Before BODYATTACK there was Jazzergetics while somehow keeping the fun in a high-knee run ; ‘ in the 2000 ’ s it was all about the music and how energetic and happy you could be – more aerobic [ focused ] choreography … it was also just go hard or go home – no options !’ Fast forward to 2017 and the evolution of BODYATTACK ® has seen the essence move toward a sporty and athletic feel with simplified choreography and challenging participants of all abilities through varying impact and movement patterns .
What has remained a constant are the timeless elements that ultimately make BODYATTACK ® irresistible : the signature positivity , powerful tunes and feel-good chemicals ( endorphins that is ).
The pressure of 100
It ’ s a lot of pressure isn ’ t it ? The pressure of creating a release worthy of a milestone . Not so , says Osborne , who has been working on the hundredth release for over a year . In fact , she says , she puts in just as much effort for every release to ensure the program consistently delivers . What she did want to do for 100 , however , was to ‘ balance the oldschool feels with the new ’, which , hand-onheart , she nailed , staying true to the modern direction of BODYATTACK ® with a nod to BODYATTACK ® past .
There is no stopping Lisa – in action earlier this year
The history
‘ It was the world ’ s first modern athletic fitness class ’ says Phillip Mills , Managing Director of Les Mills International ; ‘ a group of track and field athletes started it as a sports-based interval training workout … and it ’ s had a passionate following ever since ’. With its roots going back to 1980 , BODYATTACK ® was then known as Jazzergetics and was in fact choreographed by Mills himself .
The mantle of choreography has long since been passed to the current Program Director ( P . D ), Lisa Osborne , who has put together no less than 60 releases since 2002 . A onetime PE teacher and 3-times world aerobics champion , Osborne humbly says her start as P . D was a case of good fortune , but anyone who has encountered this vibrant woman would know that she was made for the job : ‘ The choreographer of BODYATTACK ® resigned suddenly … I stepped in and choreographed the BODYATTACK ® release for them and never looked back – right place , right time and seized that opportunity !’
Still going ( and going , and going ) strong
In a business like fitness where every second day there is a new this , a latest that , a research has found … Osborne has maintained a razor sharp future focus to ensure the program remains relevant and popular
So you came all this way to do a fitness class ?
Right in the feels
It ’ s Osborne ’ s positivity and go-get- ' em attitude that is incredibly contagious and has endeared her to a legion of fans across the globe . I think we ’ ve established that I ’ m not overly excitable , but when Osborne stepped onto the round stage in Amsterdam to present BODYATTACK ® 100 there was no resisting her aura of energy and joy at presenting not just a ‘ class ’ but a movement bigger than the next 55-minutes . Her impromptu speech at the end describing her drive to get more people passionate about fitness ( and not just BODYATTACK ® ) was straight from the heart and a real tear jerker . Not for me though , I just had dust in my eye …
What ’ s next ?
Where does one go from BODYATTACK ® 100 ? ‘ Next for me is BODYATTACK ® 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 … there ’ s no stopping and only looking forward !’ Osborne says .
The ultimate goal is world domination . OK , I made that up , but if it comes down to survival of the fittest , BODYATTACK ® 100 is a good place to start .
# fitterthanever : BODYATTACK ® 100 will be launching in a club near you in March 2018 .
Marie Anagnostis is Marketing & Communications Manager at Les Mills Asia Pacific . She travelled 36-hours to do a class , and it was worth every minute . lesmills . com . au
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