Pear-shaped rotation

[lora-kate1]

Hi there,

I have not posted in years. Hello again! I am pear-shaped and want to reduce my lower half (and realize how important diet is - especially since I am in my forties now and my body is much less forgiving). I keep reading that I should do a minimum of two leg workouts per week (I have always just done one), at least 3 cardio workouts and then upper body (split over two days). I can commit to 6 days a week for roughly an hour and really don't know how to fit all this in and what the priority should be. Any advice? What really works? I really just want to get the job done as efficiently as possible and feel that if I don't do it now, when will I? I have always worked out and I am in pretty good shape but my pants are getting so tight and I am sooooo frustrated and disapointed.

I would love to hear from any pear-shaped women who have figured this all out. Any and all advice is appreciated! I have typically done a three day split and three days of cardio and abs.

Thanks!

 

[Stacy]

Hi, I'm a fellow pear and the same age and can relate! I had the best results when first and foremost I started watching how many processed carbs I was eating. As far as workouts, a combo of LIS and XTrain plus plyo legs from STS 3 has been slimming down my lower half. I dont have the cycling workouts, Slide & Glide, Trisets or the kickboxing workout from XT, so I've been subbing in at least one walk/jog routine on the treadmill, and also some of Bob Harper's workouts.

 

[Nanbo]

I am currently LOVING the XTRAIN 30 Day Cardio/Strength Rotation! Lots of effective cardio, 2 dedicated leg w/o per week, and a different upper body part everyday....oh, and tough core work, too! I may extend this one another month!

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Hello,

2x weight training per week added to 4 to five time per week cardio is the best regimen for pear-shaped. Cardio for leaning out your legs and eventually the bottom plus strength training.

You have 6 days dedicated to workout routine therefore you have time to organise and plan a very good routine to both work your lower body without neglecting your upper.

Now what's your preference for cardio? short burst working your Max heart rate to 85% or steady pace 65-80 %?. I would not recommend steady pace more than twice per week. Hiit is better to improve your cardiovascular fitness quickly in short time, it improve your metabolic rate etc... I would advise a combination of steady and Hiit. 2x hitt maximum 30 minutes per week plus 2-3 steady cardio.

As to lifting both heavy low reps and light/moderate are important. Now depending on your ability to gain muscle on your lower part, feel free to do more reps if you gain quickly or less (lifting heavy) if you need to work harder to gain. I do not gain muscle quickly in my lower body! There are quite few of us on here (this forum) who feel we need to work harder by incorporating 2x lifting at least per week on top!

Hope this help

 

[mini-natty]

Ok, I'm going to bring out the big guns here with these articles that *IMO* are effective strategies for the pear-shaped gals:

Bodybuilding.com - Jamie Eason Q&A, October 2007: Sugar Free Candies & Lower Body Training.
(scroll down until you see a question about training the pear-shape)
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pregnant-pause-an-interview-with-bodybuilding-coms-jamie-eason.html
(scroll down to the Q How Can I lean out my legs?)

Bodybuilding.com - Ask The Fighter Diet Girl: Glute Activation, Killer Cardio, And Max Muscle Growth!
(note what Pauline says about training heavy)

Best Dang Exercises to Build a Better Body - Deadlifts, Quads, Hamstrings & Glutes
(Nia lifts super heavy and look at her! She is AMAZING. I'm doing her 15 week program after I complete Body Beast )

I have personally gotten EXCELLENT results from the specific exercises above. I do them all, with heavy weight, as many reps as I possibly can. I have lost several inches in my LB, and my saddle bags are slowly but surely disappearing. I could not be happier with my results .
My advice to you would be to chose any Cathe's LB workout that utilizes heavy weights (Gym Style comes to mind). Do that every week (for about a month or so), along with 1X plyo/hiit workout of choice. Every week, focus on increasing your weight #'s and/or reps with good form. Your results won't happen overnight, and it will take a lot of hard work, dedication, and a true appreciation of your body (which is beautiful no matter what!).

Good luck

 

[shoegoddess]

Another fellow pear here. I have to add lots of cardio. My best results over the years have been doing MuscleMax and Turbokick. Lots of cardio no matter what it is but Turbokick defines my core nicely. I tried a heavy lifting program with little cardio recently and got good results for upper body but virtually nothing happened to lower body. I've been doing XT upper body workouts and STS lower body with plyo and lots of cardiio and my lower body is staring to thin out some. I need to eat a whole lot cleaner tho.