Is Bodypump Really Strength Training?

Can lighter weights still build muscle? How do you know when it’s time to go heavier? And why does maintaining muscle matter so much as we age?

In this episode of Wellness Explained, I sit down with fellow Bodypump instructor Carla Davies to talk about what effective strength training actually looks like. Carla has more than a decade of experience in group fitness and holds Les Mills, NASM, and nutrition coaching credentials. Fitness is her second career, after years as a human resources executive.

In this episode:

• Why muscle is functional tissue, not just something that changes how you look

• How Bodypump fits into strength training, and how to keep challenging yourself with progressive overload

• Signs it’s time to increase your weight, and how to do it safely

• Common form mistakes in deadlifts, lunges, and squats

• Why two to three sessions a week, with rest days, beats doing more

• Why warm-ups and cooldowns matter

• The “muscle weighs more than fat” and “I’ll get bulky” myths, debunked

• The simplest way to start if you’ve never done resistance training

  
  

Quick takeaway: You don’t need to lift heavy for every workout, but your muscles do need a reason to adapt. Start where you are, listen to your body, and build gradually.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on https://wellness-explained.simplecast.com/episodes/stronger-than-you-think-rethinking-strength-training