For those of you that have done Ballet Body, how strong do you get?

ncl · 03-23-13, 03:06 PM

I am actually dancing now (ballroom) and in my workouts, I would like to be strong and small. I do bulk up with heavy weights and I also find they leave my body less sensitive to the fine movements I am trying to learn for dancing. So I quit doing heavy weight workouts some time ago, but still do medium weights and circuit workouts (a la Cathe's Afterburn or Firm workouts). But, as I advance in dancing, I am finding that I need some serious strength and wondered how challenging Ballet Body really is and how much strength I would gain, if any. I have been wanting to try it for awhile, but it's quite an investment to get a periodization system (too much if it's not gonna work but a fine investment if it is effective) and for me, too difficult to figure out how to put her workouts together myself otherwise. Please advise.

PrairieGem · 03-23-13, 07:05 PM

She has rotations for her DVDs on her website!

Best of both worlds.

F1mom · 03-23-13, 07:32 PM

I bought the Signature Series DVDs to try before moving to the Periodization system but haven't opened them yet. They're up for trade -- why don't you try one of them to see if you like it?

MrKnuckles · 03-24-13, 11:03 AM

I agree. Try the DVDs. I have all the Signature Series DVDs and love them. I found the upper body DVD to be the most difficult. Even after a two-month rotation I still could not complete the plank section without breaks. It will definitely increase your upper body strength. And has an added bonus of improving your posture. Everyone commented on how it looked like I had gotten taller when I did this rotation.

You can just start out with her Total Body DVD, to see if you like her style. I found it difficult but doable. I haven't done it consistently enough to comment on strength gains, but I do feel like it would work towards that if done regularly.

I can't comment on the periodization system because I haven't tried it. Although, I do plan to get it eventually because I really click with her style. I just want to be able to complete the DVDs without breaks or modifications first.

Hope that helps.

Jen

F1mom · 03-24-13, 02:15 PM

FYI, daisysunshine did an Everything Ballet Body thread before the DVDs were released. I think I remember reading that some of the exercises on DVD were actually harder than those in the Periodization system.

hotncmom · 03-24-13, 02:40 PM

I think the Upper Body mat work in the Total Body DVD are harder than the UB mat work in the Upper Body DVD. IDK why she made it that way. I would think the Total Body DVD would be the gateway DVD and then once you mastered it you would move on to the splits. In the periodization plan she starts you off with total body workouts and then you move to upper/lower/core splits midway through. So you would think Total Body would be for beginners.

Edie · 03-24-13, 04:18 PM

I think she made it more challenging because it is full body. She wanted to create an efficient full body workout for those who do not have time for splits.

ncl · 03-25-13, 11:25 AM

Thanks for your replies. I think I'll try the DVDs first. That's a great idea.

ncl · 03-25-13, 11:41 AM

Just bought the DVDs. I'm excited to try them. If I like them, then maybe I'll invest in one of the periodization systems.

slysam · 03-25-13, 11:50 AM

Since you mention ballroom dancing, I don't ballroom dance (anymore, I have taken classes and danced socially in the past) but I do other types of dance regularly. I find that barre workouts really help my dancing as they are good for balance, mobility, and core strength. My upper body strength improved doing some barre workouts like P57, Squeeze Stronger and Ballet Body. I was never able to do an on-toes pushup before I started using P57. My arms started showing definition for the first time after a month or so of Ballet Body upper twice a week (and especially after i added a little Horizontal conditioning once a week or so--not barre but it has some similarities to BB upper's plank work). My limbs seem to respond well to bodyweight and highish rep exercises though. I do like a mix of barre, bodyweight or kettlebell circuits and a little heavy lifting though. I am not sure how to put all those together so still trying to find the right balance. A lot of dance inspired workouts use mostly bodyweight and in dance classes we always did bodyweight exercises. I think unless you are lifting other people, challenging bodyweight work would give you most of the strength you would need for dancing and also help a bit with balance and coordination. (challenging yoga practices might do something similar).

Support VF
VF Membership Subscription
Shop These Vendors
Activa	Collage Video
Amazon.com	eBay.com
Amazon.ca (Canada)	Half.com
Amazon.co.uk (UK)	Junonia
Amazon.fr (France)	Onehanesplace.com
BN.com	Overstock.com
Buy.com	Road Runner Sports
CenturyFitness.com	Sierra Trading Post

03-23-13, 03:06 PM
ncl Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Western North Carolina	For those of you that have done Ballet Body, how strong do you get? I am actually dancing now (ballroom) and in my workouts, I would like to be strong and small. I do bulk up with heavy weights and I also find they leave my body less sensitive to the fine movements I am trying to learn for dancing. So I quit doing heavy weight workouts some time ago, but still do medium weights and circuit workouts (a la Cathe's Afterburn or Firm workouts). But, as I advance in dancing, I am finding that I need some serious strength and wondered how challenging Ballet Body really is and how much strength I would gain, if any. I have been wanting to try it for awhile, but it's quite an investment to get a periodization system (too much if it's not gonna work but a fine investment if it is effective) and for me, too difficult to figure out how to put her workouts together myself otherwise. Please advise.

03-23-13, 07:05 PM
PrairieGem Join Date: Jan 2013	She has rotations for her DVDs on her website! Best of both worlds. __________________ ~Gem *Dux femina facti*

03-23-13, 07:32 PM
F1mom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Atlanta	I bought the Signature Series DVDs to try before moving to the Periodization system but haven't opened them yet. They're up for trade -- why don't you try one of them to see if you like it?

03-24-13, 11:03 AM
MrKnuckles Join Date: Jan 2013	I agree. Try the DVDs. I have all the Signature Series DVDs and love them. I found the upper body DVD to be the most difficult. Even after a two-month rotation I still could not complete the plank section without breaks. It will definitely increase your upper body strength. And has an added bonus of improving your posture. Everyone commented on how it looked like I had gotten taller when I did this rotation. You can just start out with her Total Body DVD, to see if you like her style. I found it difficult but doable. I haven't done it consistently enough to comment on strength gains, but I do feel like it would work towards that if done regularly. I can't comment on the periodization system because I haven't tried it. Although, I do plan to get it eventually because I really click with her style. I just want to be able to complete the DVDs without breaks or modifications first. Hope that helps. Jen

03-24-13, 02:15 PM
F1mom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Atlanta	FYI, daisysunshine did an Everything Ballet Body thread before the DVDs were released. I think I remember reading that some of the exercises on DVD were actually harder than those in the Periodization system.

03-24-13, 02:40 PM
hotncmom Join Date: Jan 2009	I think the Upper Body mat work in the Total Body DVD are harder than the UB mat work in the Upper Body DVD. IDK why she made it that way. I would think the Total Body DVD would be the gateway DVD and then once you mastered it you would move on to the splits. In the periodization plan she starts you off with total body workouts and then you move to upper/lower/core splits midway through. So you would think Total Body would be for beginners.

03-24-13, 04:18 PM
Edie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii	I think she made it more challenging because it is full body. She wanted to create an efficient full body workout for those who do not have time for splits.

03-25-13, 11:25 AM
ncl Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Western North Carolina	Thanks for your replies. I think I'll try the DVDs first. That's a great idea.

03-25-13, 11:41 AM
ncl Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Western North Carolina	Just bought the DVDs. I'm excited to try them. If I like them, then maybe I'll invest in one of the periodization systems.

03-25-13, 11:50 AM
slysam Join Date: Sep 2010	Since you mention ballroom dancing, I don't ballroom dance (anymore, I have taken classes and danced socially in the past) but I do other types of dance regularly. I find that barre workouts really help my dancing as they are good for balance, mobility, and core strength. My upper body strength improved doing some barre workouts like P57, Squeeze Stronger and Ballet Body. I was never able to do an on-toes pushup before I started using P57. My arms started showing definition for the first time after a month or so of Ballet Body upper twice a week (and especially after i added a little Horizontal conditioning once a week or so--not barre but it has some similarities to BB upper's plank work). My limbs seem to respond well to bodyweight and highish rep exercises though. I do like a mix of barre, bodyweight or kettlebell circuits and a little heavy lifting though. I am not sure how to put all those together so still trying to find the right balance. A lot of dance inspired workouts use mostly bodyweight and in dance classes we always did bodyweight exercises. I think unless you are lifting other people, challenging bodyweight work would give you most of the strength you would need for dancing and also help a bit with balance and coordination. (challenging yoga practices might do something similar).