What is BodyJam?
Do you like to dance? Do you want to have fun while exercising, but don’t want a boring gym session? If that’s true in your case, BodyJam could be a great idea for you. Not sure what we’re talking about? We’ll tell you all about this latest trend in the fitness world in this article.
Maybe you don’t like weight training, or you’re bored with repetitive exercise routines? Or perhaps you’re looking for something to ease the tension and forget your worries, at least for an hour?
You might even want to become toned and listen to music while you exercise. If you identify with these scenarios, don’t hesitate to try out a BodyJam class, one of the latest trends in fitness.
BodyJam, train while you dance
Along general lines, BodyJam is a cardio fitness program that’s done to the rhythm of music. That’s right; while you enjoy dancing to different styles of music (such as hip hop, house, funky, Latin, techno, street dance, drum ‘n’ bass or trap), you can sweat and burn calories.
These training sessions last between 30 and 55 minutes, but generally a standard class is 50 minutes. Each class includes various types of dances.
The classes can have very varied music styles, but they all have something in common: they’re fast paced, dynamic, and above all, fun! You’re sure to have a great time, and you’ll be exercising to gain many health benefits from the cardio exercise.
Anyone can participate in a class of BodyJam. It doesn’t matter how old you are or if you know how to dance or not. Each person can exercise at their own pace and can gradually learn the steps and choreographies of the classes. No one will tell you that you’re moving too slowly or that you have to dance better!
What happens in a BodyJam class?
If you’re liking the idea of exercising while you dance and have fun, you might like to find out a little bit more about BodyJam classes. All the classes have a similar format, that is, they have a certain structure. What varies are the songs and the choreographies. Each class is divided into the following sections:
1. Warm up
This is fundamental to prepare the body for exercise. That’s why the warm up moves are simple and gentle. The warm up is a very important step to help you avoid injuries or pain after classes. That’s what a study concludes that Sports Medicine magazine published.
Basically, in the warm up you’ll find mobility exercises to warm up the joints and stretch out the muscles and ligaments. The music in this part of the class is gentle, but medium paced.
2. Choreographies
When you’ve warmed up and are ready for the real exercise, it’s time for the choreographies or dance moves. You’ll find a combination of steps and dances for different musical beats. The trainer will give the instructions and the members of the class will repeat what the instructor shows them.
The amount of different dances and songs will depend on how long the class goes for, and how long each song is. But normally the class will have between eight and ten songs, always with a rest of about one minute between songs for recovery time and so you can have a drink of water or dry yourself off a bit.
3. Specific exercises
In some classes, depending on what the BodyJam instructor directs, some special exercises for specific parts of the body may be included, such as specific exercises for the abs, for instance. You might also find exercises to strengthen the back or shoulder muscles. These are generally close to the end of the class.
4. Warm down/stretching
This step is almost as important as the warm up because it helps the body to relax. The warm down also reduces muscular tension and can help to prevent future pain or injuries, according to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
At the same time, according to the same source, stretching helps you to avoid post exercise muscle fatigue and reduces muscle spasms. So you’ll be in the perfect condition to come back again for the next class!
A final word on BodyJam
If you want to participate in a BodyJam class, it’s important that you go to either a gym or a center that has specialized BodyJam instructors. These professionals receive training on how to carry out the BodyJam program from the Les Mills company, a New Zealand based group. Their premise is that all of their professional instructors are trained and equipped to carry out the official routines and choreographies.
What about the equipment you’ll need? When you go to a class, you’ll just need good shoes and comfortable clothes, a bottle of water and a sweat towel. You won’t need any extra items; all of the exercises are designed using just your own body.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never danced before, you can just relax and have fun. You’ll have a great time, get to know new people and you’ll be able to go at your own pace. Each class is different so you’re sure to enjoy it, you won’t get bored. It might be just what you need to start exercising!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- BODYJAM® – Preguntas Frecuentes – http://www.lesmillsargentina.com.ar/programas/bodyjam/bodyjam-ventajas-para-los-gimnasios/
- Correr y Fitness – Body Jam, la alternativa perfecta para quemar calorías si odias la Zumba y los ritmos latinos – https://www.correryfitness.com/baile/body-jam-alternativa-perfecta-quemar-calorias-odias-zumba-ritmos-latinos_2017021358a180840cf2d2743df663ae.html
