Is Body Pump Functional Training?

Is Body Pump Functional Training?

Body pump is some sort of  functional training. It is a fast-paced, barbell-based workout that’s specifically designed to help you get lean, toned, and fit. 

Body pump could be your entry point if you’re interested in an exercise that helps you get fit but aren’t sure where to start. 

Body pump works all of the major muscle groups while using lower weights and more reps to help build lean muscle.

Emily Thompson headshot
Learn More About Our Online Coaching Service

Quick Summary

  • Body pump could be your entry point if you’re interested in a type of exercise that helps you get fit but aren’t sure where to start.
  • Functional strength training aims to improve performance in terms of fitness level, daily activities, and general health.
  • For 6 to 8 weeks of sessions, these routines stay the same, allowing you to increase the weights as your body adapts to the moves and grows stronger.

What Is Functional Training?

Functional training is a form of exercise that works several muscles and joints together rather than working a particular muscle or group of muscles independently, resulting in an individual being able to perform daily activities with greater ease.

Functional strength training aims to improve performance in terms of fitness level, daily activities, and general health. The objective is to apply what has been learned during this training to activities besides physical activity and fitness.

It should positively impact how you live your life and move through it. With these specific training activities incorporating functional strengthening, you should have an easier time walking, getting out of a chair, and picking groceries from your car.

Consider reading:

What Is Body pump?

Body pump is a barbell-based, fast-paced workout designed to help you get fit. Throughout a song track, instructors lead you through exercises that use weights or your own body weight to target various body areas.

For 6 to 8 weeks of sessions, these routines stay the same, allowing you to increase the weights as your body adapts to the moves and grows stronger. Classes last between 30 and 55 minutes, and you can burn up to 540 calories in one session.

Is Body Pump Considered A Functional Training?

Yes, body pump can be considered functional training. In both of these workouts, everyday movements are often mimicked. They allow you to develop the strength and mobility necessary to perform better in what is referred to as “everyday tasks.”

At the front of the class, an instructor guides the exercises while motivating the students with a custom-tailored playlist of music songs. For newcomers, body pump is a great way to get started with weight training. 

This method can assist more experienced exercisers to be challenged because participants choose the weight they lift during the class.

Because you can keep up your workout schedule wherever you are or go, body pump is similar to functional training.

What Are the Disadvantages of Body Pump?

The disadvantages of body pump are that it can get repetitive if the instructor isn’t good at keeping the class mixed up, and the moves don’t change often. Newcomers to body pump may quickly get overwhelmed if they load their bar with heavier plates than they can lift. 

Many people succumb to peer pressure brought on by the brisk pace of the regular participants and won’t pause to reduce their weights to levels they can safely perform.

People who perform a workout for several minutes without taking a break risk suffering a severe injury as a result!

It can be challenging to obtain the complete range of motion for the exercises in class due to the quick tempo. 

This can make some movements ballistic and contraindicated.

Body pump’s endurance-focused weightlifting style isn’t for everyone, especially if you want to lift hard and take breaks.

“Just like training the squat alone wont improve your bench press, nor will training the three big lifts improve your rotational power. Or your endurance. Or your single leg strength. Or your mobility.” – Adam Sinicki, AKA The Bioneer, author of the Functional Fitness and Beyond

FAQs

What Is Considered Functional Training?

Strength training that enhances your ability to do everyday activities is considered functional training. Most multi-joint movement patterns in functional training involve your knees, hips, spine, elbows, wrists, and shoulders. These movements all help you gain strength and expand your range of motion.

What Are the 7 Functional Movements?

Seven functional movements are push, squat, pull, hinge, lunge, gait, and rotation. You can activate every significant muscle group in your body by performing all these motions.

What Is the Most Functional Movement?

The most functional movement is a deadlift. How many times do you bend down to pick something up? More than you might even be aware of. You perform a deadlift when you stoop to pick up a  child, groceries, or anything else.

Is Body Pump Functional Enough?

No, Body Pump isn’t functional enough. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t participate in it for a certain period of time.

The body pump uses high repetitions, low resistance, and various tempos. This style makes it more likely that you will burn many calories during and after class, add lean muscle, and improve your cardiovascular and muscular endurance. 

However, you should remember that Body Pump is probably not the best solution in the long run since it has limited movements and only uses a barbell as a piece of equipment, which is limiting too.

It would be better to transition to movement-based training after you get accustomed to the Body Pump training.

Emily Thompson headshot
Learn More About Our Online Coaching Service

Picture of Vanja Vukas

Vanja Vukas

Student at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education and a hardcore functional training enthusiast. Heavily inspired by Michael Boyle, a strength & conditioning specialist, and by Adam Sinicki, the founder of Bioneer. Vanja believes that transitioning to a movement-based exercise program can drastically improve your fitness, balance out your muscles, and support your current lifestyle.

Leave a Comment