Body Combat 45 Review

I finally got to try the new combat release, BodyCombat 45, last Monday at Fitness First Greenhills.  I'd heard some not-so-good feedback about this release, so I figured that, hoping I'd be able to appreciate it more, I should wait for Jury's class to try it out.  (Jury Domino teaches BodyCombat at Fitness First, and is one of the two primary mentors who taught me to love and live this workout.)

Jury did his job; I think I appreciated the new release much more than I would have if I'd attended any other instructor's class.  But I still couldn't help thinking this release somehow lacks the oomph that makes BodyCombat the hardcore workout I consider it to be.

Track 1 (Warmup Track): "No Easy Way Out"/"Are You Gonna Go My Way"
Quite good, the slow-motion moves (specifically the back leg kick) proved to be a bit of a challenge to a girl who'd just finished her first half-marathon the day before.  A bit too long, though.

Track 2 (Combat Track 1): "Back to Innocence"
This track left me feeling there was something missing.  Not necessarily ugly, but definitely not great and a bit forgettable.

Track 3 (Power Track 1): "Because the Night"
Pretty fun and one of the better tracks, but still less so than the last release's third track ("The Time of Our Lives").  A bit confusing at first, but anyone can easily get the hang of it.

Track 4 (Combat Track 2/Jump-Kick Track) "Take a Look Around"
This one was a bit too noisy for my liking, and let's just say that I seldom like "loud" combat tracks.  A bit challenging though.

Track 5 (Power Track 2) "Proud Mary"
This track might win the hearts of oldies-lovin' combaters (like my dad, who kind of likes the track), but I think the repetitive knee-ups and speedballs can get really boring after the first minute or so.  Definitely not a fan of this track.

Track 6 (Recovery Track) "Russian Roulette"
"Russian Roulette" is my favorite track in the release, which is a good thing because I believe it's the longest recovery track in BodyCombat history.  Dramatic music and innovative moves -- nice! -- albeit a bit slow.

Track 7 (Muay Thai): "Going Out Swingin'"
Muay Thai track "Goin' Out Swingin" is another noisy combat track that I didn't enjoy too much; basically it's knees, knees, and never-ending knees.  I think I'd say this is one of my least favorite muay thai tracks in BodyCombat history.

Track 8 (Power Track 3): "See the Light"
My other favorite track!  Recycled from BodyAttack (not that I mind, since I love BodyAttack as well), this track and the speedwork that comes with it has the potential to provide combaters with some much-needed endorphins when executed energetically.  I can imagine it would be a blast to scream our heads off while doing this track.

Track 9 (Conditioning): "I Can Transform Ya"
Tough track!  Provides a nice shoulder workout.

Track 10 (Cooldown): "Black Box"
Your basic, straightforward cooldown track; nothing really new there, although this track allows for a bit of nice drama katas.

BodyCombat is still my favorite gym workout, no doubt about it.  But this release leaves me hoping that the they'd improve on the next release, and it makes me glad that I have running has an alternate workout now, because I don't think I'd be able to stand having to do this four days a week for an entire month like I did with older releases.