Results with barre: 1 brand or variety?

[azuniga]

I think I had the best results when I would do a P57 rotation. They post them monthly on their fb page. BUT after doing one and I combined it with Zumba I think I burnt out. Plus they never seem to release new stuff anymore. P57 is one that I would even pay a good price for their online subscription, but it is ridic that they don't add anymore to it.

[Nuggie's Auntie]

Originally Posted by azuniga

Plus they never seem to release new stuff anymore. P57 is one that I would even pay a good price for their online subscription, but it is ridic that they don't add anymore to it.

This. I really think this is Physique 57's tragic flaw. They just don't have enough available content for home exercisers. I have had to move on to different stuff b/c I just can't do the same workouts over and over.

[monterey vidiot]

To my astonishment, I have this thing going for Richard Giorla. Cardio Barre is transforming my haunches. I have lots of other barre w/o's but have been doing mainly Cardio Barre.

[neatski]

Originally Posted by JackieB

I want to like Booty Barre but it irritates my hip every time I do it.

I did get Bowen's TTT and like it. I should really do a rotation with her--a segment of TTT and CS every day. The UB is a nice burner.

Jackie

Booty Barre is definitely a little frantically paced and I just decided that it was better to do things at a more controlled pace so I slow it down. I noticed that the background exercisers let their form slip a lot when they're doing the full range moves because they're done so quickly. I do the same thing unless I slow it down. I wonder if that's why you experienced pain afterward.

[lesliep]

I'm currently doing a Ballet Body rotation (upper, core, lower) combined with 20 mins of jogging or cycling. I like the pace (she keeps things moving), it's challenging, and I've tried ALL the other barre methods out there and this one does it for me (combined with quick cardio).

[fuzzie]

Over the years I have done both single- and multi-method barre rotations and I haven't noticed a difference in terms of results (i.e., both worked!)

For me the most important aspects in building an effective barre rotation were:

Using a specific method often enough that I can "perform" the workout at maximum effort. If always switching style, it is easy to lose a few reps because you are not used to the exercises or flow so I find it is good to get used to a specific method/workout before mixing it with others.

Having enough variety so I don't get bored. When I'm bored I don't put 100% into a workout and results suffer so I like to vary the workouts, either within a method or across several methods. At one point I committed to a one-month Fluidity rotation (the "live" classes) and could never bring myself to do those workouts EVER afterwards.

Including isometric, small ROM exercises and more fluid, larger ones. I have talked about this a lot before but for me it is the key to a well-balanced barre rotation. Some techniques already include these (P57 comes to mind) but generally I find I have to mix-and-match and incorporate more "ballet" barre type workouts like Jen's Ballet Body or Kari's Center Floor.

[shortie]

Originally Posted by fuzzie

Having enough variety so I don't get bored. At one point I committed to a one-month Fluidity rotation (the "live" classes) and could never bring myself to do those workouts EVER afterwards.

.

I think this is very true -- many of us have had this experience, often involving tequila during our college days.

I think the great question is whether there's truly some synergistic magic within one set. Every "system" wants it to be true, and markets it that way -- our magic combination works better (whether it's Slim in 6 or CLX or P57, they all say it, right?)

In the absence of a big controlled study to figure out the true answer, one could approximate it with a longitudinal study on your own body -- do all of method X for six weeks and measure the results, and then do a mixture of methods for another six weeks and measure the results . . . But to account for the effect of which you did first (either got better or worse results with whatever you did first) then stop exercising, let your body go to pot for a few months . . . then do the same in the reverse order.

[Rivercat]

Originally Posted by Nuggie's Auntie

And honestly, I think that's the key--which type do you LIKE best? If you enjoy it, you can stick with it, and that's the magic bullet.

Agree. I haven't done a real barre rotation in a long time, but back when I did, it struck me as being kind of like yoga in that you really click better with some instructors, whether it's a personality thing or their instruction or both. Two videos may have the same moves, but one instructor might explain it or set it up in some way that makes me go, "AHA!" and suddenly I really feel it in my glutes or hamstrings or wherever.