LES MILLS BODYJAM 69: BORN TO RAGE

Les Mills Bodyjam 69 hit most clubs over the weekend on 14 June 2014, earlier than the usual quarterly releases. The 69th release since its first debut, 8 years ago in Quarter 2, 1997 was launched at the Paradigm Mall by Fitness First and at Kenanga International Building by Truefitness. We missed the launching on Saturday being stucked with work errands but made all effort to try out the new release on Sunday which we did. So this will be my first review on a dance class.

I have to say, my stint period with BodyJam classes had drew me passionately involved with the program. I am a sucker for good programs and Gandalf Archer, the program director is what Chief Brabon is to Bootcamp. Awesome beyond description. While Chief's bootcamp ignite and awakes every muscle in your body, Les Mills Body Jam triggered every senses your body can accustom. It is not just about moving the body to the beat but it initiated our brain senses to music. It changes your mood almost instantly no matter how lousy your day was.

WEEKEND BODYJAMMING

I recently had an overdue cup of coffee with a former high school friend whom was also my university mate at the Buckingham University, UK and updated each other with our long lost years. We used to share school bus together when we first started high school in BBBSS. He was a year older and was actually quite active in sports during youth and I was what people call 'kaki bangku' being very inactive having had to go in and out of hospital for CML. Now, he said he can barely pass level 3 stress test and I am a bootcamper.

To get him excited with abit of exercise since he felt Bootcamp is abit too strenuous, I invited him and his wife to join us at BODYJAM class this weekend. BODYJAM is actually Anny's passion and I was sucked in to have an activity with her which I do not mind at all. Being abit rusty having retired from clubbing  nightlife for almost a decade, I managed to follow the choreographed moves after a few months. BODYJAM now became my weekend activity. Of course, in addition to the Chief's Original Bootcamp!! Bootcamp gives me the energy to dance. Bodyjam allow me to feel the emotional express and self expression.

So what is BODYJAM? BODYJAM is a +Les Mills 55 minutes cardio workout program. It is an addictive fusion of the latest dance styles and hottest new sounds that emphasize as much on having fun as on breaking a sweat. New BODYJAM class is produced every three months with new music and choreography. Each new class is with a different dance experience base on the latest trend and style. The latest is BODYJAM 68. When a new release is launched it will be repeated for 1 month and this is useful for beginners like me to start and follow the choreographed moves. After the first month of repeating the same release, the instructors are allowed to mix the releases to his or the member's liking. 

There are 12 tracks in a class and the remix usually comprised of 3 isolation songs, the next block of 3 songs are mixtures of Salsa, Zumba, Trance, hip hop, house music etc. Then there is a short water break and the class continues with the second block of a faster hip hop, house or trance music with a higher intensity workout.