Bodyjam: The music made me do it

The following post is perhaps something quite different than you're used to see from me, but this topic has played a big part in my life for a while now hence I'd like to share it. :) Not to mention it's been ages since I posted something!

BodyJam has been an addiction of mine (and still is) for almost 5 years now. It has made me more confident, more open and more conscious of my body. It gave me tons of new friends, both young and old, whom are continously motivating me to have fun and be myself. It helps me to forget all my worries when I'm down, or vent my frustration when I'm angry. It gives me a sense of rhythm and a sense of unity... In a way, BodyJam has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

But what is BodyJam? BodyJam is one of the many fitness courses by Les Mills, a fitness community originating from New-Zealand, and is a 55 minute-long dance workout to the hippest music styles and the coolest choreography. Before you say "Hey, this sounds a lot like Zumba", I'd like to point out that Les Mills has been around since 1968 and has gone international on 1997 and whereas the effects and choreography of Zumba differs from instructor to instructor, Bodyjam has a more set choreography that works in an entirely different way.

Let's break it down

A BodyJam workout varies from release to release due to the different approach of music in each new release. These releases change around every 3 months with a new choreography and a new tracklist. House, techno, disco, rock, hip-hop, jazz, salsa, merengue, ... BodyJam has it all.

A typical class starts with easy moves and a simple warm-up to get in the groove, next comes a build up where you rehearse the moves one by one and piece them together into a choreography, and finally you break out in a full performance! After that you can take a breather with a recovery track, although not for long because the second phase is usually even more intense. The lesson ends with a fun groove down where you can stretch your tired arms and legs, because that's what they'll definately be after you're done! ;)

So there you have it, I hope to be able to write a little review when the next release is around corner, from the looks of it it's going to be a blast!