Baby Got Brazil

Q&A with Leandro Carvalho

By Steve Edwards, Director of Results

Director of Results Steve Edwards sat down with the creator of Brazil Butt Lift®—Leandro Carvalho—to talk history, the myth, the name, and training. Here’s what the “Brazilian Butt Master” had to say about the latest Beachbody health and fitness program:

Q: How did it all begin?

A: “Five years ago I met Alessandra Ambrosio, the number-one Victoria’s Secret model, at a party. She didn’t like her trainer because she was putting on more muscle than she wanted. She only wanted to work on her waistline, her butt, and the inside and outside of her legs. I knew that by combining dance, Capoeira, and what I had learned as a trainer I could get her the results she wanted. As soon as I did, she began telling the other models, and things escalated from there.”

Q: There are many critics who call “Spot Training” a myth. What’s the secret?

A: “Those people haven’t been to Brazil. We (Brazilians) love to dance and celebrate. In fact, we celebrate just about everything with dance—not just special occasions. We dance at church, we dance at sundown, we just dance constantly, which works the legs, the abs, and the butt. This is why our beaches are so famous. Everyone looks great from dancing, both men and women.

“And you can translate this into specific training. Of course, squats and lunges (the standard leg exercises) are great, but if you do too much, you also bulk the legs, which is especially true when you start adding weight. I had to work the butt without bulking the legs, so I combined squats and lunges with Afro-Brazilian dance. That’s the ’secret.’”

Q: What’s the name “Brazil Butt Lift” all about?

A: “After my success with Alessandra, I needed something to call it because all the clubs in New York wanted these workouts. I was watching Extreme Makeover. There was a doctor on who was doing some sort of cosmetic surgery that he called a Brazilian butt lift. I though this was a great name for my class. Equinox loved it and signed me to an exclusive deal to teach for them. They gave me a lot of press—TV, magazines, everywhere. My classes have been packed ever since.”

Q: How do you differentiate your training from similar programs?

A: “Most trainers focus on the large muscles, like the gluteus maximus. But the glutes are three different muscles: maximus, medius, and minimus. You need to train them all. Not only that, but you need to hit them from various angles to strengthen the head of each muscle. In total, we’re looking at 12 different angles you should hit in order to create a round butt.”

Q: Is Brazil Butt Lift only for women?

A: “Even though it was created for women, it’s important to say it’s for men as well. I’m worried that men won’t want to do it, but it works very well for them. Back in Brazil, I used to train police and firefighters, and we did a lot of the same movements.”

Q: Which male celebrities have you personally trained using the Brazil Butt Lift method?

A: “Well, Trudy [Styler] had hired me, and I had no idea I was teaching anyone else. All these other people just showed up, including Sting (Styler’s husband), Tom Hanks, [John] McEnroe, and others. We all trained on the beach. McEnroe was pretty conservative. The actors, guys like Hanks, were more willing to dive into the dance moves because they’re more used to being outside their comfort zone. That seems to be the same thing with my classes. Guys are more reserved about taking any exercise class, but when they do show up, they love it.”

Steve EdwardsNext time, we’ll dig deeper into Carvalho’s background; Brazil Butt Lift’s science and nutrition; and what it’s like to juggle teaching sold-out classes, filming a workout video, and training 26 supermodels.

Don’t miss part 2 of the Leandro Carvalho Brazil Butt Lift interview.

Targeting the buttocks in your exercise requires a lot of patience, determination and most importantly discipline.  Having the perfect buttocks is not as simple as putting commercially available cream to burn the fat or just slapping on some vibrating gadget while you watch your T.V.

Of course exercise is important.  This is a basic requirement for a fit and healthier life.  Unless your work is physically demanding for your butt muscles, then you definitely have to do specific exercises for your butt.  Some fun and simple ways to get your butt some exercise include, squatting, lunges, step up, and other movements that require hip flexing.  These exercises will help strengthen your gluteus maximus.  But to get that toned muscles visible, you still have to burn the fats that’s covering them.  For this, you need cardio-vascular exercises.  Walking, jogging, running and cycling are convenient ways to easily burn those extra fats.  Moreover, these exercises also help increase the strength of your butt muscles.

But here’s the tricky part – maintaining a regular exercise routine.  It is so hard to start exercising but it is easy to stop. You need to be determined enough to keep on going, even if you think nothing is happening.  Exercising is more than just a physical activity- it is truly a mind game.

While you strengthen and burn calories through your exercise, it is also important that you eat healthy.  Counting calories does not mean you totally cut down on the great pleasures of eating.  It simply suggests that you eat the right amount of food for the right amount of calories.  So it is important that you watch what you eat so you can watch your butt take on the shape that you want.

Still, it is a challenge to say no to that extra serving of chocolate ice cream or that moist cake.  But you do have to control yourself.  Again, it’s all in the mind.

Your quest for the ultimate buttocks requires you to have a zen-like focus on your goal.  It is easy to get distracted and derailed from your goals.  This happens a lot, but the key is to get back on track.

If you truly want to tone your butt, you have to work hard for it.  More than just the physical challenge, it’s a test of your character and will.   Your mind is your best tool for a gorgeous butt.

Still looking for that perfect Xmas gift?  Get the Brazil Butt Lift.  Available now.

P90X Yoga X

Many question the P90X Yoga X work out before they actually do it.  Don’t be one of those people.  Yoga X is really tough the first few times and is a vital part of your body sculpting. It’s not going to be easy, “just breathe”. OK, so even if you are breathing it is still going to be hard but you will be amazed at your progress at the end of 90 days.

You are going to need a mat with good traction so you are not slipping all around. You will be doing Yoga X barefoot in case you didn’t know. You will want to be in a warm, calm and comfortable environment. You should try and avoid any interruptions to get the most out of Yoga X.  Relax and do not hold your breath during postures.

Here is what P90X Yoga X  looks like:

Warm up, which includes Mountain Pose, Wide Feet Hamstring Stretch, Wide Forward Bent Over Torso Twist, Split Leg Forward Hamstring Stretch, Standing Side Stretch, Astanga Sun Salutations, Downward Dog Calf Stretch.

Moving Asanas

Runners Pose, Crescent Pose, Warrior One, Warrior Two, Reverse Warrior, Triangle Pose, Twisting Triangle, Chair to Twisting Chair(Prayer Twist), Right Angle Pose to Extended Right Pose and Grab. Prayer Twist from Runner’s Pose to Side Arm Balance, Warrior Three to Standing Splits.

Balance Postures

Tree, Royal Dancer, Standing Leg Extension

Floor Work

Crane (pre-handstand), Seated Spinal Stretch, Cat Stretch, Frog, Bridge or Wheel, Table, Cobbler Pose

The Yoga Belly 7

One-Legged Hamstring Stretch into Two-Legged Hamstring Stretch, Touch the Sky, Boat, Half Boat, Scissor, Torso Twist Hold, Deep Torso Twist Hold, Touch the Sky, Side Twist, Glute Stretch, Happy Baby, Child’s Pose, Shavasana (corpse pose), Fetal Pose and Meditation Pose.

Ahhhhh.   What a work out.  Now you should be well relaxed and stretched out

Still haven’t bought P90X yet?  What are you waiting for?  Get the P90X exercise program today.

Cardio exercises can trim your waist.  Through cardio-vascular activities, you can easily burn fat and thus sculpt your body to a leaner and toner physique.  Many associate cardio or aerobic exercises with just endurance.  However, this is a great way to shed off extra fat since it burns calories well.  Regular cardio exercises can give you a well toned body as well as increase you endurance.

Running is one good way to burn that extra fat in your body.  It is an excellent alternative in that practically all muscle groups are working in unison in each stride.  Moreover, the tummy is naturally tucked when you run.  Unconsciously you tighten your abdomen to a degree that is still comfortable but targets the area.  The whole midsection is activated when you do this type of exercise.  Running can be done at different paces depending on the person but it is recommended that a moderate intensity level be maintained so that you will not over-stress your body.

Walking on the other hand is a low impact cardio-vascular exercise that can also help burn fat.  Being a natural movement, walking provides less strain on the body.  An important note though, you should be brisk walking and not walking leisurely.  This is a work out, not a stroll in the park.  Likewise, it is recommended to include uphill stretches in your route.  This will increase fat burning in your body.  To add resistance, you can strap on ankle weights or carry dumbbells as you walk.

Jumping rope is also a fabulous fat burning exercise that you can do.  In just a few minutes you can burn more calories compared to just walking.  This is also an ideal exercise since you can do this in your own home.  Just like running, it utilizes almost all of your muscles.  Likewise, the abdomen and the waists are contracted as you do this activity.  It is advisable to do this exercise on soft surface to lessen the strain of jumping on the body.

Finding the right exercise to trim your waist need not be troublesome.  There are so many types of equipment and machines out in the market that simply don’t give you the desired results.  Trimming off extra fat requires cardio-vascular exercises.  Alternate these fat-burning exercises to maximize your results.  Regardless whether you’re targeting your thighs, legs, arms or even your abdomen and waist, cardio exercises are truly your best choice.

Are you up for some extreme cardio?  Check out Shaun T’s extreme cardio workout Insanity.

It is already a known fact that diet and exercise is the tandem for an efficient fat loss program. However, there sometimes comes a time when you hit that plateau and find yourself lost in your regimen. You see no results despite your efforts and find yourself stuck in the non-progressive struggle. As you experience this, you might have overlooked the following three factors which are keys to effectively lose body fat.

First of the factors is the lack of sleep. Various studies have presented that people who get a healthy amount of sleep, which meant having seven to nine hours of sleep, had a less likelihood of gaining weight and were able to burn body fat better. On the other hand, lack of sleep has been associated with hormonal imbalances that would result to an increase hunger. Moreover, the exhaustion from lack of sleep tends to make you less interested to workout and eat healthy due to the mental effects that cause you to be cranky and depressed. Hence, it is important that you get enough sleep to facilitate your goal of losing some fat.

The next factor to consider is stress. Too much stress has been linked to weight gain, as many studies have shown. Moreover, the weight gain consisted more of a gain in belly fat, due to the increase in the level of the hormone called cortisol, which is responsible for the control of appetite. Stress causes such a rise in the hormone level. As a result, you will tend to have increased cravings of comfort foods that are mostly rich in fat and sugars. You must then learn to manage your stress in order for you to not reach a point when it becomes extremely harmful to your health.

Lastly, another important factor is calories in liquid forms. This is a category often ignored by many when organizing their diet plans. Aside from the food you eat, the beverage you drink can also be responsible for your fat deposits. The most common offender is alcohol. Beer, sweet mixed drinks, hard liquor, and even wine, which is considered the least of all these evils, can make your weight rise to extraordinary levels, especially when consumed during night time. Sodas and other juices bring the same results as well. In watching your diet, you must never forget to include liquid calories in your count because this just might be the factor that is hurting you fat loss regimen. Always remember that you always have a healthy, non-caloric alternative – water.

Looking for an awesome 90 day ab program? Check out RevAbs by Brett Hoebel.

The principle of burning body fat is simplified in this statement: “Use up more calories than you consume in a day.” With this principle, you are given the guide that in order to get rid of more body fat, you will need to utilize more calories on a daily basis. Then again, this does not imply that you accomplish this by missing meals and depriving yourself of food. That is a big no-no! Skipping meals will only cause your body to slow down your metabolism in response to your low food intake. It is a compensatory mechanism adapted by the body in emergency situations like in the case of famine. As a result, your excess calories will not get burned and will be stored in as fat.

For you to burn more fat, you will need to take in more food. Eating small frequent portions of your meals a day, which is about 5-6 times, will help your metabolism to increase and keep going. Consequently, you will burn excess calories at a quicker rate and hence, burn more calories.

In a day, you should only cut down a maximum amount of 500 calories from your daily intake. When calculated, a pound of fat contains about 3500 calories. This means that if you maintain the maximum 500-calorie cut down, you will lose roughly a pound in a week’s time. If you are just a bit overweight, you can lower it to cutting about 50 calories on a daily basis. At this rate, you will see results in no time.

To aid in your goal, it helps to know the foods that will help you burn fat. Although there aren’t really any magical foods you can consume to help you burn off those excess calories and help you curb your hunger, the fat-burning foods known as catabolic foods when eaten will help you burn more calories than you consume. The process of chewing and digesting such foods will burn off more calories than the amount contained in them. Foods belonging to this group include celery, oranges, broccoli, artichokes, asparagus, lettuce, spinach, pineapple, pears, tomatoes, and zucchini. Notice that the foods mentioned have low fat content, high in fiber, and contains more water. Eating these foods will cause you to not mind counting calories, especially when you opt to eat them raw, thereby preserving the nutrients and enzymes contained in them.

Looking for a awesome fat burning work out?