The System

T-Tapp is an exercise system developed by Teresa Tapp, and is different from anything else I've tried. Teresa Tapp, the creator, says she incorporates yoga, dance, pilates, and martial arts, and you can recognize elements of all these things in the movements.

Teresa has developed a very specific sequence of movements that rely on the use of correct form to be effective. At first glance, many of the moves seem familiar, such as lunges, plies, and arm movements that resemble the chest flies you might do in aerobics classes. However, her subtle but critical differences in form take the movements to an entirely new level. It is easy to underestimate the exercises - if they feel easy, you're doing them wrong.

Teresa's claim to fame is that her workout produces significant inch loss as well as numerous health benefits, all without weights or jumping around. She explains the effectiveness of her workouts in terms of the lymphatic system and "neuro-kinetic flow" in order to burn fat, build muscle, and boost metabolism.

The Videos
The starter package consists of two instructional videos as well as a total workout, normally the beginner/rehab workout, although it can be upgraded to Intermediate if you are an experienced exerciser. The instructionals can be used back to back as a total workout themselves if you are willing to either listen to all the chat and instruction or be free with the fast forward button.

The quality and production of the videos is very basic. The instructionals are filmed in what appears to be Teresa's patio with two women who have recently learned the workout - they are quite endearingly unpolished, but to me that adds to the sincerity of their efforts. The rest of the videos appear to be filmed in Teresa's home, with her as the sole instructor. No fancy set, and no music, (certainly no pseudo-Greek statues and murals!) just Teresa cueing and instructing. She counts all the moves, interspersed with a strange sing-song sort of chant that is either encouraging or maddening, depending on your tolerance of that sort of thing.

It is recommended that you start with the instructionals, followed by one of the total body workouts, either beginner/rehab, intermediate. Other workouts available are Hit The Floor, focusing on lower body and abs, and the Mini-Max and Maxi-Max workouts, which combine the moves in different ways from the total body workouts and are of varying lengths. The Mini-Max and Maxi-Max have no instruction, and so are only available to those who have already learned the workout, and are not on the web site. Teresa also has Target POP (Points of Perfection) videos, which are not workout videos but rather detailed instructions on a particular movement sequence. Awesome legs or Primary Back Stretch are an example of these.

Do I like it?
I got the two instructionals in a trade, and perused Teresa's website and fooled around with the exercises presented in her articles before taking it up in earnest and learning the total workout.

I generally do Cathe, the Firm, and yoga and so had a decent base of cardio endurance, strength and flexibility when starting T-Tapp. However, T-Tapp kicked my butt! Although I thought I had decent core strength and balance from Cathe's plank work in CTX , yoga and LA pilates, T-Tapp really challenged my abilites in this area. As in other types of movement that emphasize form, like yoga, you can continue to make it more challenging with small changes in form, increased extension or contraction, or slowing down movements. Everytime I think I have form down and things start to seem easy, just a small change can having me falling over, gasping for breath and sweating buckets all over again.

As for "results", I have not seen dramatic inch loss (a bit on my waist and lower abdomen), but I do believe that it is starting to provide a shaping and contouring effect that has thus far eluded me. I'm getting that teardrop shape on my upper arms, and some cool looking cuts on my thighs, both quads and hamstrings. (My only caveat here is that I can't PROVE it's soley due to T-Tapp, as I only did one all-TT week, between Cathe's PS series and now, I'm including T-Tapp in my Cathe CTX rotation. I can only say that I am seeing differences I've never seen before, and T-Tapp is the newest variable in my routine).

My balance and flexibility have improved a lot as well, and I've done yoga for years. But, T-tapp has opened up my shoulders a lot, and I can go deeper in some yoga positions than I could previously. Also, I can maintain my balance better in standing one-legged poses , for instance. My chiropractor has also been impressed at the improvement in my alignment, and commented on how my musculature seems to have improved, thus providing much better postural support to my neck and spine.

Is the fun factor there? I'm not sure. I kind of am addicted to the "energy" you get from the set, music, and cast of other workout videos, which is why I can't really see doing this as my only exercise. And, T-Tapp is very low impact, which is great to include in a workout program in the interest of preserving my aging joints - but sometimes I just need to jump around to great music.

Anyway - I think it's an interesting addition to a workout program. Some of its devotees do nothing but T-tapp and can maintain their fitness to their satisfaction. I think this is one of those questions like "can you just do yoga/pilates/taebo/whatever and stay fit?" Maybe, maybe not, I'm sure it largely depends on your goals and your body.

So, right now I'm incorporating it into my Cathe, running, yoga, etc etc routine, but I will probably try it on its own sometime this summer when I'm on holiday and can't haul around heaps o' equipment. It doesn't take up anywhere the amount of room, Cathe, or any of my other workouts do. No equipment, either. You need enough space to do a lunge, that's about it.

Instructor Comments:
Teresa has a very distinct personality that I find bizarrely charismatic, and which others may well find just bizarre. Her background as an "face developer" for a modeling agency does give her comments a "cosmetic" touch and some might not care for her talking about exercises that she used to get her models in swimsuit shape after having their babies. However, she now seems to have transferred her attention to helping average women empower themselves through fitness, and seems sincerely caring in this regard. Her website, which features testimonials from women who have lost inches using her system, increasingly emphasizes the rehabilitative aspect of her system, with examples of women overcoming thyroid disorders, back pain, controlling diabetes, and avoiding the need for surgery.

Sophie Verzosa