What is Bodypump class like?

I have major group exercise class phobia.  Fat girl in P.E. class flashbacks.  But my trainer (who teaches bodypump) is out of town for 2 weeks and told me I should take Bodypump classes to make up for our days.  I am surely fit enough I imagine if she told me to...but the idea is still scary to me.  Could anyone tell me what to expect?  How hard is it?  Do you put weight on your own bar?  How much?  Do the classes tend to have a variation of fitness among their students?  (I am really strong but still not super fit, ya know?  According to my trainer I am in much better shape then I am giving myself credit for though)

Anyways, thanks so much for reading and perhaps responding to my babble.  I felt just like this before joining a gym...and second to my VSG, it was the best thing I have ever done for myself.  So maybe I will LOOOOVE group classes.  Or maybe I will cry like I used to in PE.........lol

Bodypump is AWESOME! I've been going to the gym for like a year and a bit now and I go to bodypump two(ish) times a week, and I love it. In answer to your questions:

1. It kicked my ass the first time I did it, but the first time I did it I was massively unfit. It's basically as hard as you want to push yourself. After the first time I was as stiff as a board and complained about moving anywhere, but I think I was pushing myself too hard trying to keep up with other people :P

2. Yup you put weights on your own bar

3. It depends on what you think you can handle - but the instructors will give you help on it for example they'll tell you to do about a third of your warm up weight for your bicep work out etc. I started out doing 2kilos on each side to warm up, 5kilos on each side for back and legs etc - its basically where you're at personally. REMEMBER the bar weighs like 5kilos on its own though lol

4. Yup you get everything from super fit triathletes to hungover students there for the first time (aka me).

You should try it! The first time my trainer wanted me to do a spin class I was freaking out, but it turned out to be awesome. Bodypump might be the same for you :)

I love Pump...you must try it.  It is meant for every body type and fitness level.  You make it as hard as you want it.  You add as much weight as you need , and you can change the weights when needed.  For the most part weight change is recommended throughout the class and most instructors give you time to make adjustments.  When it starts buring too much and it will, take a break and resume when you are ready.  Pump is meant to exhaust each muscle group so if you are fatigued that is good.

Have fun!  I used to be a group exercise groopie.  I hope to be one again!

I did it!  Actually, it wasnt really hard....but its cause I couldnt hear the guy at all and I had no idea how much weight to put on my bar.  So I lifted pretty might the whole time (bar+5 kilos).  So really besides the lunges (my legs were already tired), I didnt even really get my hear rate up.  But I can totally see how to do it in the future.  Might take another class tomorrow.

I am glad I got it over with.  I thought it would be more...fun...but the instructor seems pretty bored and I cant hear anything from him anyways.  So maybe thats why it wasnt super exciting.