BODYCOMBAT 40 | NZ Glen : BodyCombat fanatic

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BODYCOMBAT 40 Review

Posted by: nzglen on: May 21, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT
13 Comments

Well it’s that time, I finally feel like I know BODYCOMBAT 40 well enough to write my opinion on it. Apologies for the delay in writing this – I actually went to write it two weeks ago… BUT, I held off a little as like every release it’s definitely grown on me a lot; although I did love the filming (heaps!) my enthusiasm actually waned slightly at first – but now it’s right back up there again (phew!).

Being that this release is the tenth birthday of combat D&R have tried to include a wider range of strikes and blocks – and that’s definitely the case. There’s lower blocks, mid-blocks, outer leg blocks, knife strikes, open palm blocks… the list goes on. This release also features the return of the esquiva, and the jump kick (in the same track even!)

Anyway, here’s a play by play (note this is only my personal opinion – feel free to disagree!)

Upper body warmup: Layla (Caribbean Mix) – DJ U Hey vs DJ Minagawa

Great start to the release. Uplifting track – a dance remix of Eric Clapton’s original track with the backing vocals “put your hands up in the air, put your hands up in the air!”. Unusually the upper body warmup features the outer leg block, and is done entirely in front stance (meaning no left right changes with the jabs/uppers/hooks). Loads of performance opportunities with the air guitar (of course!) – really like this track.

Lower body warmup: Hot n Cold – Katy Perry

As much as I hate to admit it I like this track too! Mega cheesy pop song but again loads of performance opportunities and a chance to have some fun with the entire class. Truth be told I’m just happy we have a release with no Rogue Traders!

Combat 1: I Know Kung Fu – Shitdisco

I couldn’t stand this track when I first did it but it’s really grown on me. Loads of knees and knife strikes, as well as the roundhouse challenge (low kick then high without touching your foot to the ground) – great for the ol’ leg conditioning. If you’ve seen the DVD you’ll see what a great job Hernan does in presenting it. I’ve tried his Bruce Lee impressions “waaaaaaaaaa!!!” and I just can’t pull it off – the class look at me like I’m mental!

Power training 1: Sweetheart (Squad-E Remix) – Rezonance-Q

LOOOOVE this track! Was a real stand out for me right from the start. The chorey and level changes match the music perfectly. The entire track builds into a huge final combo (double upper – speed ball) where you can really drive your “opponent” through the ceiling and hit maximum cardio output. This is one of those tracks that gets a round of applause every time it’s taught. Possibly my favourite track 3 ever!!! Highlight of the release.

Combat 2:
4a. Power Of The Mind – Headhunterz

Quite a dark track (similar in feel to We Will Survive from BC37). Super simple chorey (two side kicks, outer knee block, front kick all same leg) and to be honest possibly goes on a tad too long. The timing is a little odd to get off the bat but probably only the first couple times you try it. Really not much more to it! Track 4 actually starts with this track right hand side (RHS), then goes to 4b RHS, then 4b LHS then back to this track LHS.

4b. Tubthumping (Everybody Handz Up In Japan Remix) – Hi End Attack

Tubthumping is back! (well it was in BC6!) This track features both the esquiva and then the jump kick. Basically prepare for pain!! Hammers the legs – especially if you concentrate on really lengthening your esquivas right out and pulsing on each one. Hammers one side before restarting and hammering the other and then going back to track 4a. Again, quite repetitive – and not my favourite track. As a side note for those of you that are big esquiva fans as the esquiva is in track 4 you could actually have two esquiva tracks in the same class if you wanted to! (but seriously are you fricken crazy?!)

Power training 2: Tutti Frutti – Mike Hardy & The KooladeSingers

Hmmm… not sure I’m loving this 50’s revival trend in the last couple combat releases. Structurally very similar to Johnny B. Goode from BC39 – effectively lots of identical rounds of chorey. Loads of performance opportunities with the “ooooo”. I enjoyed this track at the filming but I think it could possibly be one of the first to be subbed out when instructors start mixing. Others may feel differently perhaps?

Combat 3: Burn It To The Ground – Nickelback

Well, track 6 aint a recovery in this release that’s for sure! As per usual we have the back kick – however it’s not the “feature move” of the track as we’ve had in the past. This is another track that’s really grown on me. The combos flow really well and fit the music – I especially like the last hook-knee combo – if you really drive the knee and hip you can burn a monstrous amount of calories with this one.

Muay Thai: Speed – Atari Teenage Riot

In general the muay thai for the me is the climax of the class. It’s where my heart rate peaks and I really go balls to the wall knowing that there’s no kicks in the last cardio track. However this muay thai for me disappoints. The chorey is okay – you can really launch your entire body on the rear descending elbows – but the music. Uggg… I can’t stand it. And it definitely lacks the intensity of the muay thai’s of the past. I haven’t had a chance to wear my heart rate monitor to grab a fair comparison to previous releases but I suspect my heart rate/caloric expenditure doesn’t reach anywhere near that of most other muay thai tracks. HOWEVER… as I pointed out this release doesn’t really have a recovery track – so perhaps this was intentional? That is if we did have a Party non stop or Hardcore paradise type muay thai we may see members keeling over from exhaustion! Guess we’ll find out when we start mixing (he says in his evilest voice!!)

Power training 3: Set you free (Hixxy Remix) – N-trance

LOVE it. Fantastic end to the cardio portion of the release. Every class has wooped and cheered during this track. Work the levels and send your fitness levels sky high. What the muay thai lacked this track makes up for!

Conditioning: Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne

Second release in a row we’ve had no crunches – but we do have the plank and the “komodo dragon” (simple move bringing your knee to elbow working the core). First half of the track has loads of pressups – including the challenge portions on your toes. Decent conditioning track and decent song. 🙂

Cooldown: Use Somebody – Kings of Leon

Love the music and love the chorey. Nice simple soft kata that doesn’t require much thought or co-ordination for participants (unlike the kata from 39 which did take some a couple classes to get right). Beautiful end to the release.

So… all and all a solid release and one that rates a solid 8 out of 10 in my books. To my mind not quite a BC38 in terms of fun but a decent length (56 minutes I believe off the top of my head) and given there’s no real recovery tracks you’ll definitely get a decent workout! I’ll post some pics from our big local release later in the week – it’ll be a blast! If you haven’t done it yet then it’s certainly something to be excited about. Enjoy!

Tags: BODY COMBAT, BODYCOMBAT, BODYCOMBAT 40, BODYCOMBAT REVIEW, GYM STUFF, LES MILLS

Celebrating 10 years of BODYCOMBAT

Posted by: nzglen on: May 12, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT
6 Comments

The video above is the promo vid shown at the BODYCOMBAT 40 filming. It starts with the original choreographers (Nathan and Gaby) who did the first 20 releases, followed by the legendary D&R. The soundtrack has been changed as youtube keeps removing it due to licensing concerns (not quite sure how that works!) – but it’s still a great vid. My review of BC40 will follow in the coming days – in the meantime enjoy!

BODYCOMBAT 40 Sizzler

Celebrate 10 years of your favorite Martial Arts-inspired program with BODYCOMBAT® 40! A great mix of Martial Arts disciplines will ensure you’re challenged both physically and mentally with a larger variety of Strikes and Blocks to really keep you on your toes. There’s a great mix of old and new styles of music with a couple of bring-backs, a nod to the past and a hint of the future.

By the time you reach Track 2, you’ll have experienced Kick-boxing, Karate and Tae Kwon Do, and you’ll be ready to pull out your best Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan impersonations to I Know Kung-Fu. The Boxing ring reckons in Track 3 before your legs are challenged in Track 4 with three conditioning blocks – first the Kick KATA followed by the Esquiva, then the Jump Kick is unleashed. Let loose and have fun in Track 5 with Tutti Frutti but don’t be fooled by the sing along nature of the song – you’ll be firing up the energy and throwing some power shots.

Refocus your technique and re-center in Track 6 to Nickelback’s Burn It To The Ground before the onslaught that is Track 7. Speed by name, speed by nature – you’ll be unleashed in the Descending Elbow Sequence. There’s one goal in Track 8 and that’s to completely empty the tank – you’ll punch until you can’t punch any more. In Track 9 there’s a new move – the Komodo Dragon. It’ll challenge your core to the max but fear not – recovery is near with soft KATAs to Kings Of Leon’s hit Use Somebody. Stay with the fight!

Tags: BODY COMBAT, BODYCOMBAT, BODYCOMBAT 40, GYM STUFF, LES MILLS

2009-2 Les Mills tracklists

Posted by: nzglen on: April 27, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT | BODYPUMP
9 Comments

BODYCOMBAT 40

1a. Layla (Caribbean Mix) – DJ U Hey vs DJ Minagawa
1b: Hot n Cold – Katy Perry
2. I Know Kung Fu – Shitdisco
3. Sweetheart (Squad-E Remix) – Rezonance-Q
4a. Power Of The Mind – Headhunterz
4b. Tubthumping (Everybody Handz Up In Japan Remix) – Hi End Attack
5. Tutti Frutti – Mike Hardy & The KooladeSingers
6. Burn It To The Ground – Nickelback
7. Speed – Atari Teenage Riot
8: Set you free (Hixxy Remix) – N-trance
9: Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne
10. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon

BODYPUMP 70

Warmup: Don’t Leave me with the Light On – Danzel
Squats: It’s All Your Fault – Pink
Chest: Infinity 2008 – Guru Josh Project
Back: True Believer – E-Type
Triceps: Keeps Gettin’ Better – Christine Aguilera
Biceps: Gotta Be Somebody – Nickelback
Lunges: Raindrops (Encore Une Fois) – Sash! feat. Stunt
Shoulders: Thunderstruck – Hinder
Abdominals: Love Lockdown – Kanye West
Cooldown: If I Were A Boy – Beyonce

BODYATTACK 65

1. Everywhere – Master Blaster
2. That’s Not My Name – Kopy Katz
3. Baby I’m On Fire – DJ Razorsharp
4. Tubthumping – Smash & Grab
5. I Don’t Care – Fall Out Boy
6. Rhythm Of The Night – Amber Luck
7. Don’t Want To Go To Bed Now – Southern Light
8. True Faith – Kelly Duncan
9. Jump – Tony Moroni & The HardOutCrew
10. Sneakernight – Vanessa Hudgens
11. Pokerface – Lady Gaga
12. The Best Is Yet To Come – Hinder

BODYSTEP 76

1a. In the Air – MCX & PI
1b. Twight Zone – Body Tronixx
2. Keeps Gettin’ Better – Christina Aguilera
3. Step Back in Time – Global Nation feat. Simone F
4. Start It – Annie Lee
5. Space Jam – Tone Tonic
6. Venus Or Mars – East Blokk
7. Up (Wideboy’s Remix) – The Saturday’s
8. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) – Freakmaster
9. The Time Warp – Karamelody
10. Walkin In the Neon – Arms of Dub
11a. Planet Claire – Tecnologik
11b. 21st Century Life – Sam Sparro
12. Space – The Pussycat Dolls

BODYBALANCE 45 / BODYFLOW 45

1. Hyenas – Moby
2. It’s Amazing – Jem
3. Crack The Shutters – Snow Patrol
4. Against All Odds – Mariah Carey feat. Westlife
5. Apple Of My Eye – Dolores O’Riordan
6. Funhouse – Pink
7. Shattered (Turn The Car Around) – O.A.R
8a. You Make It Real – James Morrison
8b. Ave Maria – Beyonce
9. Look No Further – Dido
10. Gymnopedie No.1 – Angela Brownridge
11. An Ending (Ascent) – Brian Eno

BODYJAM 49 ／ BODYJAM 49+

1. Sandcastle Disco – Freemasons Remix
2. Shakeup The Party – Joy Enriquez
3. Loaded – Ricky Martin
4. Robo Cop – Kanye West
5. Party Like A Rock Star -Shop Boyz
6. One Night Only (Disco Version) – Anika Noni Rose, Beyonce Knowles & Sharon Leal
7. Turnin’ Me On Kerri Wilson feat. Lil Wayne
8. Return the Favour – Kerri Wilson feat. Timberland
9. You Got Me Burning Up! 2008 – Cevin Fisher feat. Loleatta Holloway
10. 3 minutes to explain – Fedde Le Grand & Funkerman
11. Womaniser (Benny Benassi Mix) – Britney Spears
12. See You In My Nightmares feat. Lil Wayne – Kayne West

BODYVIVE 11

1. Finally – CeCe Peniston
2. Jump – Van Halen
3. Livin’ La Vida Loca – Ricky Martin
4. She Works Hard For The Money – Dona Summer
5. Mony Mony – Billy Idol
6. Rise – Herb Alpert
7. Theme From New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
8. Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys
9. Don’t Cha – The Pussycat Dolls
10. Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr
11. The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
12. Diamonds & Pearls – Prince

RPM 43

1. Closer – Ne-Yo
2. Hot n Cold – Katy Perry
3. Spaceman – The Killers
4. Take Back The City – Snow Patrol
5. VooDoo People – Prodigy
6. In The Darkness – Darude
7. Cry For You – September
8. Broken Strings – James Morrison feat. Nelly Furtado
9. Love Is A Losing Game – Amy Winehouse

BODYCOMBAT 40 tracklist

Posted by: nzglen on: April 22, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT
20 Comments

Well here it is! Note a couple of the links aren’t the exact mixes (specifically track 4b and 5 – but you’ll get the idea). Enjoy!

Tags: BODY COMBAT, BODYCOMBAT, BODYCOMBAT 40, BODYCOMBAT TRACKLIST, GYM STUFF, LES MILLS

BODYCOMBAT 40 Sizzler

Posted by: nzglen on: March 31, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT
5 Comments

Hernan in the latest BC poster

Tags: BODY COMBAT, BODYCOMBAT, BODYCOMBAT 40, BODYCOMBAT SIZZLER, GYM STUFF, LES MILLS

BODYCOMBAT 40 DVD filming

Posted by: nzglen on: February 3, 2009

In: BODYCOMBAT
38 Comments

Right, before I begin let me start by saying I had a fricken fantastic night. I really enjoyed this class – now, slight disclaimer here: This may be because I am probably in the best place personally I’ve ever been in my life and I’m so deliriously happy that it would probably be impossible for me not to have had fun. So – I’ll try and write about the release objectively – but bear in mind I may have slightly rose tinted glasses on! Review follows:

What a night! Finally got home last night about half midnight (the filmings were all running late) so I’m pretty shattered today – but I promised you guys an update and some pics so here ya go (by the way – I tend to upload more pics and get them up slightly faster to facebook so if you’re not on join and add me as friend)

We were never actually specifically told what the official “theme” for this release was – but since this is the 10th birthday of BODYCOMBAT it’s a fairly safe bet that that is the theme. There was a heavy push on the international flavour of BC so perhaps that was it… regardless it was obvious from the start that this release was all about one big combat party! Presenters were D&R, Hernan and Tanya Walker from the UK (she looked fricken AMAZING!!!! Her abs were literally the star of the show! – see pics)

Okay, so important stuff first: Overall I really enjoyed this release – a lot more than BODYCOMBAT 39 actually. It’s complexity is a little higher than 39 (well, that wouldn’t be hard at all!), but again we have no evasive side kicks, no jump knees and no gingas. The esquiva is back – and unusually it’s in track 4 (which means all you esquiva fans could do two esquiva tracks per class when you start mixing if you really wanted too! – let me say you won’t see that happening in my classes – ouch!). Track 4 sees the jump kick as well – it’s a pretty cool esquiva – lunge – knee (or was it a outer knee block?) – jump kick combo which was hard but no where near as hard as the lunge kick combo from No Good in BC38.

Okay so music wise (and yay I’ve done A LOT better job at remembering the tracks from last night than I did at the 39 filming – again that wouldn’t be hard I only remembered 2 after that one!) – let’s see (I’ll link to these on youtube a bit later right now I wanna get this thing published before I have to race off and teach another class in half an hour…)

Bear in mind these are from memory so I may be wrong but at this stage this is what I can remember right off the bat (note this has been updated since and is current to March 30 2009) :

1a. Layla (Caribbean Mix) – DJ U Hey vs DJ Minagawa
1b: Hot n Cold – Katy Perry
2. I Know Kung Fu – Shitdisco
3. Sweetheart (Squad-E Remix) – Rezonance-Q
4a. –
4b. Tubthumping – Chumbawamba
5. Tutti Frutti – Little Richard
6. Burn It To The Ground – Nickelback
7. Speed –
8: Set you free (Hixxy Remix) – N-trance
9: Let it Rock – Kevin Rudolf
10. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon

Hey I didn’t do too badly!!! 🙂 I can’t recall track 2 (yay got track 2 now thanks to Raina’s help!), 3 or 6 at this stage – can anyone help?? Again thanks to Raina’s fantastic memory we can recall that track 3 had the words ‘You can be my sweet heart’ – Tanya said Hernan thought it was ‘You can be my sweetcorn’ – and to be fair it did sound like that! 🙂

Highlight for me was track 6 (and that’s odd because track 6 is usually one of my least favs). Track 5 was great too – TONNES of performance opportunities with the Tutti Fruitti “a-whap-bap-ba-loo-bap a-whap-bam-boo!” (with everyone in the room throwing their arms up on the “WHOOOO!”) – felt a little like BODYATTACK but heck that’s forgivable in a track 5. It had loads of jump jabs going forward and shuffling back. As I mentioned above track 4 is a rock track with an esquivas/lunge/jump kick combo on the right hand side, which then goes into tubthumping in the middle – before going back into the rock track for the esquiva combo on the left (think a la We Will Survive from BC37).

The Muay Thai was probably the only track that perhaps was a little disappointing, the song was good (“Speed” – no idea who it was by but could be Nick Skitz or similar) but the chorry/music simply did not hold a candle to BC39’s muay thai. It was literally just knees and descending elbows (addition – there were some streetbrawler downward punches in there too actually now I think about it). I found it one of the easiest Muay Thais I’ve done (if not THE easiest). Track 8 was a blast (in fact I’d have to say out of the last 5 or 6 releases the only track 8 I haven’t liked is Good to me – they are always a climatic end to the workout)!

No crunches in the conditioning track again (weird two releases in a row) but again we have the hover and a new move the “komodo dragon” (think press up position bringing your knee to elbow). Cool down was beautiful (love the song “Use Somebody”) and has a lovely soft kata to lower the heartrate. Fantastic end to the workout.

Tracks 2 and 3 have completely slipped my mind at this stage (which probably means they weren’t bad nor fantastic) – I recall thinking they were both solid tracks.

As for my theories? Well, they were all waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off base! There was no gingas at all (let alone a change in technique!), no switch roundhouses and no circuit track addition. But, let me qualify that by saying I did say we could expect those changes at release 40 or 41 – so luckily I have bought myself 3 more months before I’m eating my own words 😉

The filming itself (although running late) went without a hitch. They had a cool overhead camera present that swept across the heads of all the participants and will look awesome on the DVD itself. The only, ahem, “hiccup” came during the conditioning when the track had to be restarted from the top… ouch! You may or may not see in the DVD (depending on how cunning the editing is) Rach actually stopping early – but bear in mind they’d literally done the track twice so you can hardly blame her! Tanya took this track and powered through – it’s just testimony to what a fantastic job she did – in my mind she really stole the show!

Overall, a great release. Nothing new (save the “komodo dragon” I guess), nothing revolutionary but a decent workout and not totally basic chorry as was the case with 39. IMO the release is definitely not as hard as 38 nor 37 for example – no killer kick katas with 200 or more kicks but I think a solid release. I’ll add more to this as it occurs to me – look forward to your comments! Pics follow!