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Old 12-31-12, 01:00 AM  
SarahJane
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Barre workouts and bulking

I've been doing barre workouts for 5 years now with great results. Before that I did the Firm workouts with the fanny lifter and my lower (pear shaped body) seemed bulky. Barre workouts seemed to take care of that and slimmed me down to my smallest size as an adult. Here's my question: I feel like I keep reading about some barre workouts causing some of you to "bulk" and obviously I do NOT want this to happen to me due to doing the "wrong" barre workout, if that makes sense.

So, if this happened to you, which barre workouts caused bulking in your hips/thighs? And what do you think it was about the workout that caused this? A specific exercise that's in one barre workout but not another? Most barre workouts seem very similar, that's why I'm lost here.

On the flip side, which barre workouts slimmed your hips/thighs the best?

I do so many different workouts (all barre though) and I don't really pay attention to results or follow a specific rotation. I've put on some weight this year (eating related, which I will take care of too) and I'd like to be more specific in 2013 and really work on my results, and I want to make sure I'm not wasting my time (or money) on the wrong workouts.

Thanks ladies in advance for your always valuable advice!
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Old 12-31-12, 01:51 AM  
LaCatrina
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Puerto Rico
Quad heavy barre work doesn't suit me well, since my quads develop pretty easily. I have short legs, so its quite noticeable quickly.

In general though I never experienced the dreaded barre bloat, and as soon as I go easy on the plies I'm good

The barre I enjoy the most is Ballet Body. Loved the variety of segments and the fun of making up my own workout, as short, long, easy or intense as needed.
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Old 12-31-12, 08:27 AM  
Demeris
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahJane View Post
I've been doing barre workouts for 5 years now with great results. Before that I did the Firm workouts with the fanny lifter and my lower (pear shaped body) seemed bulky. Barre workouts seemed to take care of that and slimmed me down to my smallest size as an adult. Here's my question: I feel like I keep reading about some barre workouts causing some of you to "bulk" and obviously I do NOT want this to happen to me due to doing the "wrong" barre workout, if that makes sense.

So, if this happened to you, which barre workouts caused bulking in your hips/thighs? And what do you think it was about the workout that caused this? A specific exercise that's in one barre workout but not another? Most barre workouts seem very similar, that's why I'm lost here.

On the flip side, which barre workouts slimmed your hips/thighs the best?

I do so many different workouts (all barre though) and I don't really pay attention to results or follow a specific rotation. I've put on some weight this year (eating related, which I will take care of too) and I'd like to be more specific in 2013 and really work on my results, and I want to make sure I'm not wasting my time (or money) on the wrong workouts.

Thanks ladies in advance for your always valuable advice!
I find that the more athletic barre workouts bulk me up: Squeeze & Pure Barre the most nefarious for me. I love Fluidity, Bar Method, Callanetics, P57. I've kept my Exhale barre workouts, even though they have a more athletic feel, but I do them only rarely.
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Old 12-31-12, 08:37 AM  
kitty12
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
I have never had bulking from a regular barre workout in the way that has mentioned. My biceps did bulk when I did Squeeze Stronger upper body on a regular basis, but the upper body workout is different than most barre workouts.
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Old 12-31-12, 08:56 AM  
hotncmom
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
My main barre workout is Ballet Body stuff, but I don't do a lot of the thigh work, maybe once or twice a week, and then I will do other stuff like floorwork or BBL on other days. I also do yoga. Floorwork is what seems to really slim my thighs and butt down. Way down. My butt got so small DH complained! The foldover work in Ballet Body helped me get my butt back.

So while I can't speak to the thigh bulking with barre issue (the only time I had that problem was with 30 Day Shred), I can tell you that what shrinks my thighs (and butt) is walking, elliptical (low tension), and floorwork.

The only "bulking" problem I've ever had with barre is in my calves, which are already really muscular. I don't really want any more bulging muscles there (makes it hard to shave, for one thing), so that's another reason I limit barre plie work, especially that where you raise your heels.
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Old 12-31-12, 09:38 AM  
LeanneM
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
When I was doing just P57 for about two months (with a little extra cardio thrown in), my thighs ended up getting larger and I felt bulky. As much as I love the P57 set, I've stayed away for it since then since my lower half is my problem area. Have you been doing P57 at all?

Can I ask what barre workouts you've been doing to slim down your lower half?

Leah's BB and Mary Helen Bower's BB have worked to slim down my lower half. (I know that they're not traditional barre, of course.). Awhile back, I was also doing a combo of Tonique and Pop Physique, and my legs really started to slim down. I could only do it for a few weeks, though, since my legs were feeling really "heavy" from that rotation.

Hope that helps!
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Old 12-31-12, 11:08 AM  
Honeydew
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
I never bulked with barre...but the workouts would suck in my hips and always made my saddlebags look bigger.

LaCatrina Are you still doing Ballet Body or are you only doing TA workouts now?
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Old 12-31-12, 11:14 AM  
SarahJane
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Colorado
Thanks ladies!
It sounds like floorwork might be something I need to do more of.

LeanneM, I've done P57 (both sets), Bar Methods, Squeezes, Core Fusions, Fluiditys, Callanetics, TA Mat, Booty Barre, Xtend Barre, and just got Ballet Beautiful and Ballet Body lower body so lots of different ones. I don't stick with a single one for long though so that's why I've never really recognized which ones have given the best results. I know there was a time when my thighs/hips looked great and slim, but I can't remember exactly what I was doing It may have been before I learned about ALL of the barre workouts and just did what I started with (Bar Method)... maybe I need to go back to those....

I love P57 too but might stay away for awhile and see what happens. P57 seems to be the exact same workout as Bar Method though, just faster... so what the heck?

Anyways, thanks for the thoughtful replies ladies!
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Old 12-31-12, 11:22 AM  
LeanneM
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
Thanks for sharing! It sounds like the mixing of various programs has been working well for you!
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Old 12-31-12, 11:41 PM  
beyond.omega
VF Supporter
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Judy used to say the stretching prevents bulk...are you sure you are doing enough, in the area of concern and long enough ("allowing" the stretch to work)?
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