the firm tall box/"death box" and the square butt syndrome - Page 4

Vintage VFer · 03-06-09, 12:14 PM

LOL at this thread!

I got my butt at IHOP.

cin777 · 03-06-09, 01:00 PM

Turn-up thigh definitely. Videofit, what Margaret Richard worked for you?

videofit · 03-06-09, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cin777

Turn-up thigh definitely. Videofit, what Margaret Richard worked for you?

Any of them. They all have floorwork. If you want to buy one, start with All My Best because it's a "parts" DVD consisting of chapters from many of her workouts over the years.

jhardy · 03-06-09, 09:41 PM

I definitely have had the dreaded "shelf"/"square" butt. Right now, I seem to have a bit of it that I am trying to get rid of. For me, I haven't quite figured out what causes it or what gets rid of it.

Whenever I do the pretzel move, I feel that it targets the area on my butt that is a little overdeveloped and causes me to look squarish. However, I had assumed that the pretzel move was good at getting rid of the square butt, but it may actually build that muscle more.

I am experimenting with it right now to see what works best. I am trying to go back to a lot of traditional floor work with the addition of barre type exercises. I have found that using val slides (gliding disks) when doing lunges has really helped to lift my butt.

When I was doing some distance running, I think it helped lesson the squarish effect, but I also didn't have a lifted butt. It was definitely more flat, like a pancake. For me, the shelf is at the gluteus medius area (top/side) and is literally a little shelf or bulge.

If anyone has found a solution to this problem, please let me know. I haven't done tall box/leg press for years, so I know it isn't a matter of just that exercise.

Jen

carole r. · 03-06-09, 09:57 PM

Well, I have that shape, but I can't blame it on the Firm. I noticed it before I ever started doing the Firm. I think it has more to do with where you store fat. I just naturally store it on the sides of my hips.

junadelam · 03-07-09, 02:30 PM

It looks like this is a hotly contested topic all over the web. Way to go to VF for spotting another trend.

http://www.google.com/search?q=panca...ient=firefox-a

Bliss6789 · 03-08-09, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlaShanti

I've never seen a square butt, either. The Firm instructors certainly don't have them, and I've never seen anyone who uses the Firm with a square butt.

I don't get what you're talking about.

When I first heard about the square butt syndrome and tall box leg presses, I couldn't visualize it either. But not long after, I was doing either Firm Cardio or Firm Strength (can't remember which), and I noticed that one of the background exercisers had a flat-ish square butt when viewed from the back. She's the blonde with the short haircut; I believe she was on the cover of the Firm for Life book. She has a nice, slender figure, but definitely a square rear view. I agree though that most Firm instructors don't have them.

F1mom · 03-08-09, 11:59 AM

I have wide hips, so that makes me look even more squared off if I do 14" leg presses with heavy weights. I never had this problem when I only used Vols. 1 & 2 (because they were the only ones available). The problem showed up for me with Vol. 3.

Doing a variety of workouts, using the 8" portion of the FL/TF and adding walking helped enormously, and I'm happy to say I don't have square butt anymore.

Peggy T · 03-16-09, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtngoat

LOL at Sponge Bob's picture Melissa, thanks!

Hmm, now I'm fascinated. Does anyone know the impact of kettlebells or heavy deadlifts on this problem? I have been really concentrating on these to rid myself of chronic back pain (it worked - the pain's gone!). My butt has improved a lot from the side, but I really haven't checked out the back view lately! Now I'm afraid to look!

Lori

Kettlebells have done more for my butt/back/upper back thigh than 10 years of weightlifting. The Kettlebell Goddess lower body premix did it for me. I'm a convert.

Diavolobella · 03-16-09, 02:38 PM

I must confess that I did indeed develop a square butt from doing The Firm. I had a flat butt to begin with and when I did Firm workouts exclusively my butt got well...square (maybe more rectangular, really). It didn't occur to me how square until I started doing other workouts and saw a huge difference. I didn't quit doing my Firm workouts because of the square butt, because as I said, my realization about the squareness of my butt didn't occur until after the squareness started going away. I simply became interested in other workouts - Squeeze and Jillian's specifically - and like them more. Since I've been doing Squeeze and Jillian, my butt has lifted and gotten round. The shape has changed enough that my SO has commented on it (positively).

Consequently, I've backed off my Firms, and do no more than two Firm workouts per week max regardless of whether they contain leg press or not. I'll always love my Firms, but I get better results from Squeeze and Jillian, so those workouts get the bulk of my time.

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03-06-09, 12:14 PM
Vintage VFer VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001	LOL at this thread! I got my butt at IHOP. __________________ Goal:250 / Done:91 POSTURE CHECK!

03-06-09, 01:00 PM
cin777 Join Date: Feb 2008	Turn-up thigh definitely. Videofit, what Margaret Richard worked for you?

03-06-09, 09:41 PM
jhardy Join Date: Mar 2006	I definitely have had the dreaded "shelf"/"square" butt. Right now, I seem to have a bit of it that I am trying to get rid of. For me, I haven't quite figured out what causes it or what gets rid of it. Whenever I do the pretzel move, I feel that it targets the area on my butt that is a little overdeveloped and causes me to look squarish. However, I had assumed that the pretzel move was good at getting rid of the square butt, but it may actually build that muscle more. I am experimenting with it right now to see what works best. I am trying to go back to a lot of traditional floor work with the addition of barre type exercises. I have found that using val slides (gliding disks) when doing lunges has really helped to lift my butt. When I was doing some distance running, I think it helped lesson the squarish effect, but I also didn't have a lifted butt. It was definitely more flat, like a pancake. For me, the shelf is at the gluteus medius area (top/side) and is literally a little shelf or bulge. If anyone has found a solution to this problem, please let me know. I haven't done tall box/leg press for years, so I know it isn't a matter of just that exercise. Jen

03-06-09, 09:57 PM
carole r. Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: San Diego	Well, I have that shape, but I can't blame it on the Firm. I noticed it before I ever started doing the Firm. I think it has more to do with where you store fat. I just naturally store it on the sides of my hips. __________________ LOVE 2 CLIMB

03-07-09, 02:30 PM
junadelam Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Neither here, nor there	It looks like this is a hotly contested topic all over the web. Way to go to VF for spotting another trend. http://www.google.com/search?q=panca...ient=firefox-a

03-08-09, 11:59 AM
F1mom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Atlanta	I have wide hips, so that makes me look even more squared off if I do 14" leg presses with heavy weights. I never had this problem when I only used Vols. 1 & 2 (because they were the only ones available). The problem showed up for me with Vol. 3. Doing a variety of workouts, using the 8" portion of the FL/TF and adding walking helped enormously, and I'm happy to say I don't have square butt anymore.

03-16-09, 02:38 PM
Diavolobella VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tennessee	I must confess I must confess that I did indeed develop a square butt from doing The Firm. I had a flat butt to begin with and when I did Firm workouts exclusively my butt got well...square (maybe more rectangular, really). It didn't occur to me how square until I started doing other workouts and saw a huge difference. I didn't quit doing my Firm workouts because of the square butt, because as I said, my realization about the squareness of my butt didn't occur until after the squareness started going away. I simply became interested in other workouts - Squeeze and Jillian's specifically - and like them more. Since I've been doing Squeeze and Jillian, my butt has lifted and gotten round. The shape has changed enough that my SO has commented on it (positively). Consequently, I've backed off my Firms, and do no more than two Firm workouts per week max regardless of whether they contain leg press or not. I'll always love my Firms, but I get better results from Squeeze and Jillian, so those workouts get the bulk of my time. __________________ Joan "We all want the looooove...without the handles!" Tracy Effinger DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.