Bbl questions

[Mymindisnotme]

My first post, hello everyone. I was looking for information on BBL and I found this great site on the process. I'll greatly appreciate if the BBL veterans can take the time to help me out.

I have started on the BBL Combination and it's my 4th week following it. However, I have no soreness, whatsoever. It makes me wonder if I'm doing the exercises wrong so I'm paying special attention to form and I have added 2kg each ankle weights. My band was torn at least 4 times within the first 2 weeks and I couldn't find an identical one (I live in UK), so I ordered a heavy one from Ebay and use a clip to size it.

I must say I used to go to the gym and work hard on a daily basis until 5 years ago. Never did a DVD program before. I was in great shape but now I'm ridden with cellulite despite not being overweight, my weight is 9 stones (126 pounds,5'4"). My bum is big and fluffy and I have big calves, my thighs need serious toning and that's where the cellulite is. Small waist and narrow hips. I've decided enough is enough and committed to getting toned. Sorry for all this info, but I thought it might help with your reply.

I'm seeing results, specially my abs are so defined, much slower my legs and bum, in that order, but I'm really annoyed at not feeling the burn or better results in my bum. Why?

1. Is this normal?
2. where can I find the BBL band I need. How big is the original band you received? I think about 11 inches but I didn't measure it, before stretching it.
3. Worried BBL will make my hips even more narrow...? Should I modify any exercise to try if not grow at least keep my hips size.
4. When you do 2 Workouts, one after the other one, for example Cardio and High and Tight. Can you skip the cool down of the first and the warm up of the second? Just do one warm up and one cool down?
5. I have a regular mat to exercise but when I'm on my knees I feel i need more cushion as they hurt. Any suggestions?
6-Is there anyone in England-London area doing the BBL?

Thanks in advance.

[Cassy]

You should post this in the general discussion section. You'll get responses there.

[slysam]

You might get more answers in the general discussion area--perhaps you could get a moderator to move this thread.

There are a few rotations in BBL, perhaps you could do the one for people who want to build their bum. I don't recall how much 2 kg weighs compared to pounds, but I used 4 pound ankle weights. In the video, the instructor says you can use both weights on the same leg if it gets easy so I think you could go to whatever weight challenges you (as long as you can still do the exercises correctly without injury). Some find that they need a stronger band than the one that came with the set, so your replacement shouldn't be a problem. Perhaps you will feel it more in your bum with more resistance in your band and ankle weights. Also really look at your technique as the exercises all isolate very small areas.

I can definitely feel my muscles working during high and tight but I don't get much sore muscles either--but I already do a lot of glute exercises. When I did a 4 week rotation of BBL I actually lost the most from my waist as well. I was happy about that but I think it does include a lot of core work and the rotation I did was the "too big" rotation so it included a lot of cardio. I do feel like my bum looks better though. You might not feel much in the front of your thighs since these workouts don't involve those muscles much--you should feel it in your bum, hamstrings, hips, and inner thighs mainly. Which rotation are you following?

[QUOTE=Mymindisnotme;1819137]

3. Worried BBL will make my hips even more narrow...? Should I modify any exercise to try if not grow at least keep my hips size."

Your hips getting narrow would most likely have to do with fat loss. You could try the one for people who feel their bum is too small and see if that helps.

"4. When you do 2 Workouts, one after the other one, for example Cardio and High and Tight. Can you skip the cool down of the first and the warm up of the second? Just do one warm up and one cool down?"

Up to you, you could skip the cool down if you want. Re: the warm-up, sometimes that includes good exercises so you may want to consider that. I guess I tend to just do both. But you could do just one warm-up and cooldown--perhaps do the one with the better warmup first.

5. I have a regular mat to exercise but when I'm on my knees I feel i need more cushion as they hurt. Any suggestions?

Yes me too. I think it has to do with the ankle weights increasing pressure on the knees in that position. I roll my mat up so there is more padding under the knees.

6-Is there anyone in England-London area doing the BBL?

Sorry, not me. My DH is from the London area and has family there so we visit fairly often. But we live in the US. Glad you joined us!

[KathAL79]

Welcome to VF!

While you're waiting for some more answers and/or for the moderator perhaps to move this thread to the General Discussion forum, you might want to look through some of the past threads on BBL to see if any help to answer at least some of your questions. If you click on the "Brazil Butt Lift" tag at the bottom of this thread, for example, you'll get six pages of threads about BBL, of which I hope at least one helps.

[toaster]

Well, I'll take a stab at trying to help, although I'm not doing a full BBL rotation--the only workout I actually own is Bum Bum. However, I am on Week 2 of a modified rotation (I am doing the one for "pear shaped"), subbing other workouts for the ones I don't have. Also, I just made a trade for the High & Tight DVD (I think Sculpt is on that DVD as well), so as soon as I receive it, I plug that in.

In the meantime, here are some responses:

1. I definitely feel Bum Bum in my Bum!!! How much does this workout appear in the "Combination" rotation that you are following? I don't know how many rotations there are total (I don't have any of the BBL paperwork), but if you aren't feeling it enough, maybe you could switch to a different rotation that works in Bum Bum more? Another option would be to use Bum Bum Rapido (just 10 minutes) as an add-on when you have extra time.
2. Again, I don't have the original BBL set, so I'm not sure what type of band comes with the workouts. You could probably email Beachbody and ask, but I would think you could purchase a standard resistance band to use with this workout.
3. I agree with Slysam, you could try the rotation to build your bum if you are worried about losing size. Another option is that when Leandro is doing leg lifts to the side (i.e., targeting the hip/outer glutes), you could do them to the rear instead to switch the focus to the buttocks.
4. I don't see any problems with skipping the extra cool-down/warm-up in-between workouts if you want.
5. Like Slysam said, just roll up or double up your mat under your knee.
6. Sorry, I'm in the USA too.

Hope this helps! And btw, moderators for this forum are PamelaP, Clare*, WWWendy, and Kimberly33; any of them could move the thread to the General Discussion forum for you if you drop them a PM.

ETA: Kath, I didn't know that you could just click on tags to search that term; thanks!

[toaster]

I have a question after doing cardio (subbing for Cardio Axe) and Bum Bum the other day. I did the cardio first just because it was written that way on the rotation, but I was then pretty tired for Bum Bum--it was HARD!!! I've got the same two workouts coming up again, and so I was wondering, is there any problem with doing them in reverse order (i.e., Bum Bum first)?

[slysam]

I don't see how there could be a problem doing them in reverse. I loosely followed the "too big rotation" and would do bum bum first when it called for bum bum and axe. A trainer had told me that it is sometimes better to do the harder workout first or the one where you need to be more careful with form (that is sort of one reason a lot of people prefer strength work before cardio). I guess Cardio Axe could help you warmup better for bum bum, but bum bum already has a decent warmup. I think Bum Bum than AXE also kind of follows the protocol some do for fat loss where they do intense intervals first, rest 5 minutes or so then steady state lower intensity cardio. I am not sure how much it matters which is first really.

[laurajhawk]

Originally Posted by toaster

I have a question after doing cardio (subbing for Cardio Axe) and Bum Bum the other day. I did the cardio first just because it was written that way on the rotation, but I was then pretty tired for Bum Bum--it was HARD!!! I've got the same two workouts coming up again, and so I was wondering, is there any problem with doing them in reverse order (i.e., Bum Bum first)?

Well maybe this is just ubercheating, but when I have Bum Bum on the schedule with another workout, I usually split them morning/evening. And when I do that, I do Bum Bum in the morning 'cause I have more energy then.

[toaster]

Slysam & Laura, thank you both for your thoughts! I did do Bum Bum first today, and it was A LOT easier for BOTH workouts; not only did I get through Bum Bum more easily (although I still find it pretty hard!), but I had more energy for cardio.

Laura, that's a good idea, although I generally prefer to get my workouts out of the way all at once.

[KarenJo]

I'm not sure the original poster will see this but it still seems worthwhile to point out that you can get the BBL bands through Mary. You can also get two more resistance levels - green and red.

They only cost $6.95 each but I checked and the shipping for one band in the US was $6.20 and for two it was $7.45. International shipping will be more but Mary has better charges than most for that.