The Tracy Anderson Method Mat Workout

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Any of you done this? Just doing some general research on weight loss in menopause, I usually do Jillian Michaels, coach to 5 and Keto but wanted to shake things up a bit.

I don't do the mat workout now but I sis about 9 years ago. I didn't find it much use but I probably wasn't doing it properly. I do do the Tracy Anderson Method using her online studio and that is great. Its incredibly expensive though - I think about £100 a month.

Yikes!

Have you done much Pilates before? I massively recommend the Boho Beautiful workouts on YouTube, but only if you’re familiar with eg how to do the 100 correctly already. You need to do a combination of them to get a full workout as they’re clipped from the (paid) full length versions for YouTube but they’re really quite demanding. And all set in the most stunning locations around the world so look beautiful too!

I have it, covered in dust.
I think I used to like it. I'm menopausal it would probably do me good. I wake up aching every morning

@Pearlygreens try a magnesium supplement or magnesium body wash - makes the world of difference!

@TryAnotherNickname thank you. Probably easier than exercise!

I haven't done Pilates before unfortunately. I have done yoga.

It gets really good results.

It’s a bit awkward to start with, but it really works.

Boho B is mainly yoga and there are some fat burning / hit yoga workouts on there. They are very hard for me! (Done yoga for years but sporadically)

I got good results when I used TM's workouts around 8-10 years ago. Her arms section in particular is fantastic and a real killer. I did get irritated by her presenting style though. She's incredibly pouty and talks in this really irritating breathy style and her direction isn't always clear.

I use an app called Tone It Up but have been doing their workouts since 2014 when they were on YouTube & download. They have a mix of everything: HIIT, yoga, barre, etc some of which are total body and others focus on specific areas. You can follow specific programs in the app too, depending on your interests (eg a 4 week yoga challenge). I think the app is free for a 7 day trial. They also have live workouts on Instagram throughout the week (they're based in California so they're usually late afternoon UK time). You can find some of their workouts on YouTube but I think most of them are from the last few years rather than current. The ones from pre-2014 are somewhat ropey! They started out just videoing each other on an iPhone and put some dodgy elevator style music in the background

I think I need to add...I do not work for Tone It Up just the only thing that has ever worked for me in my 40s!

I've found it on You Tube. It's a bit yellow looking!
I've just watched some of it while having my lunch
But the whole thing is on there along with a few others by her.
I can't remember being that bendy!

The results are incredible, arms and abs the best but it is a lot harder to do than it looks
I do think too it is really aimed at people who want to tone up and lose a few pounds, not a few stone
I keep meaning to get back to it as I had the body of a teenager after about 6 weeks and nothing has ever compared to it for effectiveness.

For those who did it, regarding arms, did you do the with or without weights routine?

The mat workout alone won't make you shift any weight. I've been doing her weekly routines (which is like an advanced mat workout)for an hour a day 4 or 5 times a week since March and not shifted a pound.

It's for toning and you really need to do cardio to get the weight off. My arms look good as I don't have any excess fat on them but I can't really tell any difference in my lower body where I am carrying an extra stone I need to lose.

If you do the arm routine with weights make sure you don't go heavier than 3lbs - not because you will bulk like she says but because it's just too hard otherwise. I was using 4lb and struggling with all of the reps but when I bought 3lb weights I found it a lot more doable.

I just used tins of beans, very light
I agree I am not sure how great it is for weightloss but it will change your shape and tone you up massively
She says you need to do 6 days a week.
I did the abs every day and the arms maybe 5

On her online program she says 4-6 days a week. 6 days is just not feasible for me as it’s an hour long and then you are supposed to do half an hour of cardio.
She’s changed quite a bit since the mat workout days - no more mention of being “teeny tiny”!

I've started doing 30 minute express workout (abs, arms and bum) every other day and I'm loving it - time goes really quickly and I've noticed changes already. I have around 3lb to lose so more for toning.
I also do Bailey Brown pilates on YouTube - fantastic but just fancied a change to Tracy for a while.

@EdinaMonsoon
i love Tone it up too - Katrina is sooooo nice ( have you seen her baby Bella? OMG!)

I keep meaning to get back into this, I used to do it about 4 days a week & I really noticed a difference in my body after a few weeks. I love how relaxed my body feels after it. This thread has motivated me to get back to it 👍

I bought Jillian Michaels 'Body Revolution' about 10 years ago and have used it on and off since. I think it cost me about 70 quid back then?? I like it because the workouts are short, only half an hour and you progress to a new level every two weeks so don't tend to get bored doing same thing again and again. Its a mix of weights, cardio, bit of abs, bit of yoga. I find it effective and pretty amazing how quickly you improve. It definitely tones and improves your cardio ability. Your supposed to do it 6 days a week and its a three month programme. I would recommend it. Plus I find her presenting style pretty motivational.

Anyone looking for online Pilates workouts could take a peek at Sarah Hardy Pilates. Annual video membership is £60, and there's a well laidout website with introductions to each exercise. Videos are graded from Gentle to Intermediate, and offer the option of targeting particular parts of the body, and also by duration. I do two live classes a week anyway (currently via Zoom) but often add a couple of short sessions on top. The arm weight exercise section is better than either of my normal teachers'. I saw it recommended in one of the weekend newspapers at the beginning of lockdown, and it's considerably cheaper than most online subscriptions.