Les Mills Celebrates 25-Year Anniversary of Global Exercise Phenomenon BODYPUMP

Full-body resistance training program still the world's most popular exercise program 25 years later

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Jan 12, 2017, 05:00 ET

CHICAGO, Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global fitness leader Les Mills will celebrate the 25^th anniversary of its flagship exercise program BODYPUMP® in January 2017. BODYPUMP is the original Les Mills group exercise resistance training program that propelled the company to worldwide popularity and was an integral part of the fitness revolution of the 1990s. As other fitness fads have come and gone, BODYPUMP and its cult-like following of devoted participants has continued to soar. Every day, more than one million people around the world participate in a BODYPUMP class to get stronger, faster. On January 14, 2017, thousands of gyms and fitness clubs around the globe will simultaneously celebrate the 100^th release of the program.

Global fitness leader Les Mills will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its flagship exercise program BODYPUMP in January 2017.

"This is an opportunity to celebrate with everyone who loves BODYPUMP," said Les Mills International CEO Philip Mills. "It's an incredible milestone, and a lot of people have worked very hard over the years to make this possible."

More than 60,000 certified instructors teach BODYPUMP in 16,500 clubs in 80 countries worldwide. In the United States alone, more than 18,000 certified instructors teach BODYPUMP and 3,300 gyms and fitness facilities host BODYPUMP classes.

"BODYPUMP helped start the fitness revolution and has been a leader for 25 years because it is approachable for many age groups and fitness levels, and most importantly, it's inspiring," said Les Mills U.S. CEO Brian Gagne. "From the research that goes into developing the choreography, to the music selections and Les Mills' robust instructor education program, every minute and every move is thoughtfully planned so participants enjoy a fun and safe workout."

To also commemorate the historic release, Reebok has unveiled an official BODYPUMP100 apparel and footwear collection currently available at Reebok.com. "We're thrilled to have a partner like Les Mills that shares our mission of empowering people physically, mentally and socially through fitness every day," adds Reebok President Matt O'Toole. "It's a true testament to Les Mills that they've developed a proven program that's not just still around, but in fact thriving 25 years later."

Choreographed to chart-topping hits and refreshed every three months, BODYPUMP is a full-body training program that sculpts, tones and strengthens the entire body. BODYPUMP challenges all major muscle groups with squats, presses, lifts, curls and more. Participants can shape and tone muscles, protect bones and joints from injury, improve general fitness, get into shape quickly and improve strength. Research has shown that BODYPUMP can increase bone density in healthy adults up to 8 percent in the legs, pelvis, arms and spine, and individuals with osteopenia (low bone density) can see increases of up to 29 percent in the legs and pelvis.

Five key reasons BODYPUMP has dominated group exercise:

Men can burn an average of 483 calories and women can burn 338 during a single BODYPUMP session. This equates to 8.4 calories per minute for men and 5.9 calories per minute for women
The maximum number of calories burned has been shown to be 424 for women and 603 for men
After the workout is over, research proves participants burn up to 10 percent additional calories on top of what they burned while doing the class due to Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)
The program uses THE REP EFFECT™ to create a breakthrough in resistance workout training that focuses on low weight loads and high repetition movement to burn fat, gain strength and quickly produce lean body muscle conditioning.

To find a BODYPUMP class, visit www.lesmills.com/findaclass.

About Les Mills
Les Mills International is the creator of 20 global group fitness and team training programs, including BODYPUMP® (weights), BODYCOMBAT® (martial arts), RPM® (indoor cycling), LES MILLS GRIT® (30-minute high intensity interval training) and LES MILLS SPRINT™ (high-intensity cycling). Every week, millions of people get fit in more than 17,500 clubs across 100 countries with the help of 130,000 passionate Les Mills instructors. The company's SMART TECH™ equipment line combines innovative ergonomic design with quality construction to help people get better results from their workouts in less time, while Les Mills Good Protein, a simple and functional protein powder, helps people fuel their bodies right. For more information, visit Les Mills at www.LesMills.com.

SOURCE Les Mills