If you are gearing up to start a personal fitness program, a novice instructor trying to figure out which fitness program is best for you or a business developer learning more about the fitness industry, this series may be useful. The fitness industry is flooded with brands. There are infomercials, flyers, posters, mailings, you name it. What does it all mean? What are all of these products and programs? More importantly who are the people behind the brands? In my series “The People Behind the Brands”, I will be searching the fitness land to find out. This month I am focusing on the Les Mills® Brand and it would only be fitting to begin the series with their most popular program BODYPUMP®.
BODYPUMP® is a 60-minute weighted bar workout set to music. It is available in over 12,000 fitness facilities in the world. BODYPUMP® classes are designed to challenge all of the major muscle groups including exercises such as squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast! The LES MILLS® programs are prechoreographed and therefore a new BODYPUMP® release is taught by a qualified instructor every three months with new music and choreography. But remember, this isn’t merely about BODYPUMP® but rather to get to know the People behind the Brand.
Glen Ostergaard has spent the last five years as the Program Director for BODYPUMP® and has worked with Les Mills since 1993.
Meet and get to know Glen Ostergaard in this Q&A:
Q: What does your work as BODYPUMP® Program Director involve?
Ostergaard: I create the choreography for the release then work with Les Mills’ creative director to smooth it out and get the right musical feel which includes liaising with the music team. Once this is sorted, I work with BODYPUMP® training director, Susan Renata, and our technical advisors to finalize the coaching and technique. Put simply, I do whatever it takes to make sure each new release blows peoples’ minds! Once the release is developed, it’s off to film it and then unleash it on the world, training instructors globally in how to best deliver the release. The better the instructors know the releases, the better they will be able to teach them.
Q: Why did you get into this line of work?
Ostergaard: I always had an interest in sport. I’ve been weight training ever since my Dad gave me my first training system when I was 16 and it’s been a natural progression from there, joining Les Mills as an instructor after I finished uni.
Q: What attracted you specifically to BODYPUMP®?
Glen Ostergaard after his additional program RPM(r)
Ostergaard: BODYPUMP® is great because it delivers fast results and, as I am former personal trainer, I know how important results are for people! It’s great to be able to coach a wide variety of people as opposed to individual clients, and I love the energy of a group fitness class. BODYPUMP® is great because it complements so many other fitness programs and sports – it has such a wide appeal that you can’t really find fault with it! I am also the program director for RPM® which is Les Mills’ cycling-based program, so it’s a nice balance to be involved with both programs.
Q: Who is BODYPUMP® for?
Ostergaard: BODYPUMP® is for anyone who wants to incorporate a weights-based workout in their fitness regime. Because it uses a barbell, it’s over to the individual to add the weight and choose the intensity. Many people, when they start BODYPUMP®, just use the barbell without any weights and steadily increase their weights as their strength improves. Again, it’s important to listen to your body and the advice the BODYPUMP® instructor gives, as everyone is different. Because we design BODYPUMP® to develop total body strength, it is a very versatile workout that is a great addition to any fitness regime. I find people with very different goals (e.g. weight loss, toning, building muscle) all come to BODYPUMP® as it offers something for all of them.
Q. What makes BODYPUMP® unique? And why is it important? What makes it one-of-a kind instead of one-of-many?
Ostergaard: Where do I start?! It is the original barbell-based group fitness class that strengthens the entire body. It burns up to 600 calories a class and shapes and tones muscles all at the same time. It complements any fitness regime and is great for all levels of strength and fitness. Being a LES MILLS® program, it’s scientifically-based and set to songs you will recognize from the radio right now. It’s also safe, effective, fun and delivered by instructors who know their stuff!
Q. What is a common misconception for women and weight lifting and why is BODYPUMP® important specifically for women?
Ostergaard: The common misconception is that lifting weights will ‘bulk you up’. This is simply not true and, in fact, is the actual opposite! BODYPUMP® is beneficial to any weightloss regime; it builds lean muscle which increases your metabolic rate and therefore helps burn fat while your body is at rest (e.g. watching TV, sleeping, reading). Women also have to be conscious of the risk of developing osteoporosis as they age – lifting weights in a safe way, like in BODYPUMP®, improves your bone density which helps ward off osteoporosis. Short answer: lift weights ladies! It won’t bulk you up and it will help strengthen your bones!
Q. How often would you suggest doing a BODYPUMP® class?
Ostergaard: I recommend doing BODYPUMP® two to three times a week. It’s important to remember each BODYPUMP® class is an intense workout and your muscles will be sore after your first class or anytime you increase your weights. It’s also important to note that everybody needs rest time between workouts, and this is especially true when doing BODYPUMP® (or any weights) so rest for at least a day between classes. Remember to listen to your body, because we’re all different.
Q. What’s one of your favorite success stories of a participant who took (or is currently taking) BODYPUMP® consistently?
Ostergaard: There are so many inspiring stories that I can’t pick just one. People love the results they get from BODYPUMP® and there are a lot of success stories because of this. I think that anyone who comes to BODYPUMP® and gets something out of it is a success story in their own right.
Q. What is your personal workout regimen?
Ostergaard: It’s varied, but I teach six-to-seven classes a week – around three BODYPUMP® classes and four RPM® classes (which I am also the program director of). I also do three or four weight training or crossfit sessions a week, run when I can, and go for as many bike rides as possible; I got into bike riding as a result of loving RPM® so much.
Q. What are your interests outside of work?
Ostergaard: I like to read and watch movies – I am a sci-fi fan. I play tennis, go cycling and really enjoy catching up with friends and travelling (which I do a lot of for work).
Q: What’s your favorite guilty pleasure snack?
Ostergaard: Definitely ice cream. Strawberry flavor!
Q: What are some of the most important leadership lessons you have learned?
Ostergaard: To lead by example and walk the talk. To be open and take feedback from different sources and know how to direct it in the right place, but to also know when to stand your ground. Also to be able to make other people in the team the stars of what they do.
Q: If you had a chance to sit down with yourself as you were beginning this journey, what would you say?
Ostergaard: That you get better with time and there’s no way to really improve without going through all the hard parts and challenges you encounter on the way. You can’t rush things beyond their natural progression and you get better with time.
Q: What does the future hold for you?
Ostergaard: Well, we’re all busy developing the next release for BODYPUMP® – heads up: it’s a good one! As I’m also the program director for RPM®, I’m cycling my heart out to great music we’ve selected for the next release. It’s a busy time, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Once we’ve got everything finalized, I’m off with the rest of the team to take both programs to instructors all over the world.
Ostergaard lives in New Zealand with wife Sarah. Sarah is the Assistant Program Director for RPM® working along side her husband. For more information about Les Mills or BODYPUMP® please visit their website at www.lesmills.com.