The Butt Bible: Level 3

The Butt Bible Level 3 workouts are led by Pauline Nordin, and consist of two 40 min. workouts, one focused on the lower body, the other for the upper body. They are part of a 3 DVD set (disc for each level of workouts). There is an option to play either the Lower Body or Upper Body workout, or to play both. The DVD set did not contain any literature for the program (rotation or other guidelines), that information can be found at the Butt Bible or Exercise TV websites. I had originally tried the lower body level 3 workouts for free at Exercise TV On Demand (and later purchased the set after trying & liking that workout). Both workouts use dumbbells & a chair, and follow a similar pattern of repeating sets or circuits as the previous levels of BB workouts: Super Sets (pair of exercises completed after each other), Tri-set (3 exercises) & a circuit (abs, consist of 5 exercises), all repeating mostly twice (some once). The workouts are time based (but the time per exercise is never stated), so makes sense for users to keep a mental note of reps completed for single leg or arm exercises (to keep rep count consistent).

The Lower Body workout incorporates bodyweight & weighted lunges, squats, leg raises, deadlift & glute bridge variations, using the chair to increase challenge & incorporating more single leg exercises. The Upper Body workout includes a variety of bodyweight & weighted exercises for the major muscle groups (biceps, shoulders, triceps, chest) of the upper body & abs/core w/ complex variations (combination exercises/lifts, different grips for exercises: underhand, overhand, body positions: bent over, floor, on chair) than the previous levels of workouts. The chair is used for tricep push-ups & chair dips.

I don’t have a barbell or a body bar, so I used dumbbells held at hips for plie squats, held at sides for split lunges, kettlebell held on upper back for Good Mornings, and for the side lunges, used a kettlebell w/ alternating arm holding it & lowering to inside of leg (made it explosive lift & release to switch hands). The modifications I used worked well, and I do enjoy this workout, it’s solid (alone or as add-on, I’ve used both ways, much harder as an add-on). The upper body workout is solid, too, sequencing of exercises is mostly good, but I felt that the Tri-set of back row, Power Press (Squat/Clean & Press) & lateral raise didn’t work well because the last exercise would limit how much one would use for the former two exercises (require heavier weights) & it’s cued for users to use same weight so it’s not logical (could have paired lateral raise w/ something else, chair dips would have worked). And having Wheel Pose (backbend) in the Upper Body warm-up was kind of odd (not expecting that, I think people should be more warmed up or prepped w/ different exercises before attempting that). There are not modifications demoed for the Wheel pose, users can sub in glute bridge, cobra or even downward dog if desired. The abs circuit is a good mix of 5 exercises.

Pauline’s form & cast member Terri-Ann is often off (swinging the weights for external rotation & reverse rows), due to the light weights used & momentum vs. good form (both could benefit from using a mirror, their form is much better in the lower body workouts). The other cast member, Madison, does her own thing w/ the weighted exercises but her form is good (she had very limited range of motion in the Chair push ups, but that was kind of cool because people can see that someone fit can have limitations or weaknesses in performance of exercises). Pauline is non-stop chatty in both workouts, but it is okay (used to the chatter, not as obnoxious as it was to me in level 1). Overall, both are good workouts and I think the set is a good deal, economically (2 hrs of workouts, 6 different workouts) for about $20-24.


Cast: two females

Music: canned instrumental & vocal

Set: grey flooring, silver accents w/ pale blue & wood walls, pinkish lighting on windows, some equipment at rear of space

Equipment: both workouts use a chair & dumbbells, Lower Body workout uses a body bar & Upper Body workout uses a small towel for a stretch


Lower Body level 3 (41: 06 min.)
Warm-up
Glute Squeeze
Wide Stance Squats
Jumping Lunges

Work
Split Lunges: static lunge w/ rear foot elevated on chair, body bar held on shoulders> repeat twice.
Single Leg Squat: bodyweight, one leg held off of floor> repeat twice.
Single Leg Deadlift: same side hand of leg extending, holds dumbbell> repeat twice.
Step Ups: uses two dumbbells> repeat twice.
Range of Motion Lunges: bodyweight static lunge w/ long stride (length) of legs> repeat once w/ dumbbells.
Single Leg Glute bridge: repeat twice.
Glute Bridge: w/ one dumbbell held on abs> repeat twice.

Plie Squats: w/ body bar held on shoulders.
Good Mornings: w/ body bar held on shoulders.
Alternating Side Lunges: w/ body bar held on shoulders.
Repeat Tri-set twice.

Cool-down
Straddle split stretch: transition from standing to seated position.
Kneeling Quad stretch
Low Lunge (knee on floor)
Pigeon Stretch (prone glute stretch)
Standing Hamstring stretch
TFL (tensor fascia latae) stretch: cross one turned foot in front of other & lean into side w/ hip.


Upper Body Level 3 (41:38 min.)
Warm-up
Hand to Toe: front leg lift w/ opposite hand tap to foot.
Shoulder Circles
Wheel pose (backbend)
Repeat sequence once

Work
Bent Over External rotation: arms bent at 90-degrees, start w/ forearm & hands hanging down> alternate lifting & reversing motion.
Rear delt row/raise (bent over lateral raise): the cast all demo it a bit differently, some perform the row other a raise.
Repeat Super Set twice

Alternating Bent Over Row: overhand grip (palms face body)
Power Press: squat w/ dumbbells held w/ overhand grip, then clean & press> reverse motion.
Lateral Raise: straight arm variation
Repeat Tri-set once

Single Arm Overhead Triceps Extension
Single Arm Triceps Kickback
Complete Super Set on one side then work through the other side> Repeat Super Set twice.

Alternating Bicep Curl
(Alternating)Arnold Press: underhand grip
Repeat Super Set twice

Chair (tricep) Dips
Chair Push Ups: hands on chair, knee variation.
Repeat Super Set twice

Sit Ups
Cycling Crunch: legs alternate extending to front/pulling knee in, neck, shoulders & head held off floor.
Windmill: in supine position, alternate lowering bent knees to each side.
Superman (back extension): lift & lower upper body (lower body stays on floor), w/ arms held to sides of body.
Plank hold: on elbows/forearms.
Repeat ab circuit twice

Cool-down
Shoulder stretch: hold towel w/ both hands overhead> lower arms to rear & hold.
Cross body Shoulder stretch: cross one arm at chest level & hold w/ other hand.
Back stretch: side bend into forward bend to face side, opposite side hand touches foot.
Seated Chest stretch: hands placed in rear of body w/ straight arms, squeeze shoulder blades together.
Lying Spinal twist
Wheel pose

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