Disappointment/Frustration with P57

[Carb8985]

Regarding the discussion about whether to do barre 2-3x/week v. 5-6x/week, I just wanted to perhaps suggest an idea and get some feedback on it.

I often do barre about 5x/week, but never more than two consecutive days in a row. Lately, though, I've found myself pressed for time in the mornings. And I've also found some of the workouts getting too easy for me (shocking, I know). Well, I've started doing a barre-splits rotation, dividing up upper and lower body. As an example, I'll do Squeeze Stronger upper body + abs from P57 Classic, Volume 2. Then, the next day, I'll do P57 Classic, Volume 2 seat + thigh sections and usually another seat + thigh add-on from another DVD or even the P57 segments twice. I'm really liking this as it is challenging, but it also allows your muscles to more adequately recover than if you just did the Classic in its entirety for consecutive days on end.

What do you guys think of this? Any feedback is appreciated. I should mention that I'm now considering purchasing Leah's Ballet Body, because it seems more suited to this type of "barre splits" approach. Can anyone weigh on that as well?

Thanks!

[Lmg]

Absolutely love physique 57 2 series, but plain and simple I feel like I have hit a barre brick wall. One week a go I decided to mix things up in an attempt to tone up before beach vacation the last week of april. I just collected TL logevity series, thanks to a great trader!!! I rotate p57 or other barre type workout with TL longevity workouts daily. Good news: out of the rut and lost 5 pounds in one week. Hooray!

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by Lmg

Absolutely love physique 57 2 series, but plain and simple I feel like I have hit a barre brick wall. One week a go I decided to mix things up in an attempt to tone up before beach vacation the last week of april. I just collected TL logevity series, thanks to a great trader!!! I rotate p57 or other barre type workout with TL longevity workouts daily. Good news: out of the rut and lost 5 pounds in one week. Hooray!

Sounds great! I've been loathe to change up my kettlebell/barre combo because I don't want to lose the progress I've made, but it's been something like four months now and I feel the need to freshen up the routine. I've been meaning to make use of my TLT and Longevity stuff, so I like the sound of your rotation.

[yahoo205]

Originally Posted by Sophie

Sounds great! I've been loathe to change up my kettlebell/barre combo because I don't want to lose the progress I've made, but it's been something like four months now and I feel the need to freshen up the routine. I've been meaning to make use of my TLT and Longevity stuff, so I like the sound of your rotation.

sophie, what is your kettlebell/barre combo? and what kind of results have you seen? i just got a kettlebell

[slysam]

Originally Posted by Carb8985

Regarding the discussion about whether to do barre 2-3x/week v. 5-6x/week, I just wanted to perhaps suggest an idea and get some feedback on it.

I often do barre about 5x/week, but never more than two consecutive days in a row. Lately, though, I've found myself pressed for time in the mornings. And I've also found some of the workouts getting too easy for me (shocking, I know). Well, I've started doing a barre-splits rotation, dividing up upper and lower body. ...What do you guys think of this? Any feedback is appreciated. I should mention that I'm now considering purchasing Leah's Ballet Body, because it seems more suited to this type of "barre splits" approach. Can anyone weigh on that as well?

Hi Carb, I don't see any reason you couldn't do barre everyday or 5 days as a split if you want. I think the big challenge is that most barre workouts tend to be full body, but with ones that specialize or are chaptered you could. It would be similar to a strength training type split. The 5-day each part once a week type split might not work as well for barre as I am not sure you would reach the right level of muscle exhaustion with barre since it tends to be light weights and body weight. But alternating between lower and upper would work. I think there is a thread on barre splits somewhere in the rotations section of the forum. I don't know anything about Ballet Body other than comments I've seen from other VF'ers.

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by yahoo205

sophie, what is your kettlebell/barre combo? and what kind of results have you seen? i just got a kettlebell

Hmmm, maybe calling it combo is too grandiose - generally, I just try to do kb twice a week and barre, either ballet body, P57, or classical stretch - I don't know, 3 or 4 times a week? I will, as mentioned elsewhere, often do about half an hour of kb work followed by half hour of barre or barre + yoga.

When I talk about progress, it's in reference to both an injured and deconditioned state - I have a chronic knee issue that's plagued me since last summer and prevented me from running, and I gained quite a bit of weight from that (I whined about this repeatedly on just about every "did lowering intensity give better results" thread, I think - obviously for me, it did not ).

I like kettlebells because of the interval cardio effect as well as strength+power, and barre has been important for joint stabilization and mobilization. Size-wise, I am much smaller than I was in the fall (pants falling off, been on clothes buying spree recently) but that is eating habits as much as anything else. I've gained tremendous core and overall strength. I'm not back to running, sadly, but when I drop in on judo classes I am super pleased I can still handstand/somersault to standing, pick up guys, etc, even without doing judo regularly.

So that's what I mean about not wanting to lose progress. However, subbing in TLT for KB for a while might be OK. I will definitely keep doing barre. It's been hugely rehab-by for me. And I should mention I do some sort of yoga nearly every day - either my own yoga, class, or Jill's YTUAH.

[fuzzie]

Originally Posted by Carb8985

Regarding the discussion about whether to do barre 2-3x/week v. 5-6x/week, I just wanted to perhaps suggest an idea and get some feedback on it.

I often do barre about 5x/week, but never more than two consecutive days in a row. Lately, though, I've found myself pressed for time in the mornings. And I've also found some of the workouts getting too easy for me (shocking, I know). Well, I've started doing a barre-splits rotation, dividing up upper and lower body. As an example, I'll do Squeeze Stronger upper body + abs from P57 Classic, Volume 2. Then, the next day, I'll do P57 Classic, Volume 2 seat + thigh sections and usually another seat + thigh add-on from another DVD or even the P57 segments twice. I'm really liking this as it is challenging, but it also allows your muscles to more adequately recover than if you just did the Classic in its entirety for consecutive days on end.

What do you guys think of this? Any feedback is appreciated. I should mention that I'm now considering purchasing Leah's Ballet Body, because it seems more suited to this type of "barre splits" approach. Can anyone weigh on that as well?

Thanks!

Carb - I personally prefer total-body barre workouts but I think your barre split rotation would work well and Ballet Barre is a perfect choice for that! The segments are challenging enough to really exhaust the muscles, which I think you need especially if you don't do barre on consecutive days (different types of overload). Also, Leah offers a lot of variety - e.g., working the thighs with pliés versus leg lifts and extensions (like this week's awesome leg/hip isolation workout), working the glutes standing (with barre squats and hip extensions) versus on the floor (like her killer pretzel segments) - so you will be able to have lots of variety in your rotation and challenge your muscles differently.

[azuniga]

Originally Posted by slysam

Hi Carb, I don't see any reason you couldn't do barre everyday or 5 days as a split if you want. I think the big challenge is that most barre workouts tend to be full body, but with ones that specialize or are chaptered you could. It would be similar to a strength training type split. The 5-day each part once a week type split might not work as well for barre as I am not sure you would reach the right level of muscle exhaustion with barre since it tends to be light weights and body weight. But alternating between lower and upper would work. I think there is a thread on barre splits somewhere in the rotations section of the forum. I don't know anything about Ballet Body other than comments I've seen from other VF'ers.

Oh I like the sound of this rotation!

[Carb8985]

Originally Posted by fuzzie

Carb - I personally prefer total-body barre workouts but I think your barre split rotation would work well and Ballet Barre is a perfect choice for that! The segments are challenging enough to really exhaust the muscles, which I think you need especially if you don't do barre on consecutive days (different types of overload). Also, Leah offers a lot of variety - e.g., working the thighs with pliés versus leg lifts and extensions (like this week's awesome leg/hip isolation workout), working the glutes standing (with barre squats and hip extensions) versus on the floor (like her killer pretzel segments) - so you will be able to have lots of variety in your rotation and challenge your muscles differently.

I think I'm going to cave on a Ballet Body archive and see how I like them! I've read such great things about these segments and I think it's time I give them a whirl. I really like the idea of being able to do barre 5-6x/week, but dividing up lower and upper body so that I can really work the relevant muscle groups. The total body workouts are not as challenging for me anymore (even P57) and I think it's time to change things up.

Thanks for the feedback!