Barre Workouts and/or Pilates for toning and leaning

bella_roma

Hello everyone! I'm a 34 year old female and I'm at a healthy weight and BMI so this post isn't really about losing weight (although losing 5 lbs wouldn't hurt my feelings!). I've always focused on more weight-training and cardio workouts like Jillian Michaels or P90. While I've gotten great results, I'm now looking more to tone and lean my body as oppose to putting on a lot of muscle definition. I have an hourglass figure and I tend to carry most of my weight in my hips, thighs and butt and this is the area I'm primarily trying to target.

I purchased the Physique 57 barre workout DVDs (they get great reviews on amazon)a few weeks ago and I also use Tracey Mallett's barre workout DVS. In addition I do pilates (half an hour DVDs) once or twice a week. I have to say that the Barre workouts burn in all of the right places. But I'm still fairly new to these types of workouts and sometimes it's difficult for me to wrap my mind around the fact that I'm going to see drastic results by using DVDs with such low-impact and rise in heart rate. I guess I'm just so used to the higher impact workouts that leave me sweating and breathless.

If anyone has any success stories with barre workouts in particular, or with pilates (or both) I would love to hear about it. Also opinions on whether these are good options for leaning and toning.

Thanks!
Tracy

phjorg1

There is no such thing as a toning workout or exercise.

bella_roma

Okay let me ask this then. If I use barre workouts will it help slim down my problem areas? I do watch what I eat. I follow a mostly Paleo diet and I'm fairly strict with not consuming processed foods, refined sugars, and wheat/gluten/grains.

nilbogger

Okay let me ask this then. If I use barre workouts will it help slim down my problem areas?

The only way you can really "slim down" any area is by losing more weight.

britzzie

I honestly don't get what you want. Muscle tone but not muscle definition?

phjorg1

No it will not. Losing fat is 100% the result of diet.

Your muscles can do 3 things. Shrink, grow or stay the same. There is no such thing as an exercise to 'tone' instead of 'bulk'. So ask yourself, which of these three goals do you want?? If it's grow, then eat above maintainence and lift heavy weights to gain weight. If you're happy with the amount of muscle mass you have and want to lose fat to show it better, then lift very heavy things and eat below maintainence to lose fat. If your muscles and fat are both excessive, then do nothing or cardio only and eat below maintainence and you will lose both..

ChrisLindsay9

I can't comment on whether your diet strategy is optimal in this regard (that might be better answered in the Food and Nutrition section of the message boards), but your diet will be the biggest determination for slimming down the problem areas.

The Barre and Pilates workouts will help improve your conditioning, endurance, and flexibility. Those workouts, just like all other exercises, improve fitness much more than reduces weight.

It sounds like you've got the right approach with being active and keeping an eye on the diet program you've been following. So it'll take some patience. Maybe you can double-check those calories and confirm your food measurements, just to be sure you're not consuming above maintenance or in surplus?

Best of luck to ya!

bella_roma

Thank you all. I guess I was just hoping to read some positive results. Some reviewers and bloggers seem to swear by P57 for lifting their bums and losing inches in their hip area. As I said, I'm just not used to doing workouts that don't involve lifting or circuit training.

I do carry a bit of excess weight around my hips (the leftover joys of a twin pregnancy I suppose) and I do lose weight there but I think I'm more looking to do excercises to help reduce some of the jiggle, for lack of a better word. Maybe I just got caught up in the "long lean dancers body" hype that comes with some of the ballet barre workouts. I have a medium to large frame and gain muscle quite easily which is why I was looking for a change.

hkell727

I have not done Barre workouts but have done PIYO (combination of pilates and yoga) and loved the results. I lost inches and as the inches decreased so did the weight. I was very careful with eating but I lost tons of inches in my waist, hips, abs, arms - all very bit problem areas for me. I, too, have twins so I carry a bit around my middle. I have actually been going to try the Barre workouts - I like trying new workouts - but wanted to give you some positive feedback on my experiences. Good luck!

TavistockToad

Either recomp, or set your deficit to lose 0.5lb per week until you're lean enough.

P90x3 is a good workout if you like Tony Horton.

murph155

I started doing a 60 minute Barre/Pilates workout at my gym about 6 months ago, and can definitely see better definition in my thighs and my butt. And I sweat like hell during that workout!

sgt1372

I'm already lean and toned. Hardly did any cardio to achieve this. Mainly calorie control and heavy weight lifting. Lost 40# and dropped my BF to 10% over the past 10 months doing so.

However, I really lack muscle flexibility. Can barely touch my toes but I find most stretching routines boring. So, I just placed an order for the PiYo 5 program for just $27.33 on eBay --over 50% off the TV price.

I'm an old guy and lack any rhythm to speak of, so the "high intensity" and "dance" based programs are unattractive to me. Just want to stretch and get my body moving a bit. From the TV ads it seems like PiYo is a simple, low impact program suitable for this purpose.

Won't cost me too much to find out. We'll see . . .

yellingkimber

sgt1372 wrote: »

I'm already lean and toned. Hardly did any cardio to achieve this. Mainly calorie control and heavy weight lifting. Lost 40# and dropped my BF to 10% over the past 10 months doing so.

However, I really lack muscle flexibility. Can barely touch my toes but I find most stretching routines boring. So, I just placed an order for the PiYo 5 program for just $27.33 on eBay --over 50% off the TV price.

I'm an old guy and lack any rhythm to speak of, so the "high intensity" and "dance" based programs are unattractive to me. Just want to stretch and get my body moving a bit. From the TV ads it seems like PiYo is a simple, low impact program suitable for this purpose.

Won't cost me too much to find out. We'll see . . .

If you're just looking for flexibility, I'd highly recommend the Yoga Studio app. I've been repeating the 15 minute and 30-minute "beginner flexibility" classes every other day for the past 3 weeks and I still don't feel anywhere near ready to move on up to the next level even though I'm making loads of improvement! I went from barely being able to get my hands down past my knees to being able to touch the ground with my palms flat against it.

HeliumIsNoble

yellingkimber wrote: »

sgt1372 wrote: »

I'm already lean and toned. Hardly did any cardio to achieve this. Mainly calorie control and heavy weight lifting. Lost 40# and dropped my BF to 10% over the past 10 months doing so.

However, I really lack muscle flexibility. Can barely touch my toes but I find most stretching routines boring. So, I just placed an order for the PiYo 5 program for just $27.33 on eBay --over 50% off the TV price.

I'm an old guy and lack any rhythm to speak of, so the "high intensity" and "dance" based programs are unattractive to me. Just want to stretch and get my body moving a bit. From the TV ads it seems like PiYo is a simple, low impact program suitable for this purpose.

Won't cost me too much to find out. We'll see . . .

If you're just looking for flexibility, I'd highly recommend the Yoga Studio app. I've been repeating the 15 minute and 30-minute "beginner flexibility" classes every other day for the past 3 weeks and I still don't feel anywhere near ready to move on up to the next level even though I'm making loads of improvement! I went from barely being able to get my hands down past my knees to being able to touch the ground with my palms flat against it.

Interesting.

Do you think there would be benefits from this app for someone who is already pretty flexible (nearly palms on floor) who wants to get a little further?

runningkel

I've been doing Barre (in a studio, not at home) for about 3 weeks and I already notice a *slight* difference in my legs being more toned and I notice that I can do some of the core stuff and exercises more easily (like I can actually hold the 45 second plank now and my pushups have gotten better). I've also noticed a huge difference in my flexibility in my hips and legs. It's hard but it's a good workout. My friend has attained the lean-dancer type body just through regular Barre classes and a good diet. I've never done Pilates, so I can't speak to that! I think it's never bad to mix up your workouts and see what it can do for you. Good luck!

yellingkimber

HeliumIsNoble wrote: »

Do you think there would be benefits from this app for someone who is already pretty flexible (nearly palms on floor) who wants to get a little further?

@HeliumIsNoble I would think so. The app has intermediate and advanced classes and also lets you pick from poses to create your own routines. I just opened the advance class to check it out and a few examples of poses that look scary to me as a beginner and would have still scared me when I was doing yoga weekly are: downward dog with twists, mermaid, one legged king pigeon with backbend, Wild Thing, and wheel. The other classes have some pretty scary stuff going on, too.

ninerbuff

Leaning out is due to diet and calorie deficit. "Toning" from what most females try to convey to me is NOT having a muscular look, but having firmness in their muscles. To achieve that, you resistance train with resistance that's challenging and just don't lower your body fat too low.
You CANNOT exercise "trouble" areas of the body. It doesn't work that way. If you want a dancers body, then train like a dancer.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition