Warm Up — “Pump It!”

I used this warm-up to sub a “Butts and Guts” class last week.  It is choreographed to the song “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas.  The next week, I had new faces in my regular class because they had so much fun.  This warm-up works because it is fun, outside the box, and totally unexpected.  You’ll have them begging for more when you show them what a blast you are!   The trick is to DANCE every single one of these steps with a hip-hop feel.  Don’t march straight and tall.  Bend low and pop your knees into your chest.  Add subtle shoulder and hip action that makes in more like being in a video than in a <<insert format here>> class.  Play with it, practice it, be comfortable so that they will be comfortable.  That’s the trick!   Have a GREAT time!

Pump It

Intro:

Hold 16 counts

March 24 counts, inhaling and exhaling with the “huh-huh ahhhhhs”

Double march 32 counts (double march = “tap step”…  add lots of shoulders and shimmy here, travelling forward and back is another option)

Verse 1:

4 step touches, 2 double step touches. Repeat.

4 hamstring curls, 2 double hams repeat. Repeat.

4 double step touches with a ham or a jumpshot at each end

Chorus:

GO WILD!  Shake your hips, shoulders, whatever, just get loose 32 counts!

Step out right squat, back together with right, squat out left, together left (8 counts total) repeat 4 times ** the very last one to the left, keep the squat so you go straight to:

Verse 2:

With hands on thighs twist and drop right shoulder, return to center, left shoulder drop, center (8 counts total). Repeat.

Alternate shoulders on the single counts (8 counts) Shimmy shoulders double time (8 counts)

Lunge R & L 4 times (16 counts) (legs stay wide on this one — you just shift weight right to left with hands on thighs)

Cat stretch, cow stretch (hands on thighs, arch back and contract) 4 times (16 counts)

8 step touches

Chorus:

Shake that body again! 32 counts

Side to side squats again, 32 counts

Verse 3:

Squat pulses 16 counts

4 alternating knees, 2 double knees.  Repeat.

4 grapevines

8 alternating knees

Grapevine + 3 knees x4

Chorus:  You ought to be having a blast by now and they should be laughing and loving it too! 32 counts, shake that money maker And end with a strong pose on that final note!

 Remember the warm up is where you make your strong impression.  Here you have a song that is hard not to be energized by, so play around with it and get your class grooving before they move on to other things.  Good luck and let me know how it goes!!

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