Steve Huston does teach a robo bean style method to beginners. Bridgman also teaches something similar, just in his own style. What that exercise does is teach you to understand the relationship of the torso to the pelvis. Understanding how the torso and pelvis twist and bend and stretch and pinch is a lot easier to learn with the bean then with a complex figure, that's the point. Soon you'll be adding on to that bean, and your figures are going to feel 3 dimensional and solid.