Suzanne Bowen or Leah Sarago downloads?

[horusosiris]

I usually do traditional DB weight lifting and Kettlebell training and I come from a powerlifting background. I have some barre workouts and like them but I I need a more structured system. I would say that I am still a beginner when it comes to barre. I am really interested in beginning to use my body in a different way and working on flexibility. So far I like the results that I have achieved with barre. Funny thing, I can squat quite alot of weight but those small barre moves make my legs quiver.

I need help making a decision.

Should I subscribe to Suzanne Bowen Barre Amped downloads or Leah Sarago Ballet Body downloads? Are the ballet body downloads appropriate for relative beginners at barre?

Can some one tell me the pros and cons of each of the above? How do you use the downloads? Do each of the downloads have a specific focus? Do you them them as add on to other workouts?

Thanks for your help

[daisysunshine]

Providing that Suzanne doesn't cease her memberships...

Ballet Body

Pro: excellent sound quality, some music, has body part specific parts (and a lot of segments go together), you can for the most part get an hour work done from Archive 1-2 + older stuff.

Pro: Intense work. even her short stuff really burns your muscles out and gets the shiver burn so quickly.

Pro: this is the only workout that i feel results so fast. i feel tighter, more pulled in and strong. (and when i don't do it frequently, i have to rebuild it up again).

Pro: Live Class feel (you can literally not see it, and still do the work because Leah's explainations is very good).

Con: they are LONG now. (but Leah did mention she was going to cut them down).

Con: Intense. Some people don't like that it IS intense.

Con: "expensive" (membership 15.00 or 20 dollars per archive).

Suzanne Bowen's

Pro: they are tough and short and don't wipe you out

Pro: easy to get a work out

Pro: inexpensive (8.00 a month)

Con: some are bad quality. (but getting better)

Con: not alerted when you get the workout. (Leah you KNOW you get it every Friday morning).

Con: not body part specific (yes you can do arms and butt, but Leah you work lots of different parts you never even think of).

So both are pro-y, con-y.

I mostly do BB on their own but do do them as add ons.
I don't really want to say which one to buy...

[horusosiris]

Thanks daisysunshine for such a thorough and thoughtful reply. When you say that Leah's are long can you give me an approximate or average running time of the workouts? Should I get the archives first or just start in with the new downloads? In another thread it was suggested that I just start in with the new downloads for Ballet Body. I thought about it and feared that since I am a beginner, I would be lost. Leah has been doing downloads for two years and I thought that it would be like starting to read a book in the middle and then trying to figure out what is going on.

[suzy]

Leah's Basic Series (4 short workouts) is free with a subscription. They are a very good into to her method. If you think that's all you may want, it's $10 and the monthly subscription is $15, so you would save a little by just getting the Basic Series. BUT...I appreciate the benefits of a membership. There are rotation ideas posted in the member's area and Leah has sent a few bonus workouts to subscribers. I did buy the most recent archive too.

I think it's nice that Suzanne sells individual downloads. I bought a couple of them and liked them.

[daisysunshine]

the average run time of her [Leah's] things now is about 20-25 minutes long. The good thing is that there is usually a part where you can end it (early) if you need to. I'm just not one of those people. I tend to do a work out as is.

I can't lie to you. I'm so freaking biased. I would say buy a subscription and get everything and I'd help you out, I promise. The Basics IS a good place to start - but my suggestion is usually to

A: Buy Archive 1 (this gives you 16 workouts to play with instead of four) you can see what most of them are like. Also, a LOT of my favourite workouts are here: side lunge, accent 1, foldovers etc etc etc). (AND these are the shortest so you can easily do 30-1.15 minute workouts and add ones

B: buy a subscription + basics. (A: so you can have new stuff and she how she is NOW, plus have basics as shorties). If you hate it, cancel (only 15 bucks).

Leah is also working on a rotation guide right now. (so excited)

[hotncmom]

I'd say another con of Ballet Body is that there are so many of them and it is easy to get overwhelmed. I had to stop my subscription and just wait for the latest archives because I felt that I could never keep up with the workouts. A lot of people do BB as their only strength work, but it is hard (at least for me), to integrate them in when you want to do other workouts too. I'm really into yoga now and alternating yoga and BB...but now I have discovered Pop Pilates and I want to do that too! Even after all this time, I have still not tried every single BB segment I own!

The good thing about Ballet Body and the kind of yoga I do is that I don't feel like I'm missing out by not doing a lot of cardio...there are some segments that get my heart rate up with jumping and whatnot.

However, I would if Leah would do a cardio segment in her style. I know she has cardio arms but it's not very strenuous to me.

[Gatorfan76]

Oooh-- Leah's downloads being longer is a PRO for me, I hope she doesn't cut them down too much !

[horusosiris]

Originally Posted by daisysunshine

A: Buy Archive 1 (this gives you 16 workouts to play with instead of four) you can see what most of them are like. Also, a LOT of my favourite workouts are here: side lunge, accent 1, foldovers etc etc etc). (AND these are the shortest so you can easily do 30-1.15 minute workouts and add ones

B: buy a subscription + basics. (A: so you can have new stuff and she how she is NOW, plus have basics as shorties). If you hate it, cancel (only 15 bucks).

Leah is also working on a rotation guide right now. (so excited)

Thanks! I just downloaded archive 1 one due to your recommendation. I will let you know how it goes.