Tonique Premier and massive thighs!

[koolio]

Some of you may remember my search for a cardio and lower body workout, here.

Well after changing jobs and getting sick (again) I have finally been able to properly get into Tonique Premier. So far I am unable to get further than 51 minutes in (which is only a few minutes off finishing), this is however completing all the reps each time. I always seem to run out of steam by the 3rd section.

I wanted to ask what sort of results you've experienced with Premier?

I love the cardio aspect in her work out so I sweat quite a bit, my one gripe is the continued repetition of muscles already worked, making it a serious endurance event, rather than cardio + conditioning (endurance is continual reps beyond the point of exhaustion and usually more than 10-20+ reps).

What I've noticed is my thighs becoming huge because of this, rather than moving to a different movement after squats (while keeping cardio high) and then returning to the squats after this, squats are repeated. This would allow for at least some resting period of that group while keeping cardio high, instead I believe I am creating a sarcoplasmic hypertrophy effect by the continued endurance of so many reps, much like the hypertrophy doing heavy weights with low reps would do.

I do Yoga and my legs are fairly big already, so it doesn't help me making them bigger!

This also coincides with my amateur gymnastics experiences when I was younger, we did high cardio combined with various low rep (10-20) strengthening exercises for conditioning and I remember my legs were strong and fairly thin and lean at the time rather than bulky. (20+ reps is endurance land)

How have you found Tonique Premier, have you found it bulked your legs up too much? Or is this just my imagination?

(What is more when I tried Buns of Steel by Greg Smithey in between Tonique I still find there were muscle groups that were weak and ached a lot that were not covered in Tonique Premier.

Tonique Premier is so nearly perfect I just wish she'd have alternated some of the muscle groups at times rather than continuing into endurance exhaustion!)

[bubbles76]

Hmmm...if it makes your thighs big, I may have to revisit, no matter how mind numbingly boring

[Lori_Michigan]

My legs bulked up so much that I couldn't fit into my pants. But I'm short and put my muscle on very quickly, so I couldn't make Tonique work for me. Once I switched to CS/Essentrics my legs finally leaned out and I actually enjoy those! I liked Sylwia, but other than that, I dreaded every workout...

[koolio]

Originally Posted by Lori_Michigan

My legs bulked up so much that I couldn't fit into my pants. But I'm short and put my muscle on very quickly, so I couldn't make Tonique work for me. Once I switched to CS/Essentrics my legs finally leaned out and I actually enjoy those! I liked Sylwia, but other than that, I dreaded every workout...

Right so it isn't just me then who noticed this? Because while Sylwia is lean and clearly very fit she does have a big lower body compared to Tracy Anderson & others for example. I just wanted to lean and condition my lower body for gymnastics not bulk it up massively.

Repeated endurance past the point of exhaustion really hits hard on hypertrophy just like doing extremely heavy weights would do hence huge bulk. I'm all for doing loads of squats etc. but there should be a resting period so as not to induce too much hypertrophy.

Trouble is I love the cardio aspect of Premier as a great side effect! Gymabstics 3 is great cardio as well just very little in the way of lower body exercises..

[Tugger31]

Sylwia also does alot of running, so maybe that leans out her hypertrophy (?)

[koolio]

Originally Posted by Tugger31

Sylwia also does alot of running, so maybe that leans out her hypertrophy (?)

In my experience the only thing that really leans muscle growth/hypertrophy out is either cessation of that activity or a lot of heavy stretching, by that I mean static + isometric so something like 10 minutes on each thigh in various positions/combinations. A lot of work and painful to counter act the bulk! (and even then you are only putting a dent in it).

Thing is I have no need for endurance in any of my activities, I don't do running and when I do they are short sprints. I don't need to run up 3 mile mountains for example (where I'm sure Tonique Premiere would be very handy to work on before hand )

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by koolio

Because while Sylwia is lean and clearly very fit she does have a big lower body compared to Tracy Anderson & others for example.

Really? Both their thighs look pretty small to me.

[koolio]

Originally Posted by bubbles76

Really? Both their thighs look pretty small to me.

I suppose it could be in the eye of the beholder but Sylwia looks very lower heavy and lower muscular to me, particularly glutes/thighs, whereas I find Tracy to be more well rounded.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by koolio

I suppose it could be in the eye of the beholder but Sylwia looks very lower heavy and lower muscular to me, particularly glutes/thighs, whereas I find Tracy to be more well rounded.

Ahh I see what you mean. As for muscularity, yes I agree. Tracy definitely has a softer (though by no means soft) look.

[Lori_Michigan]

Originally Posted by koolio

Right so it isn't just me then who noticed this? Because while Sylwia is lean and clearly very fit she does have a big lower body compared to Tracy Anderson & others for example. I just wanted to lean and condition my lower body for gymnastics not bulk it up massively.

Repeated endurance past the point of exhaustion really hits hard on hypertrophy just like doing extremely heavy weights would do hence huge bulk. I'm all for doing loads of squats etc. but there should be a resting period so as not to induce too much hypertrophy.

Trouble is I love the cardio aspect of Premier as a great side effect! Gymabstics 3 is great cardio as well just very little in the way of lower body exercises..

I worried about bulking with Tracy Anderson, but I didn't have that problem with her. I actually enjoy her toning workouts, and I do them every few weeks (too much impact in her cardio for me). I don't have the uncontrollable soreness from them either (like with Tonique). I also can't do heavy weights and traditional barre workouts because of the bulking.

I also did not feel well while doing Tonique workouts; I was constantly exhausted and sore. It felt like it had the reverse effect on me for some reason. After a few months, I gave up.

With CS/Essentrics, the plies and extensions have made my legs strong without bulking. Perhaps it has to do with the amount/size of muscles and the amount/size of tendons. It seems to be all my body needs since I haven't picked up a weight in nearly six months!