Brazilian Butt Lift: High & Tight Workout

This workout is 37 minutes, and it packs a lot in that time. There are three sections (plus a warm up and cool down), and you can either play all or select one of the sections from the menu. The set is light and colorful, and it flashes between an indoor studio and a beach. There are several background exercisers, and they are all dressed colorfully. Inspite of the flashy promo clips, however, these exercisers seem very fit and confident rather than overly sexy. There is both a sense of seriousness and fun; I really like the mood of the workouts. These workouts seem well thought out -- with the primary purpose of working the glutes from ALL angles!

The three sections are:

Standing Work with Band: This section includes a lot of balance moves and leg extensions that push on the band. I feel it in my core as well as glutes.

Floor Work with Band: There are a lot of clamshell variations using the band. With the red band, I felt the work more deeply than I feel the clamshell work in Squeeze Stronger.

Floor Work with Ankle Weights: There are a variety of leg lifts, cross leg lifts, and a move that traces an arch which Leandro calls the rainbow. He works different speeds, including pulses on most of the moves. This works the glutes from a variety of angles. Leandro follows each move with child’s pose.

The advantage of High and Tight over other similar workouts is that it targets the glutes more directly. I often use Karen Voight’s Great Weighted floor work, but that includes a good bit of quad and hamstring work.

I am an advanced exerciser, and I find this sufficiently challenging with a high tension band and 2 lb. ankle weights. In fact, the intensity depends a lot on the band and weight used. I usually use the red “advanced” band which comes with the deluxe set, and it is worth investing in a band that is more challenging than the yellow one that comes with the basic set.

This is a really versatile workout – I have done it several different ways. I sometimes do the whole work out after intense cardio; when I do intense cardio first, I sometimes have to drop to the green “intermediate” band and I’m pretty fatigued by the end! If I start with this workout, I can stay with the red band and add another BBL workout. I’ve also used the individual parts as add-ons.

Instructor Comments:
I really enjoy Leandro. He is energetic and fun, but he also knows what he is doing and is serious about getting people into shape. He gives good form pointers and often nuances a move in a way that helps even seasoned exercisers feel it in a new way.

Acescholar