Blade’s back – Review of Body Combat Release 53

I am writing this post with aching legs and burning shoulders. And it is all Body Combat Release 53’s fault. This is a relentless work out. It hardly lets up for a moment. Several times when first teaching this, I forgot to breathe. So the next time I warned the class to take care. Afterwards someone tweeted me to say that they too had failed to follow my breathing advice.

So let’s talk about the tracks.

Review of Body Combat Release 53
Poster for BC53

 

Upper Body Warm Up (Written in the Stars): As usual an uplifting opener with a strong beat and catchy tune. As well as the usual jabs, upper cuts and hooks we also get to preview descending and ascending elbows from later in the class.

Lower Body Warm Up (Are You Ready For This?): Spot the instructors and participants who have done Body Combat for years. This song first appeared in release 10 way back in 2001. I find this a very busy lower body warm up with very quick transitions and a lot going on. The timing in the capoeira ginga shuffle is hard to nail. Overall though very effective as we get warm very quickly.

Combat 1 (Rock N Roll All Night): This is a disappointing track. It’s very short and is a rather insipid live version of the song. However we see the jump front kick in Combat 1 for the first time (it’s usually in track 4) and that raises the heart rate slightly before you blink and find that the track is over.

Power 1 (Shine On): Now the work out cranks up to lethal levels and pretty much stays there from now on. I found my shoulders were particularly sore after release 53 and it’s because all the three power tracks have a hook in the combinations thus working the same muscle groups over and over. The moves in Shine On are simple and the high amount of reps lead to fatigue and a fast heart rate. Use the short skipping break in the middle to get back control of your breathing.

Review of Body Combat Release 53
Dan and Rach doing side kicks in Track 4

Combat 2 (Sweet Dreams): When I first heard this music I thought it was very dark and gothic. I’ve since found out that it is a cover of the Marilyn Manson and not the Eurythmics version so that explains it. Karate takes centre stage here with very powerful blocks and palm strikes. We build up the side kick sequence slowly and then ramp up the power. And I love the Kata which reminds me of the one from my all time favourite combat track, Scooter’s Jigga Jigga way back in release 25.

Power 2 (True Believer): Wow. Another relentless power track with a catchy sing along tune, pounding beat and great words let me create motivating cues. “You’re my inspiration” indeed. Another combo with a hook continues to burn the shoulders. I love the 7 upper cut combo with the huge seventh punch. And finishing with thirty odd upper cuts off the same arm elevates the heart rate to the top of the scale. We learn how endless punches like this can actually work the core as well as the arms. They are like sit ups stood up.

Combat 3 (Swagger Jagger): Cher Lloyd in Body Combat? You’re kidding right? I’ve seen much written on this song on Facebook and on discussion boards. It is an abomination. But the capoeira moves, very low lunges, esquivas, and the knee strikes and kicks torture your legs to the point where the music is irrelevant. If the pain doesn’t take your mind off the music just sing along to the melody in the chorus but substitute the words from the song it has ripped off, “Oh my darlin’. Oh my darlin’. Oh my darlin’ Clementine”.

Muay Thai (Blade): For a few releases now the Muay Thai tracks have featured rock songs. Personal I prefer my MTs to be thumping dance, techno trance tracks and this one is as thumpy dancey techno and trancey as it can get. Blade’s been in Combat several times over the years and it fits the programme so well. This is one of the moments I forgot to breathe. It’s a cardio blaster which will take you to the limit. On reflection the moves are very simple but the sheer intensity will leave you breathless. When I saw that the running order for this release was only 53 minutes I wondered why they didn’t double up this short MT track. I now know why. There is no way we could do it twice.

Power 3 (Summer Rain): Dan Cohen says that if you look up the word “epic” in a dictionary you will find the definition is “Body Combat 53 track 8”. At almost 8 minutes of flat-out punching it certainly feels epic. One of my issues with track 8s recently is that most of them finish with a long section of endless jabs. Finally we have variety mixing jabs and upper cuts into a frenzied melee. Even with my bandana on I found sweat pouring down into my eyes. It finished a little blurry.

Review of Body Combat Release 53

Conditioning (Bangarang): Another dubstep song by Skrillex. More exercises based on hovers to blitz the core. In the notes booklet they describe the moves as “oblique shredders”. Start in plank (on knees or toes) and draw a knee to the side and in then kick out on an angle. Repeat for an eternity. This track worx!

Cool down (Is there anybody out there?): A pleasant cool down song. It is always good to see swan poses and down facing dogs in the last section – great leg and hip stretches. And a lovely finish with a return to the Kata from track 4.

Body Combat Release 53 is the best all round release for a while. It is such a good work out that I can forgive Swagger Jagger’s intrusion. If it wasn’t for the under-whelming track 2 this would have scored a well deserved 10 out of  10.

Over to you: I hope you enjoyed this review of Body Combat release 53. Are you a Body Combat instructor? Please let me know what you think of this class. Participants what do you think? Share your thoughts. Go on! Leave a comment.

5 thoughts on “Blade’s back – Review of Body Combat Release 53

  1. Not a bad review Rog – agree on the Combat 1, weak music and odd moves (also odd that an LMI mixed track is uneven for choreo!) but decent Combat 1s are few and far between lately. I don’t think that track 8 is especially epic either TBH – it doesn’t have the epic feel of a track like Crescendoes of Ecstasy for my money. The real shocker is that Swagger Jagger is such a great BC track. Not sure why you’re finding the timing tricky on the Cap move in the WU?

  2. Great review! Loving BC 53. Have only taught a 45 minute class once so far so roll on doing it all! Agree with most of what you said. Combat 1 is a bit meh, but then they seem to be a hit or a miss. Power 1 is just…I have no words! It is just awesome! Part of me is happy that combat 1 is so short! Quicker to that corker of a track! 😀 Love the kata in combat 2 as well. Swagger Jagger…there has been much negativity towards it but most people have come round to it. Personally…I don’t know why people hate it so much?? A male participant has told me he doesn’t want to hear it again! But I hope that he warms to the moves eventually! I actually find the timing of the cap ginga shuffle in swagger jagger more difficult than the warm up. As with anything though it will come with practise. I was almost on the floor after the 4 minutes of MT. My exact words to the participants once it had finished were ” That is why it is only 4 minutes!”. I quite like 8. Nice tune. Simple to do. You feel the burn! Has to be one of the best releases, but then again I think that about them all these days!

    1. Thanks Paula. Yes I have found the Ginga in T6 as awkward as in the warm up as well. CK – don’t know why I can’t get it. Maybe I’m trying too hard.

      1. Thanks Tracy – goes to show that there are so many different musical tastes. One lady in my class said, “I would rather have a flabby arse than do that swagger jagger again”. It made me laugh so much. (Don’t get me wrong – I am never negative and I sold them on the workout.

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