Body Pump Weight

January 2012                                                               April 2012
1-Warmup= 7 kg.       15.5 lbs.                          1= 9 kg.        20 lbs.
2-Squats= 12 kg.        26.5  lbs.                         2= 17 kg.       37.5 lbs.
3-Chest= 10 kg.          22 lbs.                             3= 12 kg.       26.5 lbs.
4-Back= 10 kg.           22 lbs.                             4= 15 kg.       33 lbs
5-Triceps= 7 kg.         15.5 lbs                           5= 10 kg.       22 lbs.
6-Biceps= 7 kg.          15.5 lbs                           6= 10 kg.       22 lbs.
7-Lunges= 10 kg.       22  lbs.                            7= 12 kg.       26.5 lbs.
8-Shoulders= 5 kg.     12 lbs.                             8= 10 kg        22 lbs.
9- Abs= No weight                                             30 pushups on toes
10-Cooldown                                                      Max bench press= 95 lbs.
20 pushups on toes
Max bench press= 85lbs.

August 2012
1= 10 kg.     22lbs.
2= 20 kg.     44 lbs.
3= 12 kg.     26.5 lbs.
4= 15 kg.     33lbs.
5= 10 kg.     22 lbs.
6= 10 kg.     22 lbs.
7= 12 kg.     26.5 lbs.
8= 10 kg.     22 lbs.
35 pushups on toes
Max bench press= 105 lbs.

I know the weight may seem light, but just think each class packs in over 800 reps of various exercises, and each exercise/song is about 5 minutes long!  Yep, A LOT of squats!  lol

I have been keeping track of my lifts all year to see the progress I have made and I am glad that I did!
I am quite pleased with the strength gains I have made through teaching BodyPump 3x a week for 9 months now.  I am fitter, stronger, have more muscle endurance, and a lower body fat percentage (though the number on the scale is slightly more than before).  I even got definition in the upper abs this summer which was a total win. 

I've been pretty bummed out now that I'm pregnant and have had to drop the weight slightly in each category.  It's amazing how quickly I am now out of breath and how quickly my heart rate jumps up while teaching now too.  I feel I lost my fitness level almost over night!  But even though my squats are suffering with a mere 15 kg. now, I know it's temporary and look forward to regaining the strength I had. 

I'll never be skinny, but I love being fit and STRONG.  I love the challenge I get from each class I teach and I love pushing myself to be better, lift more, sweat more, do all my pushups on my toes, and go to my max.  Like I tell my class: If it doesn't CHALLENGE you, it doesn't CHANGE you!  So I move forward with this challenge, accepting the necessary extra sports bra to reign it all in, the extra effort required to teach and breathe, the changing body and weight gain, and the challenge that this year will bring to me physically, knowing a big change for our family is coming!