Does Tonique slim your legs and will I like it?

js70 · 04-15-14, 12:19 PM

I have been hearing about Tonique by Sylwia for the past 4 years, but never tried it because I heard there are a lot of lunges in it.

I have done barre and love Ballet Body and the Bar Method. I really would like to lose some fat on my lower body and I heard a lot of good comment on Tonique. I don't like TA because a lot of the exercise uses all 4 and I have problem with my wrists after having my kids.

If you would recommend, which Tonique should I start with that does not give me too much dread factor and with good results.

Helen S · 04-15-14, 01:28 PM

I would start with either Tonique Premier which you can divide up and do into sections or get her Express Downloads. The downloads are inexpensive and they are only about 20 minutes each so they are easy to fit in. I wouldn't get the Cardio download though.

Lori_Michigan · 04-15-14, 04:27 PM

My Tonique experience is not what everyone has experienced, so I fear I'm the outlier here, but it did not slim my legs. It actually has had quite the opposite effect.

I've usually had slim legs and arms, with a larger middle (apple shaped). I started Tonique about a year and a half ago with Premier and then Sculpt Dynamics. I started doing them about once a week, and then twice. I could never do all the high-impact cardio, so I just modified down to what I could handle. But then out of nowhere last spring, I came down with pneumonia.

I didn't pick Tonique back up until a few months ago. At first, I really clicked with it and bought all the Tonique DVDs. I was only able to get through 30-40 mins at a time and then worked up to an hour or more. I figured if one time a week was good, I'd try two. So I worked up to that and then did three times and four times a week. I even did the first half of phase 2 on FF!

Fast forward to this past week, I was incredibly physically worn out. My knees hurt really bad, my hip tendonitis was quite inflamed, and my legs were incredibly sore and heavy. I've put on 5 lbs out of nowhere and haven't felt this physically crappy for a long time. I think for my age (40) and stress level, the constant muscle work of Tonique was too much. As much as I really love Sylwia, I don't think I'll go back to over 30-40 mins one time every couple of weeks at best. I think my mind wanted to be able to do it, but my body just wasn't willing.

I'm leaning more toward the Jessica Smith workouts for some active recovery and letting my legs get back to normal. Keep in mind, this is just my experience with going overboard with it. Too much too quickly!

Carb8985 · 04-15-14, 04:59 PM

Tonique has definitely slimmed down my legs and has given my legs the best definition they've ever had. Tonique has also made my butt rounder and curvier.

Tonique workouts have tons of squats and lunges, but the fact that they are done without weights, in such high repetition, and with endless variations really builds very lean - and not bulky - muscle on me. That said, I could see how for some body types, the results could vary. Sylwia's goal though, as she states in her workouts, is that the repetition and the variation should build lean muscle in the overall glutes and should not bulk the quads. Plus her workouts are very fast-paced, so the calorie burn alone is high, which should burn fat and help with muscle definition.

I also love barre and have done Ballet Body in the past. I actually find that my legs are slimmer and more defined with Tonique than with Ballet Body, but the results between the two are pretty similar - very lean and "elongated" muscle in the leg.

As Helen suggests, I recommend checking out the Express downloads. You can't go wrong with the price, and they're a great way to try Tonique. The moves in the downloads are very similar to the moves in Sylwia's recent DVD releases - Addicted to Movement and Femme Fatale.

js70 · 04-15-14, 05:57 PM

Thank you everyone for giving me your opinion. I guess I will try the downloads first and go from there. I know Helen suggested no cardio for the downloads. Which of the sculpting should I start first in her download? Do you do her download workout as an add on?

momof10 · 04-15-14, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by js70

Thank you everyone for giving me your opinion. I guess I will try the downloads first and go from there. I know Helen suggested no cardio for the downloads. Which of the sculpting should I start first in her download? Do you do her download workout as an add on?

You can start with any of the Sculpt/Cardio ones. There are 4 of them and they are all quite good. Many of us use them as add ons or string them all together to get in a longer workout. I think the downloads will give you a better feel about her newer workouts.

I have been doing Tonique for 4.5 years. I have done lots of other workouts, too. I generally add on another instructor or two. That being said, I have done Tonique almost every day for those 4.5 years. I have worked up to doing 90 minutes to just over two hours a day. Femme Fatale Phase 2 is 128 minutes in length. I have never bulked in my legs or gained weight from Tonique. I know everyone is different. Tonique has done wonders for my glutes and legs. Last time I took a measurement of my thighs they were at 18.5", so you can see my legs are not bigger at all, just defined. If Tonique can do for me what it has at the age of 58, it can do wonders for others much younger or even older than me. Give it a whirl.

Cheryl

daisyduke · 04-15-14, 07:12 PM

I tried one of Sylwia 's rotations ... doing a tonique daily and running either longer distances or sprints as she suggests and it did nothing for me. Nothing. So disappointing because she is so so sweet. But that was a lot of effort and time with disappointing results. I always follow weight watchers so I know it wasn't diet related. She has added different exercises in btm and her newer videos and I haven't tried those so it may be different now. ..

Will you like it? I hated every second of it but was willing to do it if it gave results. You may like it though!

lorajc · 04-18-14, 12:26 PM

I could NEVER build up to doing 90 minutes of Tonique......it kills me! and I think I would die from Lunge and squat boredom. I can only handle these sprinkled on to the ends of my workouts.....but that's why we are all different.

neatski · 04-18-14, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorajc

I could NEVER build up to doing 90 minutes of Tonique......it kills me! and I think I would die from Lunge and squat boredom. I can only handle these sprinkled on to the ends of my workouts.....but that's why we are all different.

Yep. i find Tonique to be mind-numbingly boring. I have had great results in my lower body from doing Barre3, which I enjoy, so my philosophy is, why do something I find to be torturous when something enjoyable produces the results I want? I love intense workouts but Tonique is just so darn boring to me..

Carb8985 · 04-18-14, 01:15 PM

I totally agree that we shouldn't do workouts that we don't enjoy or that we find boring or "torturous." Last year, I thought Ballet Body gave me the same results in my lower body as Tonique, so I quit Tonique, thinking why not do the "easier" workout for the same result. But this year I've re-committed to Tonique and do it more often and for longer, and I must say the results REALLY are in a class of their own!!

Plus what I like most is I get to eat lots more food (healthy food, of course) with Tonique and still achieve these great results

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04-15-14, 12:19 PM
js70 Join Date: May 2010	Does Tonique slim your legs and will I like it? I have been hearing about Tonique by Sylwia for the past 4 years, but never tried it because I heard there are a lot of lunges in it. I have done barre and love Ballet Body and the Bar Method. I really would like to lose some fat on my lower body and I heard a lot of good comment on Tonique. I don't like TA because a lot of the exercise uses all 4 and I have problem with my wrists after having my kids. If you would recommend, which Tonique should I start with that does not give me too much dread factor and with good results.

04-15-14, 01:28 PM
Helen S VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Utah	I would start with either Tonique Premier which you can divide up and do into sections or get her Express Downloads. The downloads are inexpensive and they are only about 20 minutes each so they are easy to fit in. I wouldn't get the Cardio download though. __________________ Disclosure: I have appeared as a cast member for several workouts. Please see my profile for details.

04-15-14, 04:27 PM
Lori_Michigan Join Date: Feb 2014	My Tonique experience is not what everyone has experienced, so I fear I'm the outlier here, but it did not slim my legs. It actually has had quite the opposite effect. I've usually had slim legs and arms, with a larger middle (apple shaped). I started Tonique about a year and a half ago with Premier and then Sculpt Dynamics. I started doing them about once a week, and then twice. I could never do all the high-impact cardio, so I just modified down to what I could handle. But then out of nowhere last spring, I came down with pneumonia. I didn't pick Tonique back up until a few months ago. At first, I really clicked with it and bought all the Tonique DVDs. I was only able to get through 30-40 mins at a time and then worked up to an hour or more. I figured if one time a week was good, I'd try two. So I worked up to that and then did three times and four times a week. I even did the first half of phase 2 on FF! Fast forward to this past week, I was incredibly physically worn out. My knees hurt really bad, my hip tendonitis was quite inflamed, and my legs were incredibly sore and heavy. I've put on 5 lbs out of nowhere and haven't felt this physically crappy for a long time. I think for my age (40) and stress level, the constant muscle work of Tonique was too much. As much as I really love Sylwia, I don't think I'll go back to over 30-40 mins one time every couple of weeks at best. I think my mind wanted to be able to do it, but my body just wasn't willing. I'm leaning more toward the Jessica Smith workouts for some active recovery and letting my legs get back to normal. Keep in mind, this is just my experience with going overboard with it. Too much too quickly!

04-15-14, 04:59 PM
Carb8985 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Jersey	Tonique has definitely slimmed down my legs and has given my legs the best definition they've ever had. Tonique has also made my butt rounder and curvier. Tonique workouts have tons of squats and lunges, but the fact that they are done without weights, in such high repetition, and with endless variations really builds very lean - and not bulky - muscle on me. That said, I could see how for some body types, the results could vary. Sylwia's goal though, as she states in her workouts, is that the repetition and the variation should build lean muscle in the overall glutes and should not bulk the quads. Plus her workouts are very fast-paced, so the calorie burn alone is high, which should burn fat and help with muscle definition. I also love barre and have done Ballet Body in the past. I actually find that my legs are slimmer and more defined with Tonique than with Ballet Body, but the results between the two are pretty similar - very lean and "elongated" muscle in the leg. As Helen suggests, I recommend checking out the Express downloads. You can't go wrong with the price, and they're a great way to try Tonique. The moves in the downloads are very similar to the moves in Sylwia's recent DVD releases - Addicted to Movement and Femme Fatale.

04-15-14, 05:57 PM
js70 Join Date: May 2010	Thank you everyone for giving me your opinion. I guess I will try the downloads first and go from there. I know Helen suggested no cardio for the downloads. Which of the sculpting should I start first in her download? Do you do her download workout as an add on?

04-15-14, 07:12 PM
daisyduke Join Date: Jun 2004	I tried one of Sylwia 's rotations ... doing a tonique daily and running either longer distances or sprints as she suggests and it did nothing for me. Nothing. So disappointing because she is so so sweet. But that was a lot of effort and time with disappointing results. I always follow weight watchers so I know it wasn't diet related. She has added different exercises in btm and her newer videos and I haven't tried those so it may be different now. .. Will you like it? I hated every second of it but was willing to do it if it gave results. You may like it though!

04-18-14, 12:26 PM
lorajc Join Date: Jul 2005	I could NEVER build up to doing 90 minutes of Tonique......it kills me! and I think I would die from Lunge and squat boredom. I can only handle these sprinkled on to the ends of my workouts.....but that's why we are all different.

04-18-14, 01:15 PM
Carb8985 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Jersey	I totally agree that we shouldn't do workouts that we don't enjoy or that we find boring or "torturous." Last year, I thought Ballet Body gave me the same results in my lower body as Tonique, so I quit Tonique, thinking why not do the "easier" workout for the same result. But this year I've re-committed to Tonique and do it more often and for longer, and I must say the results REALLY are in a class of their own!! Plus what I like most is I get to eat lots more food (healthy food, of course) with Tonique and still achieve these great results