Total Workload And Energy Expenditure During And After A Bodypump Session In Overweight Women

Abstract

PURPOSE: Resistance training is part of the physical activity recommendations for overweight and obese individuals, and the health- and fitness industry is a popular venue to perform resistance training. Group exercise sessions, like BodyPump, is a popular alternative with over 5 million participants weekly, as well as individual heavy load resistance training. BodyPump is a high-repetition low- to moderate load session, claimed to burn up to 540 calories each session. The purpose of this study was to estimate total exercise workload and energy expenditure during a one-hour session with BodyPump, and to compare these outcomes with a time-matched session of traditional individual heavy load resistance training. METHODS: Eighteen previously untrained, overweight women participated in the study (mean age 36.4 years ±10.1, BMI 29.8 kg/m2 ±4.6), ten exercising BodyPump and eight heavy resistance training (8 repetition maximum [RM] x 3 set). Exercise workloads were estimated by multiplying load (kg) x repetitions x sets, and energy expenditure was assessed with indirect calorimetry, during the sessions. RMR was estimated before and twice after the sessions (-20 min and 120-140 min). RESULTS: The participants exercising BodyPump lifted significantly more loads than the heavy resistance training group (19485 kg ±2258 vs 15616 kg ±2976, p=0.006), while the energy expenditure was similar with 302 kcal ±67 in BodyPump and 289 kcal ±69 in the heavy resistance training group (p=0.69). With no group differences, RMR 0–20 min post-exercise increased by 31% after BodyPump, and 27% after heavy resistance training. CONCLUSION: One session of BodyPump resulted in a higher total workload compared to traditional heavy load resistance training. In contrast, the energy expenditure during exercise and changes in RMR were similar between the groups. With a modest energy expenditure of approximately 300 calories, the women did not reach the claimed energy costs during a BodyPump session.