A fitness extravaganza. Les Mills GFX2014 exploded at the SECC Glasgow on March 2.
Hat’s off to Les Mills UK, GFX2014 was well organised, exciting, crowded, sweaty and a motivational experience for both instructors and their participants. Glasgow SECC was the perfect venue and for once the sound system was crystal clear despite the size of the hall and the thousands of people jumping and punching and kicking.
I can’t imagine how many calories people burned. And with no shower facilities everyone was humming by then end of almost twelve hours of fitness overload.
Next time though Les Mills perhaps you can arrange for the car parks to open as well?
Here’s a short video with highlights of the Sh’Bam, Body Balance and Body Combat Masterclasses. Just look at all those people!
Now it’s your turn: Were you at Les Mills GFX2014 Glasgow? What did you think? Please share you own videos and pictures by leaving a comment or a link. If you know someone who would enjoy watching the highlights video feel free to share it with them.
At the beginning of March we’ll see Les Mills Body Combat release 59 for the first time. As usual Les Mills are teasing us with a minute long preview video.
Here it is.
They’re not giving much away. It’s the usual onslaught of punches and kicking set to pounding bass lines and heavy rock. Spot the return of the Jump Front Kick though!
Now it’s your turn: What do you think of the video preview of Les Mills Body Combat release 59? Is there anything you’d really like to see in the next release? Please share your thoughts. Leave a comment below. If you have a friend who would like to see the preview please share this post.
And check back in a few weeks for my first thoughts on Body Combat 59 after I’ve tried it out at the Quarterly Workshop.
We are still feeling the amazing training effects from Les Mills Body Combat release 58 – so you might not want any spoilers about the next class which will arrive in March 2014.
If you don’t want to know what the track list is – look away now.
I’m still enjoying 58 and I think it has a long way to go yet but it’s good to get a feel for what comes next. We’ll get our first taste of Les Mills Body Combat release 59 at the GFX04 Event in Glasgow. GFX04 is like a Mega Super Quarterly for instructors and participants.
If you are a participant take a look at this linkand you could be in the hall with 1000 other nutters when Body Combat 59 hits the UK for the first time.
Now it’s your turn: If you want more spoilers you can click on the links above to see the music on Amazon. They might not be exactly the same mixes because Les Mills often edit the tracks. But it will give you a good feel for what’s on its way.
Is Les Mills Body Combat release 58 going down as well for you as it is for me?
I cannot remember an earlier release where I’ve received such consistently good feedback from participants. Usually with each release, one maybe two tracks, prompt people to ask me to mix them out as soon as. This time all comments received are positive for all tracks, both for the music and the moves.
But here’s the thing.
I have to admit that the first time I took part in this release I didn’t enjoy the music. When I first listened to the CD I liked it even less. There was a short time when I was genuinely disappointed. However once in the studio, with the sound system cranked up really loud and 35 smiling, sweaty, and determined faces lapping it up, I became a convert. I too now believe it’s one of the best, most accessible, and one of the toughest releases of Body Combat we’ve ever had.
This is a fabulously upbeat introduction. I love the 32 count intro where we simply pulse from side to side as the music builds to a crescendo and the heavy beat kicks in and we’re on the move and the fight begins. Simple punches, boxing shuffling and catchy sing along song make this a memorable opening number.
I love the Muay Thai descending elbows which fit the heavy drum sound perfectly, empowering our participants to success.
We have no time to rest between the upper body warmup and the lower body warmup. No Kata eases into the kicks. We just transition immediately from upper to lower.
The first move is the Shoot Lunge which I have to say is not the most popular move among my participants. And they have said so. However it’s a hell of a good way to warm up the legs quickly. The only problem I have with the Shoots in the warmup is that they do not appear in the rest of the track. I prefer to see moves previewed in the warmup tracks which feature in the power or combat tracks later in the release. However this is a minor quibble.
Musically it disappointed me on first listen but it’s a real grower. In fact it gets under your skin. The balancing roundhouse kicks, all 16 of them, are a real challenge testing balance and muscle endurance. The exercises are relentless as the body is on the move for the entire track with out a break.
If you’ve taught Body Combat for a several years you will recognise the song. It last appeared in Body Combat release number 30. Two very simple boxing combinations, first performed individually, combine at the end for a relentless shoulder blast. A very upbeat song with sing along lyrics and lots of opportunities to interact with the class participants.
And so to Capoeira. Here is a first. I can remember when Dan and Rachael first introduced Capoeira to Body Combat, people were resistant to this unique martial arts style. I can remember people threatening to boycott classes unless I dumped the Ginga.
I’m sure some of them had “Dump the Ginga” T-Shirts.
For the first time, some of my participants have revealed that this track is their best of the release. Yes that’s right! Finally a Caporeira track voted most favourite. We’ve crossed the line. Many years of hard work have led to the point where this Brazilian martial art tops the charts.
As an instructor this was a difficult track to teach. Catching the first beat of the song by stepping on the right leg for the first ginga is essential otherwise the entire track can fall apart. Once mastered however it flows together perfectly.
Track 5 – Power training 2 – Cold As Ice (Weaver and Suae Intro Mix) – East Coast Masif
An epic power track. More like a track eight than a track five because of the long section of powerful punches towards the end. This leaves participants breathless but uplifted at the same time.
Track 6 – Combat 3 – Action – Score And The Finger
Here’s another track which has appeared in Body Combat before. The original Def Leppard version of Action featured in release 29. This is a very passable cover version of the song with a very strong karate feel to it. The lyrics are very quotable.
Another track which is difficult to teach simply because the moves are so fast and furious and the musical cues are hidden beneath an onslaught of bass beats and drums. A long track, endlessly tiring, endlessly energetic with the “It’s a Fight” theme running through it.
And they do sing, “Busting Heads. Busting Heads.” Don’t they?
You seriously need to remember to breathe during this track. But even when you remember, it’s still difficult because there is so much happening in terms of physical moves and information to give to your participants.
For the last few years track eights have been distinctive by their length. They often last up to eight or nine minutes. This, therefore, is one of the shortest track eights we have had for a while. However it’s fast and powerful with an extremely catchy chorus. I cannot help singing along to the words and neither can my participants. And of course as always it culminates in a shoulder blasting jab fest right at the end. This to me is a perfect ending to the main cardio phase.
Dan and Rachael often include rap tracks for our conditioning. “People Like Us” provides a welcome change. A great pop ballad from Kelly Clarkson. But it’s still tough. Two rounds of crunches followed by an extensive round of single press ups and shoulder taps which annihilate the shoulders and tighten up the core. This is one of my favourite core conditioning tracks for many releases.
Karate Kata
Track 10 – Cool down – Till I Collapse – The Junkyard Scoller
And finally a longer than normal cool down which manages to distil all the different sensations and feelings from the entire release into one strong Karate Kata which we repeat several times during the song. This has a perfect martial arts feel and to my mind ends the release on a martial arts high.
I have taught Les Mills body combat release 58 for three weeks now. Classes are rammed full, participants love the music and the moves and its popularity shows no sign of waning.
Despite my first misgivings about the music quality, this one has definitely turned out to be one of the best releases ever.
Now it’s your turn: Do you agree with my review of Les Mills body combat release 58. Are you a participant? Do you agree that this is a tough workout? Are you an instructor? How has this release gone down in your clubs? Please leave a comment or a link to your own review and share your thoughts.
