As the sun finally appears from behind the clouds in Scotland we are ready for the new summer fitness class releases from Les Mills.

The studio at Virgin Active in the Omni Centre was packed with Body Combat instructors wearing Venum shorts and sporting martial arts fighting gloves. Trainers Dave Cross and Aaron Davison led us on a sweaty journey of calorie burning kicks and an arsenal of punches.

A problem with the air conditioning meant that the mirrors clouded over and the room turned rapidly into a swamp. But all it did was make us work even harder and sweat buckets.

Here’s what I thought of Body Combat release 56.

• The lower body warm up feels like a whole workout in itself. Seven muay thai knees on each side repeated. Very tough.
• They’ve brought the advancing side kick back.
• The music in track 3 is Hymn by Tina Cousins. They used it back in release 28. The song was originally recorded by 1980s band Ultravox, best known for Vienna.
• In over 10 years of Body Combat the artist they have used most is German rave band Scooter. Track 4 is a Scooter track with a pounding beat that will motivate you to kick harder.
• The “matrix kick” is going to annihilate your legs.
• Track 8 is immense. Long, relentless and just when you think it’s over, you fight on for a lot longer than you think.

I thought the class was hard, fun and the right balance of musical styles. Where else can hard rock, dub step and hip hop co-exist to create fitness magic but in a Body Combat class?

Your turn: Are you a Body Combat instructor? Do you agree with my first impressions of Body Combat release 56. Share your thoughts. Leave a comment. Participants let me know what you think of the class once we’ve launched it.