BodyCombat 58 (Eng)

So, it's time to write about the new BodyCombat. I've been a little busy, didn’t write a while.

Body Combat number 58!! (My opinion)

Another nice release and this time not to difficult.

In this release, there are as many as 14 people on stage. That's really the first time that it is so crowded. There are seven presenters and 7 people shadowing. It takes time to get used to that, I think. Most of you might not see the DVD, but I think it is a little confusing.

It is as an instructor very good achievement when you are invited to stand on stage during the recordings, but with such a large group makes it a little less special.

But it is nice to see, when the whole group does the BC synchronously.

Track 1a – Upper body warmup - Blow Me (One Last Kiss) (Max Kinscheck Remix) – Dirty Scandal

It is rather quiet start, a few nice combo’s, but not really difficult. The best exercise in this part is the ‘descending elbow’, which it has plenty. Great for the abs, all nice ‘crunches’.

The music is a well-known song, especially if you do Body Pump (release 85).

I do not think it's a very good warm-up, it's too quiet.

Part 1b is:

Track 1b – Lower body warmup - Scream (Tobi feat. LuTraXx Remix) – Killah Swagger

Again familiar music, again Body Pump (now release 84).

In 1b, we start with the 'shoot', so nice to warm your legs (with 7 people on stage it’s looking good anyway, exception). These are the exercises that you will feel it in your legs.

Each kick comes along this track. And the "scissors" herein we do towards the side (also in 1a by the way). That's just a little different than we are accustomed to.

A bit of a contrast to 1a, this part is a great warm up. And actually, your legs will be warm after all those 'shoots'.

For instructors, this one is a little more challenging. As I said every ‘kick’ is in and that means there is a lot of technique to explain.

Highlight: I think the set up for the ‘roundhouse kick’ very nice, a small begin and then full into the 'kick'.

Track 2 – Combat 1 - Strobelight (Original) – Laidback Luke & Lee Mortimer

Another 'balance-challenge'! I am a fan!

This is a great track. It may also be not very difficult, but that balance part really makes the difference. The track is set up with 'jabs' and ‘cross-jabs’. This eventually goes into three levels on to the front-kick. We do the 'roundhouse kick repeater’, you keep your roundhouse above the ground. And the transition from the ‘roundhouse’ to the ‘sidekick’ is also a great one.

Highlight: really no doubt the 'Balance Challenge'!

Track 3 – Power training 1 - Shooting Star (Storm’s HS Remix) – Bang!

A real power track to work on your technique a bit like we are used to in the latest releases. Easy combinations of 'jabs' with 'cross-jabs' and 'hooks' with ‘jacks’.

What is particularly striking is the absence of Dan and Rachel on stage. But that is only for the instructors (and others who see the DVD).

The whole song is good for your abs, especially at level 2 when we are going to use the ‘stiff-jab'. A very fast song, but nice to do and good for your condition.

Not really a highlight, it is nice to do the ‘stiff jab’and bring some level in this track

Track 4 – Combat 2 - Bass Laser – Digital Ma$$ feat. U-Neek

A nice and loose beginning of the track, we start with a quiet 'ginga'. Then we work to a combination of three front-kicks. This is going to be really nice in the lessons. The combo is not difficult, but you have to count continuously (I even think it is really easy to explain every move, but experience will learn).

We go to the second combination through a beautiful 'A-frame' and a 'cross-block'

That second combo is an ‘esquiva’ and ‘evasive side-kick’. Again counting by the way.

And for DVD viewers; the enthusiasm radiates from the presenter (Giovanni from Colombia), nice to see.

Both combos are good, hard on your legs. I think combo one is the highlight, but they are both great to do

Track 5 – Power training 2 - Cold As Ice (Weaver and Suae Intro Mix) – East Coast Masif

First a compliment to the presenter. Nice to see a Dutchman on stage again and Daniel is doing fantastic!!

During the time he was in New Zealand for the filming, I followed all he had to say about it, and then you notice all of a sudden up close how professional everything is, but also how much fun and enthusiasm the presenters have.

The song is a very well known one from the 70s. Of course with in a nice modern mix.

The combination is again good for the abs and the ‘body-hook’ is helping with that (that's the ‘hook’ in the ribs instead of the jaw/temple).

And the speed in this track comes from the scissors, finishing the combo.

I find the presentation confusing. Daniel is doing great, but it is quite distracting that there are so many changes in the number of people on stage. They begin with three and end with 9 ..... (But that's again for DVD viewers).

The ‘weave’ in the 2nd combination is also good. And also done in two levels. Level 1 is more stepping aside, level 2 is really dodging your opponent.

There is also a 3rd round in this track, nice to lose some energy. It all sounds a bit like some numbers 8 from previous releases. More than 6 minutes endurance training.

Highlight ...... not really. I think the music is pleasant, nice mix made from a pretty old song.

Track 6 – Combat 3 - Action – Score And The Finger

Number 6 begins with a few quick 'blocks' to the left and right. The whole song is pretty fast. The first combination I do not really think is special. It all fits nicely into the music, but it's pretty simple.

The 'block' combo is very nice. For instructors hard to explain (which will sometimes be quite a mess), but with good execution it will be a beautiful sight.

The whole number will be somewhat difficult to do. The first combo is good to do, but then it becomes a lot harder. Nice to explain, fun to do

For me there is quite a nice highlight, the ‘block-kata’ is very good. It also looks good in synchronous execution.

Track 7 – Muay Thai - It’s A Fight – Beach Incarnation

In this track we are doing what we are used to do in a ‘track 7’. Namely, we start with knees and obviously with the 'running man'.

After that a combination with the ‘descending-elbow’, first a level 1 and in level 2 we do this non-stop.

It's a good alternation. The previous track was great for the legs and this is again for the upper body with a concentration on the abdominal muscles (crunches again).

I'm not a fan of the ‘street-brawl-downward-punch’, but they are done in this track.

For a "track 7" there are a lot of combinations. Because next to all the just mentioned, we also have a shuffle forward, with a ‘plyo push’ and a ‘push-kick’.

Another challenge for us instructors, and the timing is sometimes quite tight (and I'm already good at....ahum…)

Maybe a bit too much to do in one song, but again good for your condition.

And yes, also a fan of the ‘descending-elbow’. It was already in the warming up and here it is again fine, highlight for me!

Track 8 – Power training 3 - My Forever Love – Sy And Unknown

After a bit of stretching, we do not go to a quiet build up of the track. No, straight to fast ‘jabs’ and ‘cross-jabs’.

The song is a little shorter than we are used to with a ‘track 8’, about five and a half minutes. Yet three rounds.

I do not think it's an interesting track, a lot of simple movements, nothing special. Maybe I am a bit spoiled. I liked the ‘8’ in release 57 very much.

But this song is again nice to loose the last bit of energy.

I don’t really have highlights in this track.

Track 9 – Conditioning - People Like Us – Kelly Clarkson

Nearly four and a half minutes abs-training. Or rather ‘core training’.

The beginning is pretty simple, pretty straightforward. It is a good workout, but back to the basics. From the ‘crunches’ that we do, I always find the 'pike crunch' tricky (legs straight up, fingertips toward toes).

And with the ‘push-ups’ (which come in round 2), we also have a level 2 option. Alternately move your hands towards your shoulder (= my highlight). And then you can choose whether you do them on your knees or on your toes.

Great for your abs, especially since we have done them the whole hour. The music is nice, but I always hope for something more uplifting in a ‘track 9’.

Oh, we end up with a 15 second hover.

Track 10 – Cool down - Till I Collapse – The Junkyard Scoller

Such a shame that it is not the original song, which I like very much (I'm a big fan EMINEM!).

And to talk about the number of people on stage, here it is again nice to see them all on there (again just for people who can see the DVD). Fourteen people in a synchronous group is wonderful.

In BC57, we have a more active ‘cool down’ and that’s the case in this track again. Oddly enough, this will be my favorite song in this release.

Don’t think it will be an easy cool down. A large part of the ‘cool down’ you are in a low position, squat like (the 'block' combinations).

It is a wonderful end to a very good release.

And yes, I think it is a very good release. Some nice songs. And many good combinations. For instructor it is not always easy to explain, but if everything works, it will be a nice three months (or as long as you continue as an instructor without mixing).

And for the fans, the original number of the 'cool down':