“Let’s see…..I want to work on my arms along with doing my T-Tapp workout, so I think I’ll add in some Butterflies a few times a day.  Annnndddddd I’d really like to work on my thighs, so a set of Awesome Legs before bed should be just the thing!  OH! And Diva Derriere! Can’t forget that!  Hmmm…..Pretzel Twist is supposed to be good to “whittle the middle”, maybe I should add that….Hoedowns after every meal and snack–really need to burn off those carbs!”

Ever have thoughts like these?

And is there anything wrong with it?  After all, we’re just adding a few target moves in, right?

Welllll…..the problem comes when we start adding in so many target moves that we are basically doing another workout!

What’s wrong with adding in several target moves daily?  Think of it like a freeway at rush hour.  Everyone is trying to get to their destination, traffic is bumper to bumper, and then someone tries to zip in front of you where there really isn’t enough space.  You either need to do some crazy maneuvering to avoid a collision or you end up crashing.  Not a great feeling, is it!  And if you do end up with a collision, NO one gets to work on time.

Or there is that “bottle neck” spot where if everyone would be courteous, we could all keep moving and get to our destination.  But there are always those who zip ahead and wait until the last minute to get over, causing everyone to have to stop.

The same happens to your body when you keep trying to add in extra moves, thinking you are working different areas of your body.  What really happens is you end up overtraining and you usually end up sabotaging the results you want. Why? Because you are focused in so many different directions that you can’t keep good form in any of them.

T-Tapp is very comprehensive.  I get asked what moves or dvds are best for the arms.  My answer?

Every move is an arms move!

I also get asked what is best for working on the tummy.  My answer?

Every move is a tummy move!

And yes, I get asked questions about great moves to help reshape the legs.  My answer?

You’re catching on, aren’t you! 😉

Of course there are dvds that address specific areas of the body due to the moves included and the tweaks specifically for those areas.  But if “all” you have is Basic Workout Plus or MORE, you can still focus on arms/tummy/legs/whatever by focusing on full fiber muscle activation (no wimpy muscles) and proper body alignment.

That said, sometimes a little extra focus is nice.  So, how to add target moves in without overdoing?

First of all, repeat after me:

LESS IS MORE!

Once that is ingrained, it makes it easier!

I personally like to see target moves limited to just one or two.  You can do those for a week or 10 days or even a month, then switch it up with other moves.  Floor moves aren’t quite as taxing on the body, of course, but even then you can add so many in that your core is really tired and not able to keep good form for your regular workouts.

I tell my clients that Primary Back Stretch and Organs in Place/Half Frogs are “freebies”.  Mitten Chop Box can also be a freebie, but it really works the arms as well as tummy, so don’t go crazy doing too many during a day! Especially if you are doing other target moves.

Moves that help with pain or stretching, body alignment, etc. are fine.  It’s when you start adding Awesome Legs, Pretzel Twist, LadyBug move, Butterflies AND Hoedowns to a day that you will get yourself in trouble! 😉

How about a good rule of thumb?

TWO target moves, in addition to “freebie” moves.

But don’t overdo the “freebies”, either!  If you are doing Primary Back Stretch twice a day, Mitten Chop Box and Organs in Place/Half Frogs, cut that “target move” down to one.

If you have adrenal fatigue or other health issues, please listen to your body, and I would suggest only 1- 2 moves total, “freebie” or not.

And that–listen to your body–is the BEST advice of all!   If you are starting to feel achy beyond what is normal post-workout, if you have flu-like symptoms, are getting sick more easily, have brain fog (that is worse or just starts up out of nowhere) or start feeling “off” or anxious, it’s time to scale back.

Perhaps a season of just focusing on 2-3 target moves a day would suit you better than a workout PLUS all those target moves.  Or adding just one target move a day and then focusing on that area more in your regular workouts.

I’ll be reviewing the new Debulk Sequence as soon as I get it, and when I do, I’ll share ways to add it into your schedule to get max results without taxing your body into a crash–keeping everyone on the “freeway” of your body happy! 🙂

(Pssst!  There is still time to join me in November’s Beautiful YOU! Core Concentration class featuring LadyBug! We start tomorrow but registration will stay up for a few more days!

And there are also a few spots left in my Tennessee T-Tapp Wholeness Weekend for next weekend, November 8-10!)

Photo credit:  Michael Gil