Les Mills Pump: Pump Challenge

Pump Challenge is up first so it’s what I did today. It’s about 20 minutes of actual work. Let me just start out by saying that I watched a couple of the Les Mills Pump DVDs over the weekend so I knew what was coming and when I watched the Pump Challenge workout I was thinking to myself…”hmmm…that doesn’t seem like much”. Well after actually DOING the workout, IT IS MUCH.

I was so excited to start the program that I woke up at 5:00am to do the workout. That is a first for me. I actually like the idea of getting up early and getting my workout done – I felt awesome for the rest of the day yesterday.

Muscle Soreness

I am feeling pretty sore today but to me, that’s a GOOD thing. I can feel it most in my shoulders and hamstrings which doesn’t surprise me one bit! Today is actually a rest day (really?! on the second day?!) but I think I might try to get some cardio in. I wouldn’t attempt another strength training workout today since I pretty much worked everything yesterday.

Weight I used: 20# total

What I Like About Les Mills Pump: Pump Challenge

• Great introduction to Les Mills Pump workouts
• Exercises were done at different tempos
• Music is good (I prefer rock/alternative and I didn’t mind these songs)
• Cues on the bottom of the screen
• It’s a quick, effective workout (~20 mins)
• If you have other standard plates with 1″ holes, they’ll fit on the Les Mills Pump bar! (Remember though, when using this bar use only up to #50 each side – which should be enough for a high rep workout like this one!)
• Perfect for beginners (if you’re advanced, add more weight to make it more challenging)

What I Didn’t Like About Les Mills Pump Challenge

Honestly, there wasn’t really anything I didn’t like. If I had to gripe about something, it’d be the music. However, this music is very true to Bodypump class workouts and I knew that going in so I can’t complain. And again, I prefer rock/alternative music and I still didn’t think it was too bad – at least not in the Pump Challenge workout. We’ll see what I think of the workouts that I’ve yet to do.

Overall I’m very excited to be doing this workout program and can’t wait to try the remaining workouts!

Wanna take the Les Mills Pump challenge?

Want more info? Feel free to click here to read my complete over of the Les Mills Pump Beachbody program.

Available for Purchase:

Basic Les Mills Pump

Deluxe Les Mills Pump

LMP Deluxe Upgrade

Ultimate Crosstraining Deluxe DVDs

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He loved the exercises and the fact that the workout was so challenging. I could tell he was a bit peeved because he definitely got burnt out by the end! He even told me he was surprised at how strong he is NOT. I reminded him that he’ll get stronger and to just wait and see how much his strength and muscular endurance improves by day 90!

This was him last night after getting his pull-up bar installed and ready to go:

REALLY can’t wait to see his “after” pics!

I’m actually thinking of doing this workout at some point. I think it’d really help me get strong enough to do pull-ups which is one of my fitness goals. And I’m not just talking about 1 pull-up, I mean a few! Like 10. That’d be perfect.

Have you ever tried P90X? What’d you think of it?

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It Really Must Be the Timing

Given my love of lifting weights, I really just think it’s bad timing for me. I’m just not into it as much as I feel like I should be. I don’t wanna do a workout and feel like I’m going through the motions. I think I’m just itching to start something new and different.

Lifting Six Days a Week?

I think the biggest problem I’m having is the fact that this workout involves lifting SIX days a week and the fact that they’re taking 60-90 minutes EACH. I used to get my strength training + HIIT workouts completed in an hour or less. I like fast.

The Program Itself is Great

Obviously if you’re looking to build muscle, this program will do that for you. A split like the one in LiveFit can only really guarantee strength gains! I’ve increased the weight on every single exercise. Plus I got to know a few new exercises that I hadn’t done before.

One of My Frustrations…

is the fact that this really is a “gym workout”. I knew that going in and decided to just substitute things but it got to the point where I’d be skipping 1-2 exercises per workout. Makes it hard to follow a specific program when you don’t have the machines required to perform the exercises in the program. I’m a home workout junkie and refuse to pay for a gym membership. To each their own, right?

My Future Workout Plans

I already know what workouts I’ll be doing in the new year, I’m just waiting for one of them to get delivered! My plan for now is to continue on to LiveFit phase 3 – which I started yesterday. I won’t be doing the workouts exactly as laid out though. I’m going to combine some things and add in supersets where I feel like to make them move along much faster than they have been.

Bottom line: GREAT program. That’s expected coming from a program designed by Jamie Eason! There is nothing “bad” about it. I feel it’s just not the best thing for me right now. I definitely liked Phase 2 better than Phase 1 though!

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Day 47 (Legs):

Day 48 (Back, Delts, Cardio):

Superset

Resume Normal Sets…

Cardio: P90X Cardio X

Day 49 (REST!):

No description required.

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Cardio: P90X Cardio X

LiveFit Trainer Day 46 Shoulder Workout:

• Arnold DB Press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#
• Seated, Bent-over Rear Deal Raise: 4 sets x 8 reps; 8#
• Standing Palm-in One-arm DB Press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 15#

Superset

• Front DB Raise: 4 sets x 8 reps; 8#
• Standing DB Upright Row: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#

Resume Regular Sets

• Side Lateral Raise: 4 sets x 8 reps; 8#
• Reverse Flyes: 4 sets x 8 reps; 5# (shoulders were tired by this time! will use 8# next time)

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Day 45 Chest, Abs Cardio Workout:

• Barbell Bench Press (medium-grip): 1 set x 8 reps; 35#
• Reverse Triceps Bench Press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 35#
• Cable Crossover (w/bands): 4 sets x 8 reps

Superset

• Dumbbell Flyes: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#
• Dumbbell Bench Press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 15#

Superset

• Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#
• Parallel Bar Dips: 4 sets x 8 reps

Ab Circuit

• Weighted Crunch: 3 sets x 25 reps; 8# DB
• Lying Leg Raise: 3 sets x 15 reps
• Reverse Crunch:  3 sets x 15 reps

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*No cardio today*

Day 44 Leg Workout:

• Narrow stance squats: 4 sets x 15 reps; 45# (this was supposed to be 2 light sets then 2 heavy sets but I couldn’t add plates to the bar because I couldn’t find the locking collars – so I just did the 45# bar)
• Barbell step-ups: 4 sets x 8 reps; 20#
• Double lunges (down, up, down): 4 sets x 8 reps; 35# (these were tough!)
• Single-leg squat: 4 sets x 8 reps; 35#
• Standing calf raises: 3 sets x 20 reps, 45# (last set to failure – 33 reps)
• Leg extensions: 3 sets x 10 reps; 45# (last set to failure – 15 reps)

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On the workout for today, Jamie posted a calculator (which I’ve also posted here on my blog) that will help determine how many calories you should be eating to meet your goals. I used this calculator earlier this summer and it worked PERFECTLY. I made it to my goal weight within a matter of weeks. I pretty much still eat the same way but I still plan on tracking calories.

If you’re into tracking calories – or you wanna start – you can join me over at MyFitnessPal, user ID: Missmelinda. You can friend me so we can motivate and encourage each other – whether you’re doing LiveFit Trainer or some other fitness program. Doesn’t matter at all!

*On Wednesday of this week I’m gonna do a post on how to customize your goals in your MyFitnessPal profile.

Arms, Abs, Cardio Workout – Day 43:

My printer is giving me attitude so I’ll be typing my workouts manually until I can figure it out. Thanks for understanding! Also, I wanted to get through this workout quickly so I pretty much supersetted everything and did the ab exercises as a circuit.

• Narrow push-ups: 4 sets x 15 reps; lots on my knees this time!
• Seated triceps press: 4 sets x 8 reps; 8# DB

Superset

• One-arm triceps extension: 3 sets x 8 reps; 8#
• One-arm reverse grip pushdown: 3 sets x 8 reps – skipped

Superset

• Skullcrushers: 3 sets x 8 reps; 25#
• Close-grip bench: 3 sets x 8 reps; 35#

Superset

• Incline DB curl: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#
• DB alternate bicep curl: 4 sets x 8 reps; 10#

Regular set

• Barbell curls (21′s): 2 sets x 21 reps; 20#

Abdominal Exercise Circuit

• Crunches: 3 sets x 25 reps
• DB crunch: 3 sets x 15 reps; 8# DB
• Reverse crunch: 3 sets x 15 reps
• Repeat 2 more x

Cardio: P90X Cardio X

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I keep forgetting to write down the weight for my negative bench press set. It was 35#. Negative sets are a little different. My husband helps me with them and they make me giggle. Seriously. I’ve never done negative sets before so I’m not accustomed to them but they’re definitely interesting.

Cardio: P90X Cardio X (I did cardio earlier in the day than my workout so I forgot to note it on the log)

LiveFit Trainer Day 37 Workout:

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Cardio: P90X Cardio X + 30 minutes on treadmill (running)

LiveFit Day 36 Back + Cardio Workout:

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