Help experiencing gain when had losses

[heimschule]

Hello!

I have been t-tapping since late August I think. I am a less to lose and started out losing. I have been very consistent with 5-6 days a week primarily 6. I started with BWO+ for several months and had inch loss. Then I ordered More to try and improve muscle activation and did that for 6 plus weeks. The end of December I went back to BWO+ and now I have gained several inches. I also started alternating days with SATI this week. No major weight change, I have fluctuated with 2-3 pounds since I started and that hasn't changed. I have gained almost 4 inches in the last few weeks, primarily the belly. Some in ribs, hip, and thighs. I have also been doing oip and pretzel twist for the last week. What am I doing wrong? I did start with good results, no major diet change. I have started wondering if green smoothies can make you fat (too much fruit) as that has been the biggest change in diet. I also take alfalfa at least once a day and have from the beginning as well as brushing 6 plus times a week.

Thank you for your input and suggestions.

Sharon

[monica213]

It is hard to say without seeing your form, but it sounds like you are holding your breath on twisting moves which creates a domino effect down ward and may not be curling your core and/or releasing the thighs on plies.



T-Tapp Stance may not be comfortable at first, but the more you do it the stronger you will get and the easier it will be to maintain the proper form. So... stand up in front of your computer screen and go through the movements in the order that they are explained.

First, stand with your feet hip width apart (directly under your armpits not the edge of your shoulders.) there should be one hand distance between the two feet.
(Note: You never want too wide of a stance because that could throw off your alignment and hinder results.)

Now, bend your knees DEEP and look down. If you can see your feet then I want you to bend until you can no longer see your feet. Hold that position…

Press your lower back flat (aka curl the core/tuck butt) Teresa calls flattening the lower back "curling the core" due to the fact that many people have an arch in the lower back and that’s the center (or core) of the body. This is a term that is used in T-Tapp to help get Tappers to initiate the tuck with the lower back (lower lumbar area) to open the neuro-kinetic connection to the lower half and strengthen the lower lumbar and core muscles. There needs to be a "straighter line" to the lower back (in other words, not a "sway back"). Applying these tips can really take your workout to the next level, and give awesome lower body results while helping to tighten and tone the core.

Curl the Core - On the Floor

If you are a beginner you might want to practice this first on the floor to get the feeling for it.
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and to the ceiling
toes are forward and your heels are near your butt bones
press your shoulders into the ground
create a "W" with your arms keeping the hands even with (or lower than) the shoulders
make donut fingers (press the thumb into the index and middle fingers) and press donut fingers into the floor to help activate the lat muscles equally
tuck your butt so that the lower lumbar area touches the floor (with NO air space)

Curl the Core - Standing

When you understand and "feel" this movement on the floor then get into the Plie stance (feet shoulder width, toes at 11 and 1 on imaginary clock) and stand in front of a wall.
Bend your knees deep and KLT
press your lower back into the wall so there is no air space
Press your lower back and shoulders against the wall
lift your breast bone to the ceiling and pull your belly button in toward your spine (AKA lift your ribs)
Pull your elbows towards the side of your body with wrists level to your elbows
press your "donut fingers" against the wall to help to engage your lats

You want to be able to do some Plies in this position, while keeping your shoulders and back (including lower back) pressed against the wall. This is the feeling you're working towards when you're tucking your butt from your lower lumbar area. (Curling your core) You can also try this move while doing Hoedowns on the wall.

Curl the Core - Sitting

You could also do this during the day while you're sitting. (driving, at a desk or the kitchen table)
Make sure to get your shoulders and hips in alignment
press your lower back into the chair and tuck butt at the same time.
Press shoulders into seat
lift your breast bone up and pull your belly button to your spine (You will feel your stomach muscles engage)


THEN push your knees out to little toe. (KLT) This will feel as if you have your weight on the outside edge of the foot and the inner part of the foot is lifting off the floor. Your goal with knee to little toe is to push two inches past the little toe. That is your goal so it is not expected if you are unable - always go to your maximum ability. NOTE: Until you are 2 inches past your little toe you may not have proper strength to do NBT.

Don't give up on me yet, now I want you to tighten your tummy muscles - so you can STILL BREATHE as you LIFT YOUR RIBS. You will feel the middle of your back and lats activate. (THINK ABOUT YOUR BUTT TUCK - KNEES OUT AGAIN)

Now flip your palms towards the wall, to the point where you are trying to reach your thumbs towards the wall behind you. (palms away)

Now that you are in that position this is how it should feel when you are doing the workout. You should try your best to maintain that stance during the entire workout especially in the balance and core moves.

(Tip: Doing KLT throughout the day will help you to train your knees to be in the correct position, strengthen the ankles and both muscle insertions going into your knees. If you are standing as you normally do when you are in line or anywhere for that matter you probably lean into one side more than another, putting most of your weight on that side. Now that you are familiar with KLT try applying it to this standing position. On the leg that you normally stand with your weight you need to think to soften the knee and push it out the little toe throughout the day.)


When you see a gain in the thighs it is a result of a few things with form:

1) not keeping shoulders in alignment with hips throughout the entire workout, but especially on Plies and Lunges

2) relaxing the thigh muscles at the top and/or bottom of each Plie and Lunge

3) not tucking butt enough throughout the entire workout and/or letting the butt go out on Plies

Shoulder to Hip Alignment: This is the most important linear alignment issue for T-Tapp. You have to get this down in order to get results with the program. It's really very simple, stand up straight and roll your shoulders back. That's it! Sometimes easier said than done. You need to concentrate on doing this throughout the entire workout. For example, if you are doing the Plies and you lean slightly forward, the butt goes out, which causes you to inactivate the muscle attachments in the stomach, torso, and thighs. You start to create momentum and isotonic movement and you will create bulk. This is a big tendency for Short Torso and Combination body types, so if you're in this category you need to pay extra attention to shoulder linear alignment during the Plies (and each and every exercise) to spot check yourself. You can read more on this subject in Teresa's article Importance of Shoulder Rotation/Linear Alignment found in the Newsletter Archives (http://forum.t-tapp.com/showthread.p...near-Alignment).

Plies: Form check to make sure you have your heels right underneath your armpits and feet are at a 45 degree angle; it is not necessary to have a greater angle like a ballet dancer. When you begin to squat you need to tuck your butt - a full pelvic tilt until you feel your hip ball attachments activate. Now, try to go down into the Plie Squat while twisting your knees out further and further until you reach the squatting position. You are still balancing on the outside edge of your foot with NO WEIGHT ON THE BIG TOES! Your goal is to get your knees 2 inches past the little toe - you may not be able to get there yet, but it's a matter of flexibility that will come with time. HOLD YOUR SQUAT! Now tighten the Latissimus dorsi muscles (the lats - sides of your body where your bra strap normally is) to keep your upper body isolated and increase overall fat burning. Once you are ready to do Plies, concentrate on going into a squat like described above and then when you are coming back up against gravity you are going to TUCK YOUR BUTT HARDER, (CURL YOUR CORE) and try to TWIST, TWIST, TWIST your knees out (if it helps try to twist from the hip ball joints) as you straighten your legs (to your best ability with strength and flexibility)...KEEP THE THIGH MUSCLES TIGHT THE ENTIRE TIME AND DO NOT REST THE MUSCLES AT THE TOP OF THE PLIE and then go back into your squat. This move will completely eliminate the inner thigh, outer thigh, hip and butt. The reason why you see the gain in the thighs is because you are probably not tucking the butt enough, the shoulders aren't in alignment, and you're relaxing the muscles at the top of the Plie. You just need to make sure that your muscles stay tight the whole time and you'll be able to reverse the bulk.

Lunges - General: The same form tips on Plies apply to the Lunges. Make sure that you keep the thigh muscles tight the whole time. Common error is to release the muscles as you come all the way up on the lunge. This defeats the purpose and you can actually build bulk. In the lunges make sure you remember to push/roll out your knees and tighten butt when going down with gravity, but it is even MORE important to push/roll out knees and tuck more as you come up. The lunges are like one continuous movement; you don’t want to pause at the top or the bottom. Once again you want to keep the shoulder to hip alignment. Don’t lean into the lunge because it will put pressure on the knees. If you have a problem with leaning into it you can actually lean slightly away from the lunge.

Front & Drop Lunges: Your back foot needs to be straight, no turnout. Your legs should be hip width apart; you’re not on a balance beam! Each time that you come up you need to lift your back heal so you are on the tippy toes. Apply the general lunge form for each of these lunges as well.

These are the three main things that you should work on to correct the inch gain. If you have any other questions please let me know. Also, keep me posted on how the form tips worked for you.

[LilDeb]

Hi Sharon!
Michelle just gave you awesome advise. I suggest that you start to apply what she has written and think of it as not getting through the workout but that you are taking the time and effort to build the foundation of learning how to activate your muscles. You go girl!

[mamalove]

Ahhh Michelle, wonderful advice as usual! *wink*

[heimschule]

Thanks Michelle! Trisch shared your great tips with me back in September and I read and study them often. We took a 22 hour road trip (each way) in December and I practiced curl the core all the way there and back. I'm certain their is room for improvement. I will keep at it. I just thought strange that I had been losing and now have a gain. Could it be a sign of overtraining or do I just need to get better curl and muscle activation? Now you know why I need you to do a clinic in Ohio!

Thanks,
Sharon

[GypsyBee]

Bumping this up.

[thekarpster]

The inch gain could also be due to a fat shift. With greater muscle activation you are cinching in and up. So you can see inch gains in those upper areas before seeing them go down again. If you send in your starting measurements, current measurements and any other measurements to Lauren in the office (lauren@t-tapp.com) she can look at them and give you any additional form tips. If you have pictures (front, side, back) from when you started and now that would be extra helpful.