“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi
This month has seen my successful return from injury, and the quote above sums up the mind frame I have been in. I’m a little late to post this month, as the last day of the month I was having a boogie to Tiesto at Victoria Park in
I’m in countdown mode for the Professional Development Module now. Here are my goals for the next 8 weeks in the lead up to it.
1) Organise team teaches with members of the
2) Send a facebook message to Steve Renata – he is one of the original BODYPUMP gods. He trained me initially, and if I let him know of my plans this year, he may have some valuable advice.
3) Complete the voice coaching series I have sitting on my lap top. I was gifted this by a speech therapist who attended my classes, last year, so I really must complete this to gain anything before the PDM.
4) No caffeine from when I return from
5) No alcohol through September (this will be particularly challenging as my AFL team – St Kilda, is likely to be playing in the grand final the week before the PDM!) Sacrifices…
My best class this month was, without a doubt, my first class back from serious injury! The physio told me I would be out for 4-6 weeks, well just 16 days later; I was back on the bike ;-) I eased my way into the first 3 tracks, but by the time I hit intervals, I was cranking a big gear, with enough energy to go all day! It was a real moment where I knew where my passion lies – in the Les Mills group fitness programmes.
I’m thinking outside the box a little for my most memorable moment of the month. But there’s a point that gives me chills occasionally in an RPM class – I’ll paint the picture for you. Track 6, you’re half spent, but feeling strangely comfortable and familiar on the bike. Legs are peaking, but upper body so relaxed you feel like you could close your eyes and go to sleep. Everyone is so ‘in the zone’ that the instructor doesn’t need to speak – when the music builds, you do. UV lights are searching for white in the darkness; a dim light points to the stage. And here’s the moment – you look down for a split second, and blink, as a drop of sweat runs off the tip of your nose. The beams of light in the room suspend the droplet, and time stands still for an instant as the liquid bead parachutes into the darkness…
I am back in action! My current schedule of permanent classes is:
Monday 630pm BODYPUMP @ Covent Garden
Thursday 600pm RPM @
Friday 700am RPM @ Fulham David Lloyds
Saturday 1130am BODYPUMP @
I love RPM, but I’m worried if I keep attending your classes, and increase my resistance, my thighs and butt will get bigger!
This has to be the most common concern I hear from (female) participants, so I thought it was worth doing a bit of investigation, and attempting to set the record straight. Here is a summary of forum posts from Les Mills instructors around the world, and a couple of other websites I discovered on the topic.
First things first, you shouldn’t compromise your ride by losing the resistance altogether. This leads to bouncing around on the saddle (which will only emphasize those jiggly bits you’re so worried about, haha). But seriously, a working level of resistance is optimal, as you want to maintain control over your body as you build pace. With no resistance, you are more likely to injure yourself, as your stabilizers go into overdrive, just to fight the speed wobbles.
Nutrition is a big factor to consider. We could write a thesis on sports nutrition, but the simple equation for bulking up is energy in is greater than energy out, and vice versa for slimming. If our appetites increase from increased training demands, it’s important that we fuel our bodies with the right types of foods (see my previous blog with Paleolithic diet references if you are interested).
High repetition exercises do not encourage muscle growth! On a personal note (and yes, I know, I am a boy) but if I am instructing more RPM classes, my legs become noticeably leaner. The only time they bulk up is when I’m leg pressing 360kg for 3 sets of 6 reps in the gym!
And last but not least, after any form of exercise, take the time to stretch after the class. Particularly with RPM, our hip flexors can become tight; this is exaggerated if we sit a lot in our day jobs. If you have the time, check out a BODYBALANCE class at your local club!
If you’re still not convinced, take a look at one of RPM’s legends – Sarah Ostergaard, she also rides professionally in 
Kia kaha, be strong.
