Burr Leonard's (TBM) Newest Blog Post & P90X

mle777 · 07-09-13, 02:07 PM

Has anyone read Burr Leonard's most recent blog post discussing P90X and the concept of muscle confusion (http://blog.barmethod.com/). When I first saw it, I held my breath a bit because I was worried about what she was going to say and what the backlash would be. I read the whole thing and I don't exactly think she proved her point, but it was an interesting read.

mle777 · 07-09-13, 02:11 PM

It's not related, but I saw this comment in response to another blog post that Burr did. This should be exciting news for the Bar Method fans that want more workouts (I'm a Bar Method fan, but not a streaming fan):

Quote:

Hi Helen,

Thank you for your comment! We are working on producing a library of streaming video classes right now. We hope to have them available by next year.

Best wishes,

Bar Method HQ

marmact · 07-09-13, 03:17 PM

Did she just publish that blog? Maybe she should have done a little more research. P90X is not about changing up the schedule every week. It changes the schedule after the third week (with the fourth week being core/yoga/stretch/rest focused), rinse and repeat x3 (90 days, if you follow the original schedule).

P90X actually very much follows the principles that most bodybuilders follow. I don't think I've read anything by any reasonably informed coach/BB who thinks it's a good idea to do the same routine week in and week out, so I'm not even sure where she is getting those quotes or how old they may be.

I get that she is looking for some way to sell her method, which I'm sure someone will chime in and say works for them (because I think everything works to some degree, if you're consistent with it).

I just find it personally irritating when fitness magazines and well-known fitness personalities don't bother getting the facts right before publishing stuff like this. It's just more unnecessary misinformation in the world.

mle777 · 07-09-13, 03:41 PM

Marie, that was sort of my thoughts as well. I like Bar Method a lot, but it appeared that Burr did all of her research by seeing an ad in a magazine and not actually checking out the program. I just didn't think she tied it all together very well.

PrairieGem · 07-09-13, 04:02 PM

I haven't done P90x, but the infomercial certainly *does* imply that you cycle through different workouts every day, and that that's the big secret for why it works. So in that case it felt to me more like Burr was responding to the ADVERTISING of P90X--since, after all, the purpose of the article is to advertise her own methodology as an alternative.

And there are workout programs--Firm Express comes to mind--where you DO do a different workout every day of the plan, and a lot of the moves aren't repeated, even if you're working the same muscle groups. It's not like, for example, "30 Day Shred" or "Ten Days to a Better Body," where the idea is that you do *this one workout* over and over for thirty/whatever days.

I tend to see the best results from a mix of the two methods--I really like perfecting my form so I can lift heavier... but I *also* like a program where progression is built into the plan and it automatically pushes you a little bit harder each time. I had great results when I first started barre workouts last summer, but I am convinced it was that whole "muscle confusion" thing--I was suddenly doing moves that were ENTIRELY NEW, and it forced my body to respond differently.

But, as we vidiots know better than anyone, as with any fitness program YMMV!

slysam · 07-09-13, 04:08 PM

With p90X, I think "muscle confusion" is a silly term for what they are doing so I can see how it opens them up for criticism. It isn't really muscle confusion, whatever that is. I would say it is more cross training since it uses a mix of activities--strength training, the weekly yoga session, the martial arts inspired cardio, the plyos. I know it changes to a recover week every three weeks, but the workouts then are still in keeping with the program. It is a consistent program where you repeat the same workout at different times in the program.

I think she is sort of making a point about more frequent full body workouts vs. splits, but she doesn't quite make it.

I agree most workouts especially workouts like Barre have a certain learning curve and sometimes a one doesn't get the best workout at first. I think that is why Tracy Anderson suggests doing her workouts 10 times each. I do find I get a better workout after the third time or more following a dvd workout or class and at a certain point it gets easier if something isn't changed.

I just don't think that P90x is the example she thinks it is of random "muscle confusion". But she probably isn't really that informed about this program.

marmact · 07-09-13, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrairieGem

I haven't done P90x, but the infomercial certainly *does* imply that you cycle through different workouts every day, and that that's the big secret for why it works. So in that case it felt to me more like Burr was responding to the ADVERTISING of P90X--since, after all, the purpose of the article is to advertise her own methodology as an alternative.

I haven't seen the latest infomercial, so I can't really respond to that, but the original infomercial made it clear that it was a 30 day/30 day/30 day plan. I agree that "muscle confusion" is a silly term for what the program does. At one point they were actually trying to trademark that phrase, which I'm pretty sure got shot down.

Regardless, though, it just goes to show that Burr is merely responding to marketing and not to any actual knowledge of the program, which makes me, as a consumer, question whatever else she might say. I get that everyone is trying to sell us on their workouts and they're going to say whatever in their quest for us to agree that their way is best, but it annoys me when knowledgeable professionals can't even be bothered to get their facts straight. Women's magazines are guilty of this, too.

Stephanie_B · 07-09-13, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marmact

I haven't seen the latest infomercial, so I can't really respond to that, but the original infomercial made it clear that it was a 30 day/30 day/30 day plan. I agree that "muscle confusion" is a silly term for what the program does. At one point they were actually trying to trademark that phrase, which I'm pretty sure got shot down.

Regardless, though, it just goes to show that Burr is merely responding to marketing and not to any actual knowledge of the program, which makes me, as a consumer, question whatever else she might say. I get that everyone is trying to sell us on their workouts and they're going to say whatever in their quest for us to agree that their way is best, but it annoys me when knowledgeable professionals can't even be bothered to get their facts straight. Women's magazines are guilty of this, too.

Marie that's my thing. If you do not research before criticising, then I wonder what else is BS, uneducated, unproven and without merit. For ME I then tend to dismiss that person's opinion from then on as embellishment for usually personal gain.

And I love The Bar Method!

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07-09-13, 02:07 PM
mle777 Join Date: Dec 2004	Burr Leonard's (TBM) Newest Blog Post & P90X Has anyone read Burr Leonard's most recent blog post discussing P90X and the concept of muscle confusion (http://blog.barmethod.com/). When I first saw it, I held my breath a bit because I was worried about what she was going to say and what the backlash would be. I read the whole thing and I don't exactly think she proved her point, but it was an interesting read. __________________ Emily 3x Tough Mudder

07-09-13, 03:17 PM
marmact Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: In a plank position	Did she just publish that blog? Maybe she should have done a little more research. P90X is not about changing up the schedule every week. It changes the schedule after the third week (with the fourth week being core/yoga/stretch/rest focused), rinse and repeat x3 (90 days, if you follow the original schedule). P90X actually very much follows the principles that most bodybuilders follow. I don't think I've read anything by any reasonably informed coach/BB who thinks it's a good idea to do the same routine week in and week out, so I'm not even sure where she is getting those quotes or how old they may be. I get that she is looking for some way to sell her method, which I'm sure someone will chime in and say works for them (because I think everything works to some degree, if you're consistent with it). I just find it personally irritating when fitness magazines and well-known fitness personalities don't bother getting the facts right before publishing stuff like this. It's just more unnecessary misinformation in the world. __________________ "We will dance on their chamois!" ~ Grunter von Agony, Hell Hath No Fury (The Sufferfest)

07-09-13, 03:41 PM
mle777 Join Date: Dec 2004	Marie, that was sort of my thoughts as well. I like Bar Method a lot, but it appeared that Burr did all of her research by seeing an ad in a magazine and not actually checking out the program. I just didn't think she tied it all together very well. __________________ Emily 3x Tough Mudder

07-09-13, 04:02 PM
PrairieGem Join Date: Jan 2013	I haven't done P90x, but the infomercial certainly does imply that you cycle through different workouts every day, and that that's the big secret for why it works. So in that case it felt to me more like Burr was responding to the ADVERTISING of P90X--since, after all, the purpose of the article is to advertise her own methodology as an alternative. And there are workout programs--Firm Express comes to mind--where you DO do a different workout every day of the plan, and a lot of the moves aren't repeated, even if you're working the same muscle groups. It's not like, for example, "30 Day Shred" or "Ten Days to a Better Body," where the idea is that you do this one workout over and over for thirty/whatever days. I tend to see the best results from a mix of the two methods--I really like perfecting my form so I can lift heavier... but I also like a program where progression is built into the plan and it automatically pushes you a little bit harder each time. I had great results when I first started barre workouts last summer, but I am convinced it was that whole "muscle confusion" thing--I was suddenly doing moves that were ENTIRELY NEW, and it forced my body to respond differently. But, as we vidiots know better than anyone, as with any fitness program YMMV! __________________ ~Gem *Dux femina facti*

07-09-13, 04:08 PM
slysam Join Date: Sep 2010	With p90X, I think "muscle confusion" is a silly term for what they are doing so I can see how it opens them up for criticism. It isn't really muscle confusion, whatever that is. I would say it is more cross training since it uses a mix of activities--strength training, the weekly yoga session, the martial arts inspired cardio, the plyos. I know it changes to a recover week every three weeks, but the workouts then are still in keeping with the program. It is a consistent program where you repeat the same workout at different times in the program. I think she is sort of making a point about more frequent full body workouts vs. splits, but she doesn't quite make it. I agree most workouts especially workouts like Barre have a certain learning curve and sometimes a one doesn't get the best workout at first. I think that is why Tracy Anderson suggests doing her workouts 10 times each. I do find I get a better workout after the third time or more following a dvd workout or class and at a certain point it gets easier if something isn't changed. I just don't think that P90x is the example she thinks it is of random "muscle confusion". But she probably isn't really that informed about this program.