Feeling a bit low tonight. Feel like a big blob. I have about 20lbs to do and 5 weeks to do it. It seems like an impossible mission. I’m going to have to start restricting my calories and seriously working out hardcore. I only have the first 2 out of the 8 routines memorized of the dance cardio video. I usually them do over and over again over 40-50 minutes without the dvd. I have my own playlist. Tonight I put the dvd in so I could learn 2 more routines and it was depressing. When I see her do the ones I have memorized they look so much better. I feel like I’m never going to get it!!!! Ugh! Sorry to be such a debbie downer…

I know this will read as if I’m trying to sell you something, but honestly I don’t work for any video company and don’t have any financial interest in any aspect of the fitness industry.  I did a search and only see a general reference to Dara Torres, so I thought it might help some folks to know about resistance stretching.  I got some great results from TA videos, but then fell off the wagon because I found the workouts to be beyond my capabilities.  Meanwhile, I was reading about resistance stretching and how it can protect you from injury.  There was even one article by a guy who worked out heavily with weights, but kept blowing his joints out when he did sports.  It might have been in Men’s Fitness but I didn’t keep the mag, I just saw it at a gym and wrote down some of the suggested corrective exercises, like one where your arms slowly stretch out to form a w, then straighten to a t, then raise to a v, then reverse back to the w.  Torres has a DVD set, with one disc that explains how to do resistance stretching and another with a 15 minute workout.  I realize now that I’ve gone back to TA videos, that conditioning with resistance stretching has made a world of difference.  In fact, TA workouts *are* resistance stretching!  She uses her unique terminology, but when she talks about using one part of your body to do an exercise while using the opposite part of your body as the opposing force, and when she encourages you to concentrate on the entire range of a movement and never flop around, that’s the same kind of mindset you have to bring to resistance stretching.  My appreciation of what’s called her “ab” work or “leg”  or even “arm” exercises has changed because they use so much more of your body than one part.  I now notice that what she’s doing in the new webisodes is recreating her band or machine exercises without the equipment.  I just did her “original” mat workout (the one I guess she reshot in Paltrow’s house), and the difference in how I feel is amazing!  I am prone to neck, lumbar and knee injuries or strains and have been for years.  Usually if I have to crane my neck up even with my hands behind my head, I will feel it immediately.  This time that didn’t happen at all!!  I almost bailed a couple of times, but I didn’t (also a first!).  When I was done I did not feel sore or strained in any particular place (again a first!).  I was happy that I can now go back into the program with a renewed confidence and focus.  There are so many things that her vids have that nobody else does, and they have none of the things I find annoying about typical exercise programs.  The best thing is, it’s all dancing, even the repetitive movements.  Only at the end of the mat video does she mention breathing; I believe they threw that in as sort of a disclaimer or something.  Otherwise, notice how she never has to remind you to breathe or tell you when to breathe in and out.  It just happens!  If I stretch the way she does, my lungs just open up, and after that the exhaling takes care of itself!  Most importantly though, she seems to know that a lot of people exercising today have overdeveloped some muscles and underdeveloped others (which as I recall that one magazine writer found out when she could push on a hybrid reformer with one leg, but not pull), which leaves you open to injury as well as oddly lumpy looking.  The only advice I can give to people is, watch the hand positions carefully - TA borrows hand gestures from yoga and applies them to dance moves, so when she makes an OK sign for instance, make sure you mirror her because you will feel a muscle in your arm you didn’t know you had.  I know people call her a fake because she’s not using standard terminology, but I also know if she talked her way through all the details of her positioning, she’d have no time for anything else!  Hers are the only videos I immediately want to do again as soon as I’m done (yet another first!), and that means I won’t dread going back tomorrow.  She’s not intimidating, in fact, when she advises you to treat your workout as a performance, she’s not trying to make you feel conspicuous or self-conscious or vain.  She really is trying to get you to follow through on the movements so you get the most complete benefit.  The most important first of all is, I feel light on my feet when I’m done with TA cardio and mat tapes even though I’m hovering around 150 - the point where I start feeling unhealthy instead of just looking it.  After so many years of feeling like a lump or an elephant, or as if I have two left feet, I never thought I’d feel that way in my whole life.  That alone is worth the investment.

Where is everyone???? Glad to see some new posts….welcome all.  Ok, Ok, so I’m guilty of it myself….i get an update sent to my email that says there is a new post and I read it but haven’t been posting myself.  So, anyway — here i am.  Today, I weighed in at a very good number for a Monday morning….Monday is usually my highest weight of the week but today it was my low for last week…..YAY ME!!!  Not getting in the 6 days a week lately but I am in the middle of a move and feel as if I’m10 times more active than usual - painting, packing, unpacking at the new place and then you get home and get to do it all again plus laundry, dishes, etc.  ***and so far my husband has been out of town or busy and I have done EVERY DROP OF IT MYSELF.  I may literally be working my ass off - here’s to hoping! Trying to get in about 4 workouts a week minimum and really tighening up on my calories too.  I just go in spurts…seems to be somewhat working….I am offically 5 to 10 lbs lighter on a daily average than I was all last year….for the most part.  I feel like if I keep to my workouts and diet this week I could see an new low on the scale for this year –FINGERS CROSSED!!!!
How is everyone else doing?

Ok girls, new week, new workouts. I did my PD 2 mat workout this morning and am just about to put on my dancing shoes and do some dance cardio. I am determined to be in shape when in 5 weeks time!!! On a side note my Joshi Detox is definitely making me feel a whole lot better. I can’t report on weight loss yet but I am betting at the end of the week with combined efforts of TA workouts and detoxing I should see some pretty impressive results. I will check in and report on my progress.

Englishfan, if it makes you feel any better, they charge us a fortune to ship them here in the u.s. as well. It’s outrageous! I am pleased with the pd series dvd’s so far and I would recommend them. I have Dance Cardio 1 but haven’t done it yet. I don’t like that she has the whole group doing the workouts with her. I am still learning her old dance dvd so till I tire of that I will probably hold off on the pd dance cardio dvds.

Hello Everyone!
 I also admit I have been reading the new posts but haven’t been participating, My schedule is all out of whack since I lost my job. I got a call from a temp agency and they have been sending me out on jobs but the hours are never the same and I often have to drive way out of my element to get there and sometimes I’m in traffic for a good hour and a half to two hours to and from.
The good news is: I have been eating a very clean diet and I’m bringing a cooler with me full of healthy foods.
The not so great news is my workouts seem to have come to a hault again. I keep telling myself its temporary, but I know I can’t live with that excuse. My birthday is on June 2nd and I want to look really good, besides you guys are doing the deal and thats excellent motivation for me to get off my butt.

ellabella: I have felt more work in the back area also when doing leg lifts behind the chair. What I noticed, for me anyway, is that when I concentrate on lifting my butt(cheek),I feel it in my back but if I concentrate on lifting my leg I will feel it in my butt and hamstring. I don’t know if that makes sense or if anyone else has had that experience.

Hey Mary_d!!!!!

Gota—CALL ONE OF HER STUDIOS AND ASK FOR THE PHONE NUMBER TO THE VIDEO SALES COMPANY.  I had the number at one time and left a message….they got back to me the next day….

gota,

Something is definitely wrong there. I just ordered the pd mat workout 2 two weeks ago and I think it took about 4 or 5 days to arrive. It took forever for the 1st set to arrive but it seems it was that way for everyone because they hadn’t been released yet. Now that they are out you shouldn’t be waiting that long. I’d ring the up and ask what the delay is.

Hi everyone! I’m sorry to hear anyone is having trouble with shipments.  I had read about delays, so I put off ordering new DVDs, but in my case after steeling myself for weeks of wait, they came virtually overnight.  When I saw the package in my mailbox and it said Brother on it, at first I thought my husband had ordered something from the typewriter makers and I almost left it on his desk!!  The PD series is beyond me, but I have looked at them.  In fact I do the warmups for I, II and III in a row as a mini workout, and feel as if I’d been to the chiropractor after I’m done.  It’s a nice thing to do for an off-day or if you feel under the weather.  I tried the PP mat workout today, and was kind of dreading it because I recall the first time I tried it, I got literally nauseous (the kind of thing the opening disclaimer warns you about, but never happened to me before).  It is colossally harder for me to do than the “plain vanilla” mat workout, but that’s because it’s targeting those deeper muscles that get out of whack when you’re carrying and delivering.  I did use the alternate positions for the ab and pike series, and did only 2/3 of the reps on the leg lifts, but I did make it.  She does remind you to breathe, but it was at point  when I was starting to hold my breath (what a mindreader)!  I did feel pressure on my neck between the shoulders, but it’s because I’m still straining to look up at the tv.  I found that when I did her cooldown, that pressure disappeared.  It probably helped that I put the heat up, took an ibuprofin halfway through (since the willowprin I ordered hasn’t shown up yet), and had a hot shower right after.  I did notice that she changes her head position when she does certain moves, and it makes me hope that someday she’ll do a brain/body balance workout someday.  I’m prone to vertigo, and from all the people I know who get it too, they say balance workouts that force your  eyes and limbs to cross the center axis of your body repeatedly are the only things that help over time (tai chi, some yoga like Kundalini, and very specialized programs like Sit & Be Fit).  If I could do brain/body adjustment and her muscular structure work at the same time, it would be a great benefit to me.

Hi ladies,

Greeting from Sydney, AUS. Im a complete newbie here. Like others Ive been following this post and have decided to take the plunge after being inspired by all your comments and enthusiasm and order some TA DVDs to get myself back in shape. Im so OVER not fitting into my clothes and refuse to buy larger ones - I thought Id shame myself into action when Im down to only a few outfits.
So first THANKS SO MUCH!!!
Second, I have a question about which DVDs to start with. I want to shift some stubborn weight (8.5kgs or approx 19lbs on a 5′0″ tall body) and wanted to know if starting off with the Mat DVD was the best option or should I just jump right in and do the Cardio ones too??? Im not sure if we can get the new PD series here in Australia - my searches have come up only with the US source.
Im not the most athletic but do go for a brisk 60 mins walk every day so am not totally unfit.
Suggestions from all you wise sages out there???
Thanks again ladies and hello to you other newbies - wishing us all success!

New Goop Newsletter entitled “the making of Pepper Potts” Gwyneth gives us her butt and leg exercises she did to prepare and a five day diet. The butt and leg exercises are only on a 4 minutes teaser thing so in order to get the full workout you have to click the link and sign up on tracy’s website. This makes me nervous because people have had issues receiving the webisodes in the past and also, I can’t figure out how to download the webisode from website onto my computer. Any suggestions?

http://action.tracyandersonmethod.com/page/s/ironman2?utm_source=Goop+Newsletter&utm_campaign=60f9fc1bdd-Goop82_05_06_2010&utm_medium=email

NEW MATERIAL FROM TRACY….YAY!!!

128:
Thanks so much for the link!  You’re always so helpful.  Hope you have a great weekend.

girls!! enter your email into that little slot to join tracy anderson method that gwyneth showed you the link for - i just received yet ANOTHER  free 10 minute webisode!!  this one is full body - short but a bit of arms, a bit of butt and a bit of abs.. weeeeeeeeeeeee i love free things!!!!!!!

hi 128  it looks a lot like the other one - tracy sitting cross legged doing her arm moves - which i am assuming targets arms as well as abs?  i am assuming cause i havent tried it yet - ill do it tommorrow morning.   there are leg moves which are also sitting - sort of lying down and some knee stuff.  there is a short ab section with raising legs and stuff - same type of tracy move just new and tweaked a bit, its 10 minutes long.  i signed up for the free goop video on yesterday and received my new free webisode this morning.

i will try to get the link and post it….

oh - lol! we didnt get that one in canada i think - sorry guys!!  well anyways i am pretty stoked to have it - gonna go do it right now.  have a great weekend everyone!

Hi everyone,

I’m a newbie to the TA method and I’m considering to buy the mat workout dvd.

I run 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, about 2 miles in 30 mins). Do you think I could combine the workout with my running?
Let’s say I do the workout the other days of the week when I’m not running or do you guys think this is a bad idea?

Would love to hear your opinions.

Greetings from Belgium!

PS: I’m sorry if there are any grammar mistakes.

Hey guys! I’m sorry I haven’t been around much but I just got a job!!! Whoo hoo!! It’s pretty stressful and I’m working a lot of hours. I’m doing Marketing for a Mortgage Company that gives a large portion of their profits to local charities rather than giving huge commisions. It’s way cool.

Anyway I started last Monday and I’ve stoppped all Tracy Activities so I need to give myself a kick in the @$$ and get back into it.

The good news: I just found a new Tracy webisode online and can’t wait to try it TONIGHT. ha ha.

http://www.dailycandy.com/all-cities/video/82940/Get-Beach-Ready-with-Tracy-Anderson

If anyone has already tried this…let me know how it is!

Hello All,

So I just got the PS DVDs and I’ve done the first one a few times, but I think I like her original mat one a little better. The PS one is good for butt and abs, but I feel like it’s a little lacking for arms. Also I find the standing abs annoying because she doesn’t explain what she’s doing. I know she’s doing variations of the standing ab exercises, but it’s hard to follow without proper explanation. I felt like my shoulders were worked harder with the original mat DVD.

Another question: does anyone know what TA’s suggestion is for doing the PS? Are you supposed to do the first DVD 4-6/week for a month and then move onto the next one? As usual, TA–though I love her method–doesn’t explain things well.

Also, she looks great, but her outfit (particularly her top) in the PS 1 DVD is ridiculous. I’m sure her black half shirt cost $400, but that hanging ruffle thing is dumb for exercise. I wish she’d cut back on the flash and just focus on substance.

Hello all - This is my first time posting but have been reading the posts on ventpark for quite some time (the posts did slow down I see).  In fact, I am trying to get caught up on all the posts since the beginning of time so I do not miss anything TA related! (Ok I admit, I’m a little obsessed!!)  I see some users who have been posting for a while (torontomom, KhoTran33, onetwoeight, belladiamondz) and my question is - do you suggest the new DVD’s?  Are they better than the Mat and PP DVDs, or just useful to use to change it up (as TA says we should change our workouts every 10 days)?  A brief background on myself -  I found TA about a year ago and started doing her workouts and then became pregnant (planned - but didn’t expect it to happen so soon!)  On my maternity leave I continued to do TA (but no cardio as I just took walks with my son) so was not fully committed and fell off the wagon (I did get back to my pre-pregnancy weight after a couple months and now am about 5 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight).  I would like to lose another 5 and tone everything (my abs - the belly button area, as well as tone my arms - those are the hardest areas for me)  I have now been doing TA 6/7 days a week since May 1and feel like I hit a plateau.  However, I did just buy the ankle weights so I intend to continue workouts with those.  So I’m just wondering - is it worth it to get the new DVDs (if available) or are they repeating the Matt/PP/webisodes and less effective?  Any input from all who have done these workouts is appreciated!  Sorry for the long post!

Hey Nikole!  I definitely recommend the new DVDs.  The content is new and challenging compared to the Mat and PP DVDs–but they do have a different feel, more dancy, not so structured.  The leg sequences are long and tough and there isn’t a ton of focus on the arms–not like the Mat DVD. 

For cardio, you could try the Beginner Dance Cardio to get good at dancing–once you master the dancing you will be addicted and never want to look back at the treadmill!  ;)   Her new Dance Cardio 2 is so much fun, I like it a lot more than the 2008–it’s faster, and you’re more light on your feet so there isn’t all the pounding like 2008. 

Hello Ladies!!!

Its fun to see some activity back on this site. 
Weight loss update:
02/19/10 - 160.2
03/14/10 - 157.2
06/11/10 - 153.6
*Only doing TA-approved workouts….fell off the wagon for about a month but thanks to sporadic workouts and low-carb fare I am still seeing falling numbers…..All-time goal is 145lbs (I’m 5′9″) but anything in the 140’s will keep me very happy. 

How is everyone else doing…I got three workouts in this week so far and would like to get a good one in tonight.  I use to workout 5-6days a week for AT LEAST an hour but after a month (MAY and some of June) of MAJOR slacking off I’m back to TA and looking forward to being able to slowly increase carb levels once I reach goal.

Alisha

Thanks for the responses.  KhoTran33 - I was thinking of just getting PD3 also as some reviews have said that the others do not focus on arms enough and then I will take it from there.  It is alot of money to splurge so this helps tremendously.  Thanks!

Hi, I’m new to the TA method and this message board.  I just started the TA method.  I have the mat DVD, PP and dance cardio.  I’ve only done the mat DVD so far and she says to do it 4-6 times a week.  I have no problem working out 4-6 times a week, but am I supposed to do both mat (or PP) AND dance cardio in one day?  That is like 2 hours!  Or, alternate mat, PP and dance and just make sure I do one of them 4-6 days a week?  Confused!  Any help is appreciated!

Welcome Joy!  I just started this post yesterday as well and want to check in for support with other TA’ers.  I power walk 4 miles each morning, and then do the Mat Workout on my lunch hour - I work from home.  So walking is the only cardio I am getting, but I am doing both in one day.  The walk takes me about 45 minutes.  I know others have posted great results by alternating cardio one day, then TA the next.  However, I have been doing the Mat Workout each day, 7 days a wee.  I just love doing it, and I feel great afterwards.  I am just totally motivated to do it each day!  As I said in my post yesterday, I really want to focus more on my abs as I have bit of a pooch belly.  I am 5′7 and weigh 140 lbs, and want to get down to at least 125 - that’s where I feel most comfortable.  Just do what you can do, but you will see incredibly fast results if you do this everyday.

Thanks everyone!  I don’t have any weight to lose.  I just want to tone and lose inches (not add bulk like other workouts). 

Also, I hear a lot about webisodes.  Where can I save/download them and how many are out there? 

Finally, she says to change up your routine every 10 days.  What do you all do to change it up?

Thanks again!

Awesome!  Thank you so much!  I am 5′0″ and 103 lbs and I want to look just like Tracy

joybuckley….are you on facebook?

Hi Alisha,
Yes, I’m on facebook.  It’s under Amanda Joy Buckley (I live in Atlanta).  I appreciate all your help!  I did Dance Cardio last night.  I use the term “did” loosely.  Seriously, that is some hard stuff!  I followed the routines pretty well, god knows she does them enough for you to eventually catch on, but I didn’t have the stamina to last through one song!  And I thought I was in shape.  I think I just need to be realistic with my goals, and set my first goal to complete two songs, then 3 songs, and so on.  An hour of dancing is a little overwhelming.  But once I get it, I think it will be fun.

playvideo - thanks for the heads up on the First for Women magazine - i will definitely try getting my hands on that!  You seem like you have great results so far - keep up with TA and i’m sure you will fit in those size 5’s!!

Hey Girlies! I check posts every day but I have been too busy to write anything. I’m kind of in a funk. I have been working a lot  (whoo hoo I got a job!) but then my roommate has decided she’s moving out at the end of the month and packed up our entire kitchen and put the fridge in storage 2 weeks ago! So I have no way to eat at home which sabatoges everything for me. It affects my diet (obviously) but it also hinders my TA workout time because I’m not eating 5-6 small meals a day so I’m either not concentrating on moves because my stomach growls or I ate too much fast food and I’m too sick to work out. Yuck. Can’t wait to find my own place so I can get back on track!

NikoleGK3: Thanks for the support!
mary_d: What an awful story! Can you eat out of your purse? I find Special K2O Protein Water mix, FullBites, Kashi TLC crunchy granola bars, kid-sized Juicy Juice boxes, and even Mini M&Ms or 100 calorie packs of Milano cookies (they come in a little tray) helpful because you can eat over a garbage can or a sink in a restroom if you must.  Also, if you can get to a grocer with a salad bar and just get fruit (boy I wish grocers would develop a salad bar drive-through!!).  I used to get a walnut and cranberry salad at Burger King with chicken but they seem to have discontinued that, and Taco Bell had a shrimp taco that was great but “only a promo” - shoot.  McDonalds has their fruit and yogurt tray I’d consider a dessert, not even a snack, but their parfait is too much!  Someone needs to market Greek yogurt in sleeves for grownups that you could freeze.
OK everyone, I tried the Iron Man workout webisode yesterday and that was a learning experience.  I can understand why TA didn’t allow for modifications, because when I tried my own (going on one knee) I wound up stressing the glutes instead of forcing my torso to bear my bodyweight.  You really have to work your way up to doing all the moves with proper form.

Speaking of which, has anyone tried chlorella?  I’ve had things with chlorella in them like “green machine” juice, but not by itself.  I saw it mentioned as a packable meal replacement at http://kimberlysnyder.net/2010/03/05/my-food-lifesaver/ and thought the pill form would be useful.

playvideo–

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kimberly Snyder–I had a phone consult with her last year that changed my life!!  (Sorry about the screaming–seriously, though, my hero).
Anyway, I started off and on taking some of the sun brand chlorella.  I like it much more than the powder you mix in–they’re little bitty tablets (you can, even with an active gag reflex like mine, easily swallow 15 at a time).  I haven’t chewed them like Kimberly talked about, but I can say that when you need a boost and something to eat (but not eat-eat, like a whole meal) to keep you going for a few hours, they’re just the thing.  They come in a little bag you can keep with you.  I use them a lot because in trials or just long days in court, I don’t want to bring a whole salad or some big production, and usually am harried in the morning before a trial so I can’t prepare anything…a bag of those and a kombucha (in a little bag with an ice pack) keeps me going all day.  I’m not distracted by low blood sugar or fatigue, but also not weighed down at a time when my stomach’s a little iffy anyway.

Hello All-

I have had my TA Mat and Dance Cardio DVD since Weds. I have to say after YEARS of running and weight training, and ellipitcal and Turbo Jam, I am nervous that this will really work? I enjoy reading all of your success.  So keep posting so I stay with it! Please.

I am feeling the mat workout mostly in the standing leg and in my shoulders? I am hoping as I get stronger the standing leg and shoulders wont hurt so much. The dance cardio is like WOW so far I can do the first routine I am trying to add like 2 mins a day to get to do the entire thing. I can see how the dance DVD would burn some serious calories..holy toledo its fast! I used to be able to do 6 of the Chalene Johnson DVDs in a day ( we used to run contests on the website) and this I cant do 1!

I would love to lose about 30 pounds and am even trying the diet I found where she said you could lose 20 pounds. Other than I feel like I am starving its not all that tough. The food is normal and not very expensive.

If you feel up to it please share your experience in the begining. Did anyone lose a significant amount of weight?

Playvideo-

I had seen the Tom V thing before I had a phase that admittedly worked doing the low carb gig, but the thought of egg whites and turkey burgers is just too much. It works I just cant stick with it. I have 20 years of dieting under my belt. I am heading for a true lifestyle change this time. I have noticed my thin freinds all seem to have natural portion control. One of friends is a size 0 doenst work out and has a fab body. She just shurgs and says she doesnt eat alot. Kind of like I did in my 20’s….

I am trying to follow the TA diet that was posted a couple of years ago. It seems much more doable.

Is there anyone here who is ummm shall we say a bit older? I am 42 and am wondering if the TA will work for me. Do I need to lift weights? As is in standard weightlifting since I am no longer in my 20’s?

Any thoughts would be appreicated.

welcome newbegginer and congrats to all the girls who are doing so well!  i fell off the workout wagon big time for a couple of months but i have been back at it hard core for a few weeks now and finally starting to see results from before - i have to lose about 5 more pounds but i have already lost the first 5 so go me…  its so hard!!

newbegginger i tried the tracy diet a couple of times but always ended up in failure  - its just too little calories!  my suggestion would be to add in a bit more protein and healthy carns ealry in the day.  my trick to lose weight is to eat healthy but fill myself up during the day then at about 430 - 5pm stop eating. period.  i usually go to bed around 11 or 12 and yes i go to bed hungry but its kindof a poerful feeling of knowing i will wake up with a flatter stomache every day.  

you will get better at the mat dvd as well as the dance cardio - but it takes a bit of time.  do you have the origional mat dvd or the perfect deign series? i would definitly recommend starting with the origional as the PD series contorts you in really silly ways - it could easily make you hate TA’s method.  you will see results for sure if you stick to it. if you have been running and doing turbojam why do you have 30 lbs to lose?  do you think those activities bulked you up?
good luck and stick with it its brilliant!

Hi NewBeginner2010,
I’ve been doing TA Mat and Dance Cardio for two weeks.  The dance cardio is soooooo hard!  And I thought I was in shape.  When I first did it, I couldn’t make it through one song.  Now, I can just about do 2 songs (still have to stop a couple times).  So what I do is 2 songs, then the Mat workout, then at the end of the mat workout do 2 more songs.  Also, I agree with you about the standing/inactive leg working a lot during the mat work.  I try to engage the active leg as much as possible, but the inactive leg (especially when kneeling) is working more than the active leg.  It’s not my knee that hurts or anything like that, it’s the muscle in the back.  TA says that is normal, but it seems to be working more than the active leg.  Anyone have any advice on that?  Does that go away?  Thanks!

Thanks dancergirl - at least it’s not just me!

slowdownbaby:
For the time being, you need to use brief, intense workouts.  Get yourself a 15 lb kettlebell and this book by Lorna Kleidman called Body Sculpting with Kettlebells for Women. The short, Saturday workouts in the book are for cardio and fat loss.  She illustrates and explains everything, it’s perfectly organized.  She has 3 entire programs laid out there. 

Because you are lifting a short period of time and few reps, you should not bulk.  By contrast, TA is low weight, high reps.  The workouts in the book don’t last very long and they will toast you, so if you are short on time, you can switch to the higher weight, less reps, less time.  If you were to do higher weight and lots of reps, then you would bulk.  There is also another book that is more technical by Dos Remedios called Cardio Strength Training that has programs for body weight exercises, kettlebells, or dumbbells where none of the workouts last any longer than 20 minutes.  This, too, is intense. 

Don’t look at it as being disloyal to TA, just look at it as something to help you in your present time/energy crunch, and that you will return to TA when your current aggravations are over.

Best of luck to you!

I’d say the advice videos on the revamped TAM site show that she is responding to questions and critiques, and not a moment too soon for me!  I fell off the wagon again after (for whatever nutty reason) injuring my foot during a kickboxing DVD and then my thumb/wrist joint doing side planks.  Rule #1 for me - no more kickboxing or power yoga!  Nothing like a week and a half in a wrist splint losing all the ground you had just gained to refocus one’s efforts!

phantompunch:
Welcome & congratulations!  So glad to have you get involved with the TA exercise journey!  It’s a good idea to take measurements at the beginning, so you’ll know if you’re getting results and how much. 

On the dance cardio, I found out by accident that her tempo matches that of charleston music so I play that and mute her dvd.  Also, I don’t worry about getting the combos choreography down pat, I just do it conceptually and have fun with it.  When she does something I don’t get or is too high impact for my knees, I just do charleston steps until she gets around to something more do-able for me.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I will definitely try to the standing abs as sitting abs and see if I can get it a little bit more accurate, then hopefully be able to do it standing soon. I just can’t get my body to move that way yet, haha.

Thanks also for the tips with cardio. I am biking a lot right now because of work things, so I haven’t delved that much into the DC dvd.

I have been reading how fast people are seeing results and hope that I see them within a few weeks, we’ll see! Will stay tuned in here for a morale boost and support

phantompunch, you really have to think about the benefits of the workout. I totally understand you cause I go through that phases a lot. But I stopped thinking like that when I though about what I want to accomplish and the way I want my body to be.
I think about the cellulite on my butt which I REALLY wanna see it gone, and my love-handles that I know if I stick to the program they will be gone in less than a month. Just think about it.. and think about the way you feel after the workout, I feel so much more confident and sexy (: Doing nothing for our health and expect to be happy  it’s not gonna happen, so we gotta work it out

madonna_ann–I haven’t tried that but I just recently got a rebounder mini trampoline and that sounds cool!  Am totally going to try it.

I too took a long, long, burned out (not from TA but from life in general) break from doing anything productive…and I hate to blame others, but it seemed like there wasn’t much on this board during that time, and since I’m no good at motivating myself…anyhoo, caught sight of my thighs again and got the rebounder, which is still sort of new to me but I love, and dragged out the TA.  I’ve never done the dance video since it just doesn’t look like my scene, but I think with your idea of TA style trampoline I might be able to do it!  I’m going to check back in with you on this!

Newbeginner2010 and mimsy - I can always use a little extra motivation!  I used to be a workout fanatic, but I think my full time job, rat-race lifestyle is wearing me out.  I can hardly complain though, since I don’t even have kids yet. 

Anyway, just reading these boards keeps me more motivated than otherwise.  I really, really want to whip my butt (and thighs, stomach and arms..) back into shape!  I have a friend’s wedding to attend in late October, and I’d love to be in awesome shape by then.  I feel like if I work really hard, I might just be able to do it!  I went to a baseball game last night and had to strategically sit so that my cellulite wasn’t smashed up and obvious because I was wearing shorts!  I can’t put into words how great it would feel to NOT do that!

So tonight, I’m doing either trampoline or dance cardio (her older dance aerobics dvd, specifically) for at least 15 minutes and the mat workout!  My flabby thighs have to go.

torontomom:
I kind of wondered about those Dove workouts and whether they would bulk.  Thanks for the info. 

Have you seen the insane price TA’s very first dance aerobics dvd is going for on eBay?  I’d say hanging onto our old workouts is definitely the way to go!  And now that DH has chaptered my dvds, they are much more user friendly.  I can go to exactly whatever I want.

I have her book on pre-order since June! I want it so much (: It will come out September 20th! I’m still wondering about the PD series, maybe in October I will buy the sequence 1 and then if I like it I’ll buy the other two ones (: You should follow her on twitter too! She has updates and pictures as well!

Madonna-ann…the short comment made me laugh…cause I know how you feel. for me its not so much my legs but the constantly looking like hmmm is she preganat or just fat…look i get…so clearly I am doing the PP workout more than the mat. We should have teammed up earlier…I have a wedding to go to in 2 weeks!

How’s everybody doing?  I went rollerblading this week (I know, it’s not dance cardio, but the weather’s gorgeous and I’m an outdoors girl), and I noticed that the movements were more sweeps to the side - like little leg lifts - than running movements.  Has anyone read anything about TA’s view on rollerblading?  Granted, she probably doesn’t recommend it.  But I like it!