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Party Monster – Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 65

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The third of the “new look” Body Combat releases sweeps in and annihilates arms and legs across the world.

And people are getting used to the new structure which I described in my last review as follows:

  • Warm ups so intense you feel you should warm up before the warm up.
  • A “press ups” section in track 4 .
  • High Intensity Interval Training (i.e Insanity or Metafit) masquerading as Body Combat in Track 5.
  • A cutting back on “sing along songs” replaced with driving lyric free music, or at least repetitive lyrics. 

In addition I’ve noticed that Track 6 is usually an intense leg conditioning capoeira workout. From the Muay Thai track onwards we return to the more traditional approach, for example Track 8 is a sing along euphoric punching epic.

Release 65 is easy to learn. There are a few instances of difficult timings but overall the choreography is simple. But I’ve realised in this new format we instructors have to work harder, despite that simplicity, to motivate participants. Especially during the more intense leg conditioning sections.

Let’s have a look at the tracks (You can click on the links to listen to the tracks on Amazon).

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 65

Upper Body Warm Up – We Came To Bang Feat.Luciana (radio edit) – 3LAU feat. Lucianna

A couple of slow jab crosses and we’re full on into fast jabs followed by fast upper cuts and our first combination. Straight in and taking no prisoners. The double hook and pulse again pushes the intensity early on. I am a fan of latching on to lyrics in my presentation and I wonder whether Dan and Rachael are referring to their new approach to Body Combat here?

“This could be the start of something new. This could be the moment we break through”
Hand up anyone who used the chorus lyrics?
“Walk like a model. Dance like a stripper”

Lower Body Warm Up – Levels(VIP Mix) – Pukka Moves

At the Quarterly Workshop, where we instructors learn the moves, the trainer laboured the cues for the new move in this section. We have to lift out toes and pivot on our heels in the “Quarter Turn Squat” to protect our knees. So important to keep our participants safe, I’ve been eagle-eyed in this technique. A tough move so early in the class.

I like the contrast of the side kick repeater and the normal side kick and pulse. Don’t you just feel able to kick harder in the latter having experienced the former.

Combat 1 – Ah Yeah So What(Radio Edit) – Will Sparks feat. Wiley & Elen Levon

An exhausting blur of endless jump front kicks. Eighty. Count them. Eighty jump kicks must be a record for Body Combat. And those blocks of 8 hard-core jump kick repeaters pump up the heart rate.

Traditionally we’ve seen jump kicks in track 4. Possibly with a maximum of 16 in a track. Moving them to track 2 when we are still fresh (though arguably still warming up so be careful) is sensible.

We have seen jump kick repeaters before in Body Combat if anyone thinks this is a new innovation. Back in release 34.

Power Training 1 – Lifting Me Higher (Back to 97 Mix) – Dougal & Gammer

One of the simplest power tracks ever. Three rounds of jabs and upper cuts split up by one simple punching combo. Easy to learn. Easy to teach with a focus on building up three levels of intensity.

  • Round One: Learn it.
  • Round Two: Burn it.
  • Round Three: Go Mental.

Combat 2 – Enemies – Shinedown

The “Cold Cruel Harsh Reality” of this track is more relentess effort driven by a catchy rock song. After a flurry of back kicks, knee strikes and front kicks, we revisit the side kick repeater and side kick  pulse contrast from the warm up. Then down on to the floor for the first round of press ups. Start at the bottom for a few reps. Press ups and shoulder taps. Then single press ups.

Collapse and groan before realising that you have to get back on to your feet and repeat everything. This is my favourite of the new style track 4s so far.

Power Training 2 – No Problem – Chase & Status

Another simple upper upper hook combo building to a never-ending burst of single hooks. Add in a made up count down (e.g. 99, 98,97,96) and see the look of shock on the people’s faces.

After two rounds of punches, and a sneaky 15 second sprint before each round we leave Body Combat behind and the class becomes High Intensity Interval Training. Hellishly hard squat jumps might blast the heart rate, beast the legs and leave you breathless. But do they have a place in a Body Combat class?

It’s one of the features of the new direction. Dan and Rachael want us to “train” like martial artists as well as pretend to “fight” like martial artists. This is the crux for participants either loving or hating the new direction. If you make that mental leap from “fighting” to “training” and accept it then the squat jumps definitely have a place.

Combat 3 – The Day is My Enemy – The Prodigy

I found the timing tricky in this difficult capoeira leg conditioning track at first. After those squat jumps participants are breathless. Maybe getting exhausted. The depth of work in this track is a big ask and requires motivation and clear cues. We revisit the quarter turn squat and have to keep an even closer eye on technique to keep people safe.

Awesome driving techno music pushes us through the pain.

Muay Thai – Party Monster – Groove Moves

Recent Muay Thai tracks attracted comments they were too repetitive. Party Monster breaks the trend by chucking variety in our faces. Several combos and knee strike combinations before the long end section of cardio busting running man knees. Great music to, “We have an ARRRRRMY!”

Power Training 3 – Heart Bleeds – Re-Con & Demand Feat Mandy Edge

A typically upbeat, long and tough finale to the cardio section of the class. Simple moves again and focus on levels of intensity. Work hard and earn those skipping breaks before letting your knees up your nose for more.

The last block moves from single jabs, to triple jabs, mixing singles and triples and finally back to singles might be the best last section for many releases.

Conditioning – Black and Blue (Smackdown) – Long Hawke

Three tough core conditioning exercises repeated to muscle exhaustion set to a great sing along rock song. “Oh Oh Oh Black and Blue.” Is just how we feel. Just under three minutes of core blasting results.

Cool Down – Love Me Anyway – Ginny Blackmore

No katas. Just stretching. But the song is gorgeous and the box split (can you do the full split?) is an exquisite move. A lovely way to calm down, get your breath back and recover. Boy do we need it.

So a great release. Perhaps the best of the new direction. I still miss the odd fun track though we are getting and updated version of “Pirates of the Caribbean” in the next release. Participants are warming to the format though fetching and putting away mats for the press ups in track 4 is still an issue.

Beyond that Body Combat release 65 gets results. How sore were your DOMS the day after you first tried it?

Now it’s your turn:

Do you agree with my review of Les Mills Body Combat release 65? Why not comment below. And do please share using the social media buttons.

Fight The Resistance – Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

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Let’s start with a huge positive.

Les Mills Body Combat release 63 kicks the proverbial in delivering a tough workout and physical results.

Programme directors Dan and Rachael delivered something different with number 63. Still the same Body Combat we know and love but with subtle changes. Like Marmite some people love the changes and others hate them.

Change is good. Of course it is. But after teaching Body Combat for over 11 years I’ve found it’s taken longer to “get” this release. Longer to sell it to my participants. Longer to fully appreciate it.

In fact it wasn’t until just last night, in a packed “Monday Night Fight Club” that I finally thought, “This is a great release”. It’s taken over three weeks of teaching.

Up to that point people have walked out, demanded the immediate execution of T2 and T4, insisted upon standing options instead of  the floor work in T4, and bemoaned the lack of singalong “fun” songs.

Here’s what I think is different about Body Combat 63 perhaps contributing to the long flirtation before consummation I’ve experienced here. I’ve based these thoughts on genuine comments from participants.

Speed and Intensity

Faster than earlier classes, Body Combat 63 works you hard from the start. It feels as if there is no warm up. Straight into intense hard work our shoulders particularly feel the effects after only a few minutes. I don’t have a problem with raising the bar. We can give lower options of course.

Samey music

Tracks 1b, 3, 5, and 6 all sound the same. A heavy pounding bass and drum combined with epic synth and limited lyrics. Whilst the choreography that goes with the music is fine, it took me so much longer to find hooks in the music to translate into fun for the participants.

For example T3. “Do it do it baby”, repeated about 50 times is not as catchy and memorable as we’ve had in the past. Compare that to “And I never thought that you would be the one. Come along and snatch my heart and run.”

T5: “Hold on” repeated about 200 times.

The Muay Thai is the first track with a genuine singalong opportunity the “La La La La LAH!” in the circle phase.

Too Serious and where’s the fun?

Up until the Muay Thai it’s all so serious. I know that Dan and Rachael want to create an authentic martial arts experience. But the reality is that a large proportion of the participants don’t want immersing and definitely want drowning in the “essence of martial arts”. They want a fun escape from daily life.

This release feels as far from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” track as it’s possible to get. And yet there’s a reason “Pirates” remains the most often requested old routines.

Floor work in Track 4

Great to see some conditioning earlier in the class. And it toughens the work out. But having the floor work in the middle of a routine devoted to advancing side kicks doesn’t work in most UK studios.

Some people want mats. But there isn’t time to set them up and put them aside.

People sweat buckets on to wooden floors during the floor work and then have to skate through the liquid for advancing side kicks on the left.

A better way to handle this would have been a T4a and T4b with a musical bridge to allow time to place mats and towels where necessary.

So let’s have a look at the tracks (and you can click on the links to listen to the music on Amazon).

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Upper body warmup – Get Ready (Steve Aoki Vocal Radio Edit) – 2 Unlimited

Different to any warm up we’ve ever had. We think we recognise the song (first appeared in Body Combat release 10) but it shifts direction. After the bluff we have fast hooks, fast uppers and then those powerful jabs synchronised with the “Hey!” samples in the music.

Perhaps the first warm up never to feature any shuffling forwards or to the side. In fact there is no shuffling at all in this class. A definite first for Combat.

Lower body warmup – Survival Of The Fittest (Radio Edit) – Coone

Initially reminiscent of past lower body warm ups, this has an unexpected and tough capoeira section burning the legs and raising our heart rates.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Combat 1 – Badboi – Pegboard Nerds

Yes the low switch lunges are hard and continue the onslaught started by capoeira in the warm up.

Yes the forty odd roundhouse kicks challenge balance, work the supporting leg and test even the most crafted techniques.

But after one or two tries T2 is just boring.

And it’s not helped that the music is an abomination. I will be acting on my participants requests to execute this track soon.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Power training 1 – Get A Way – Sporty Breed

An epic power track with great moves and uplifting music. I love the last two reps on the main combos where the main musical theme repeats. Turn it up loud and sweat.

The “Dynamic Pull” or as people call it “The Body Attack Bit” is an interesting innovation working a set of muscles in a different way than I think we’ve ever seen in Combat.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Combat 2 – Edge Of A Revolution – Nickelback

Powerful front kicks and squats. Advancing side kicks building from the slow introductory examples to the faster section and topped off by the little Bruce Lee hop before the kick. It’s challenging and the timing is tricky but the side kicks continue to sculpt our legs.

Floor work is a welcome change but as I’ve said before it doesn’t work in the middle of the kicking. Make it a separate track.

Power training 2 – Holdin’ On Right Now – The Solar Rival

Another solid hardcore power track culminating in a huge combination of punches, hooks and weaves. Just as a power track should be. Building a combination layer by layer and then fitting it all together into melee of blurred breathlessness.

Combat 3 – Fight The Resistance – Brennan Heart & Zatox

First time we’ve ever seen the Jump Front Kick in T6. A couple of good combinations set to a pounding bass line. A pretty unremarkable track.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Muay Thai – Dead! – My Chemical Romance

Insanely fast.

Takes time to master the speed of the knee strikes to the beat of this thrash rock song (with its bizarre lyrics about death and hospitals). A grower it now stands out as one of the best in the class. The social ending with double knees in a circle and everyone singing along to “La La La La LAH!” redeems the lack of singalong moments earlier.

Power training 3 – Shine (JBC Remix) – Geos Crew feat. Zara

A typical all round cardio blaster finale. The main combo builds again and the uppercut repeaters give us the opportunity to finish off our shoulders and work the core abdominals in a very visible way.

And you CAN sing along to this one! “You are my Guide. You are My Light. You take me to the place. Where I can FIGHT!”

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63

Conditioning – Three Strikes – Afrojack feat. Jack McManus

Since we’ve already performed our fair share of press ups in T4 this conditioning routine focuses on the abdominals. Influenced by CXWorx a series of hovers, side plank raises and last crunches ignite fires in the core. Not one part of the body isn’t fatigued by this point.

Cool down – A New Way To Bleed (Photek Remix) – Evanescence

Stretches and Katas to a powerful heavy metal ballad by Evanescence.

It’s taken time but like a fine wine Body Combat release 63 has matured and is another solid release.

Now It’s Your Turn:

What do you think of my review of Les Mills Body Combat release 63? Do you agree? What do you think of the floor work in T4? It looks like it’s in the next class as well. Is that a good thing? Please leave a comment below or post a link to your own thoughts.

For another perspective on Body Combat 63 – read Simon’s Blog here.

Beautiful Monster – Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61

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Here’s another cracking combat class with an emphasis on explosive speed.

I didn’t connect with Body Combat release 61 at the quarterly workshop as much as I have with others.

I struggled to learn it and felt nervous as launches approached.

Why did I worry? I shouldn’t have.

First teach went perfectly. Hot. Relentless. Sweaty. Aching legs. Burning shoulders. Exhausted smiles.

Body Combat release 61 is tough and participant feedback consistently positive.

Let’s look at each track in this martial arts monster (Click the links for the commercially available version of the song on Amazon).

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Front Kick

Upper body warmup – Wrecking Ball (MaLu Project Remix Edit) – Pop Pistols

Lower body warmup – Beautiful Monster (Damn-R Remix) – Mick Lion

Weighing in at over 8 minutes the upper and lower body warm-ups are a challenge in themselves. We try punches, upper cuts and hooks before dropping into the legs for “shoot lunges”. Roundhouse kicks follow, then a barrage of endless back kicks and an arsenal of Muay Thai knees.

This shows how the programme has evolved over the years. Early warm-up tracks were just that. An easy way into the class before the work started properly in track 2. Now the warm ups are immediately intense. We’re straight into the hard work.

And two uplifting techno tracks as well. Body Combat release 61 is a beautiful monster.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Balancing Front Kicks

Combat 1 – Shot Me Down ft. Skylar Grey – Up Despair

Track 2 is a surprise. Rather than the usual rock music, roundhouse kicks and strikes we face a slower leg conditioning experience. And it hurts.

Watch the DVD and think, “That looks easy and short.”

Try it and you’ll say, “Ouch I’m glad it’s a short track.”

From the balancing front kicks, to the “toe tap” squats, to the knees and side kicks a fire ignites in your supporting leg until the muscles scream for a rest by the end. Awesome leg conditioning.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Fast travelling jabs

Power training 1 – Every Breath You Take – Praying Hunk

Every kick you take. Every fist you make. Every slip you fake. A techno update of an ancient song by The Police. We experience the theme of Body Combat release 61 here. Explosive speed. I love the fast travelling jabs and upper cuts section and the one simple combo that bookends it. Go hard here and you get breathless fast.

Combat 2 – So What! (M Edit) – Independence Days

“So What” first appeared in release 27 as a Muay Thai track (the first to feature the Street Brawl Downward Punch in fact). Almost the same mix it’s therefore familiar but different. Building up to the jump kick raises our heart rates. The sharp, powerful karate punches continue the explosive speed theme. More jump kicks at the end of each section bring us close to fatigue.

Great lyrics to hook into as well. “You know karate and kick me in the eye!”

Power training 2 – Stairway To Heaven (Original Mix) – Modulate & Petruccio

Not an update of Led Zepplin’s classic, “Stairway to Heaven” feels like we’re climbing to another exhausting peak. After two long rounds of upper cuts and the hook cross hook combo we finish with a flurry of jabs that feel they should belong in the last power track and not at the halfway point of the class.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Esquiva

Combat 3 – Get Low – Dillon Francis & DJ Snake

Breathless again and we transition into another leg conditioning track. Yes more tough leg action this time based on capoeira moves. Switch lunges, esquiva and those agonising low “shoot lunges”. You need to grit your teeth during this one. And like track 2 aren’t we relieved its short?

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Superman Punch

Muay Thai – Ready To Rock – Airbourne

Before our legs can recover the Muay Thai track hits us like a runaway locomotive. I’m not usually a fan of heavy rock Muay Thai tracks but “Are You Ready” hits the spot for me. A couple of fast combinations, relentless knee strikes and a breathless finale with double knees and an optional leap to the ceiling jump knee guarantee to take you to your cardio peak.

After the guitar solo and before the last chorus we revisit the “Superman Punch”. Controlled and powerful we do the punch using explosive speed. It’s still taking time to perfect the footwork that accompanies this punch but al least we get to work up through the levels here.

Power training 3 – Like a Rainbow (Sy & Unknow Remix) – Recon & Demand

A  finale that feels like there’s no end in sight. Your shoulders and upper arms will burn after only a few minutes of this hard-core upper body blaster.

It’s like the “Groundhog Day” of power tracks. Just when you think it might be over, we start the entire sequence again. And again. And again.

A great work out if a little too long and repetitive. It needs good coaching and motivation to get people all the way to the end.

Review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61
Jaguar

Conditioning – Watch Out For This (Bumaye) – Since Ten

In my opinion this could be the strangest conditioning track in Body Combat history. Some say that “animal forms” are the future of training. The “Jaguar” moves certainly isolate the core in a way most people haven’t experienced before. It just takes ages to master it and I’ve found many frustrated people deciding they’ll stick to a hover instead.

I actually think the problem isn’t mastering the move. It just doesn’t work on most studio gym mats (in fact a Yoga mat might work better but most venues don’t have these in their main studios). The standard gym mat is too small to do the move properly and most people do not want to be “matless” and work on the wooden floor.

Sadly therefore this track has the most votes for an early mix out.

Cool down – Heart of a Warrior – Dizzee Rascal

A catchy chorus and stretches we desperately need (including the Downward Facing Dog) brings this beautiful monster of a class to a swift end. As Body Combat release 61 is so long, at venues that don’t have a 5 minute gap between classes I have to cut the cooldown short. After that everyone staggers out of the room, T-Shirts dripping wet with sweat, exhausted smiles on their faces.

Now it’s your turn:

Do you agree with my review of Les Mills Body Combat release 61? What do you think of the Jaguar moves? Please leave a comment below or post a link to your own review.

 

First Impressions of Les Mills Body Combat release 60 after Edinburgh Quarterly

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Yes – the next release of Les Mills Body Combat hits a fitness club near you soon.

Can release 60 – which celebrates 15 years of Body Combat – match up to the last one?

Les Mills Body Combat release 60

Our presenter for the Edinburgh Quarterly, the mighty Dave Cross, delivered a motivational masterclass. You know that Dave puts extra work into his delivery because he doesn’t just present a “live” version of the instructor DVD. It’s refreshing. You always come away from Dave’s quarterlies with new ideas.

As he unveiled Body Combat release 60 it became clear that it’s very similar to the last one. More “switch lunges” in the Capoeira track for example. However, I’m not sure the power tracks are as full on shoulder blasters but they come close.

Here’s what I remember:

  • Hip rolls and endless roundhouse kicks in a lower body warm up set to a version of Katy Perry’s Roar.
  • A decent cover of Michael Jackson’s Black and White provides an intense first combat track.
  • In track 3 we see a return of a song last seen in release 29 – Fly Away. Prepare for an onslaught of never-ending hooks.
  • A new move in t he Muay Tai called, “The Superman Punch”, challenges your co-ordination. This might take some getting use to. The rest of the MT track could reduce you to a breathless sweaty heap.
  • Dan says that the Abs track is the hardest they’ve ever done. Not sure that’s true but it does hurt.
  • Last seen in release 20 – we cooldown to Now We Are Free – that moody song from Gladiator.

So first impressions suggest an equally tough work out carrying on the tradition set by the previous quarter. Lacks originality though and feels a little samey but will undoubtedly get results.

Let the learning begin.

Now it’s your turn:

Are you a Body Combat instructor? What do you think of Les Mills Body Combat release 60? Please leave a comment or a link to your own thoughts.