How to Everything you need to know about Body Combat before entering your first class

If a few days ago we were talking about the Body Pump, the collective class that has managed to bring weight training closer to a large part of the population that did not even dream of training with external loads, today it is the turn of Body Combat, one of the most demanded cardiovascular training classes in gyms. Also created by the house of Les Mills, Body Combat combines fun training to the rhythm of music with movements that come from different contact sports such as Muay Thai or kickboxing to achieve a very entertaining class that puts our heartbeat to the limit. This is all you need to know about Body Combat before entering your first class. What is a Body Combat class like? Body Combat sessions consist of a 55-minute workout (although there are express classes of 30 or 45 minutes) with an aerobic base in which, through different choreographies, we work all the muscle groups of our body without the need for material, only with our body weight. The classes are structured in 10 different tracks or songs: the first one is dedicated to warming up our whole body, the last one to cooling down and stretching, and the songs that remain within the main part of the class make us work on each one of them. The large muscle groups through movements of boxing, kickboxing, capoeira, Muay Thai, and other disciplines. Like the other classes at Les Mills, Body Combat is a choreographed class: this means that there are a series of specific movements to the rhythm of the music that is repeated in all classes and that is marked by the teacher. The choreographies are changed approximately every three months with the consequent recycling by the teachers, so there is plenty of time to learn and enjoy them (in addition, the exercises are usually similar, changing order and rhythm). What are you going to work on in a Body Combat class? As we said, Body Combat classes are aerobic-based workouts that get our heart rate up in a very short time. Each track or song has a duration of between four and five minutes, during which we do not stop moving except for small breaks in which to catch our breath. The work is very complete, testing, through different movements, the musculature of our arms and shoulders (especially in the tracks that have boxing movements), our core, and our legs, especially in the capoeira tracks. And the like (I still remember the hellish track 4 of Body Combat issue 40, with a combination of kicks and capoeira to the beat of Tub thumping music that left you in shreds, and you weren't even halfway through the class yet). Many explosive and jumping movements also help us improve the power of our muscles, even if they are exhausting (but there is always an easy version for beginners). With all this, Body Combat classes become a fun and highly motivating workout with which we work our entire body, release stress and also have a great time. Some tips for your first Body Combat class It's your first class: don't despair because you don't know the choreography: I remember that the first time I entered, I thought, why did everyone know what to do except me? It is a matter of time and a little patience. Take a good look at how the teacher and your classmates do it, and in a few days, you will learn all the movements. Do I need bandages or gloves? They are by no means mandatory, but you can take boxing bandages or gloves if you want. Keep in mind that you will be hitting the air with your hands, without any resistance, and this is not ideal for the joints. Always control all movements and, if you want to use bandages because your wrists feel safer, go ahead. Your space, my space: Body Combat classes are usually packed to the brim, and it's very important that we respect each other's personal space and enforce our own. It is a class in which punches and kicks fly everywhere, and we must be aware of what is happening around us to avoid blows or injuries. Enjoy the little theatre: if you have been practicing Body Combat for a long time, you surely remember that track with the music of Pirates of the Caribbean in which during the first seconds we simulated pulling out a sword and hitting swords everywhere left and right. Thirty seconds of the theater gave you brutal energy to continue with the class: take advantage of that too. Water and a towel are essential: you are going to sweat. You are going to sweat a lot. That is why it is important, on the one hand, that you take with you a small towel with which you can at least clean your face (and have the same kind of paper to remove sweat from the floor and avoid slipping) and a bottle of water to hydrate yourself. During the class. Body Combat classes are very enjoyable and a perfect workout to combine with others such as Body Pump or Body Balance. Enjoy the training!