Tiny "toned" muscle definition

[aspidistra]

I found that the TA method made my hips, butt and legs very small. They practically disappeared. Her moves are just awesome to shape the lower body. In 6 months or so I went from a size 12 to a 2 and looked thin in clothes, but the cellulite did not all go away. The arms were smaller but still flabby; I had thigh gap and could wear skinny jeans but they were still covered in fat, though less of it, and I had a muffin top. I was on a very strict diet at the time as well - for more than a year I didn't touch sugar or starch. Yet the waist stayed boxy, so it had to be the workout method. The main problem TA did not solve was the waist/abs. I had no waist definition, like all her trainers, like many "after" pictures I saw on her now non-existent forum. I don't like this boyish look, though it's of course better than being fat all over as I was before. One of her clients who works out 2 hours a day has a pic in a bikini and her stomach is actually protruding, though the rest of the body looks OK. This tells me once and for all that the TA method is not sufficient to get a flat abdomen or an indented waist. It seems to focus on the legs and butt most of all but I wanted allover symmetry. I had far better results in 2009 using Callanetics, ballet and lifting light weights. I am going to be using Joyce Vedral, Cindy Crawford and Physique 57 workouts as well as Callanetics and Ballet Body. These did not develop a thick waist when I used them before. I may still use the TA leg moves as they really streamline the lower body.

[Yelly]

Lifting really heavy causes inflammation for me too. I've been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis though, so I'm sure the inflammatory-effect is magnified in my case. It got to the point that I had to quit lifting heavy all the time, because I constantly felt stiff, run-down, and with flu-like symptoms. (The example I gave above of me getting in shape with STS and running - I eventually hit a wall and pretty much couldn't get out of bed. Part of that was depression setting in, but part of it was also the arthritis flaring up from all of the heavy lifting.)

With Tracy I've never had any issue with that. All of this talk about Tracy in recent posts has just motivated me to start back up with her workouts I really missed her!

[Debbie S.]

I have to agree about diet and genetics playing a huge role here. We can not out exercise a bad diet, and we can not escape what genetics has thrown us. So there definitely isn't a one size fits all when it comes to exercise and how our body is going to respond.

I personally have to include weights, cardio, and workouts like TA/Callanetics/or any type of iso-tension work. I'm cursed with my mom's genes, the Portuguese side. Thanks to her I can have a flabby overall appearance and very unshapely arms if I don't work my a$$ off.

[Lori_Michigan]

I'm also short (5'4") and have all my weight in my middle, and like many others here, I also bulk quite easily but rarely lose fat. I turned 40 this year and just couldn't do high intensity or impact anymore; I had to switch to low impact, barre, ballet, yoga, etc.

Not much made a difference until I started Classical Stretch/Essentrics. In 6 months, I've lost a pant size, I have an actual waist, I've lost most of my muffin top, I have toned arms and not picked up a weight since last June. I only do cardio maybe 2-3 times a week, and it's never to the point where I don't enjoy it or get too sweaty. (And I used to do high impact stuff 5-6 days a week with heavy weights for 90+minutes a day! All that got me was overdeveloped quads and too many injuries to count.)

I think I've lost about 10 pounds and honestly, I've not changed a thing about my diet. Even through the holidays, I didn't gain anything.

[TuesdayTaylor]

Originally Posted by PrairieGem

Honestly? Nothing. I know, not a popular response, but like others have said, I've done pretty much everything, from barre (low weight/high rep) to steady state cardio to HIIT/bodyweight, to heavy (for me) weights... to extremely clean eating. And even at my leanest--my mid-30s, around a size 6 and 16% bodyfat --I still looked soft and curvy (super-frustrating at the time, let me tell you! I was trying to get cut!). I'm a little older now, and I've really come to love my natural look. (VF helped me get there ) I'm happier at a smaller size, but it doesn't seem to matter what I do--my *size* will change, but not my essential shape.

Your reply made me smile and reminded me of a conversation a girl friend and I had ... we decided (given our particular inherited body types) that the best way to ensure the look described above was to go back in time and choose different parents with different genes. I work with what I have but honey, honestly, I can't do miracles!!

[neatski]

Originally Posted by Tugger31

Neatski, we sound similar in body mechanics (and height!)

Are you following a certain rotation, and what workouts do you use most often for your barre, HiiT and heavy weights? Are you doing heavy weights weekly or less often? Thanks!

I have been doing the following for the past few months (in a typical week):

-30-40 minutes of barre 4-5 times a week, and 60 minutes of barre 1 time a week- mostly at lunch time
-20-30 minute HIIT (typically comprised not of speed drills but bodyweight or kettlebell strengthening exercises- think Zuzka) 3 times week
-60 minutes of upper body strength training with kettlebells 1 time a week
-20-30 minutes of bodyweight circuit (less intense than HIIT) 1 time a week

Sounds confusing but weekdays I am doing 30-40 minutes of barre at lunch, and 20-30 minutes of intense exercise in the evening. On the weekends I'll do a longer barre session and a longer upper body circuit.

The key for me has been splitting up my workouts so I'm not usually working out for more than 30 minutes at a time. This makes it easier for me to be consistent, and then I also keep my focus and work hard. I think I get more out of my 30 minute barre workouts than my 60 minute ones.

As a result, I have a slightly more muscular form of a barre body. My legs and thighs have never been so slim and firm, ever. My abs are very defined. My arms look good and firm but they have less muscle than I prefer.