance track through a series of abdominal and back exercises, ending with a cool-down phase that incorporates a mixture of static and dynamic stretching. This multi-peak structure ensures that the delicate balance between sound physiological sequencing and high levels of dramatic contrast is maintained throughout the 45- to 60-minute class. From a cross-training perspective it complements the wide range of exercise-to-music programmes that are currently available.
Conclusion
As a workout, BODYATTACK ® is perceived as an effective and motivating way to experience high-energy interval training in a group fitness environment and because of its appeal and acceptance in a market where sports halls and leisure centres are in abundance, it is now expanding to all corners of the globe. Make sure it creates an impact in your corner. Take up the challenge and get active! If you want to get fit, stay fit or get fitter you need to get BODYATTACK ®!
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