Archives for posts with tag: ballet

ballet ballet ballet conditioning

June 14, 2012 //
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I am a little obsessed with ballet and ballet conditioning. I did not dance my whole life. I did ballet for a short while when I was very young. I was the prima ballerina in one of our performances. I can still remember huddling in the box thing I emerged from. I was very little.

Then I did a course in college. For an art credit. It was so fun. We had a winter performance and everything. It was my last semester and I was kind of bummed I waited that long to take that class. I could have taken a few dance classes as electives.

I then found a ballet class through the park district and took that for a while. Until I got preggo. Then we were so swept up in moving etc that I just took my normal prenatal fitness classes.

After having Jack I bought a ballet conditioning DVD. Which I did blog about.

THEN I found a barre class shortly after Jack turned 1. Just down the street. I am hooked. It is one of my favorite days of the week. It burns so bad it feels good. I seriously love love love that class. I try to never miss. If I am busy on a Tuesday night I reschedule to go Saturday mornings.

So imagine my happiness while I was sitting here enjoying my coffee this morning when a news segment came on about how Natalie Portman’s trainer for Black Swan has come out with a workout program. They were discussing the book she released. BUT mentioned she also has DVDs! Much to my happiness. I prefer the videos. I DO save workouts online, so I could handle a book (check out my Pinterest fitness board!) I use those moves after an elliptical session or a run. I am good about doing them. But I truly find a DVD to keep me the most motivated. Or at least allow me to skip the machine or outside cardio. I will perform better with someone yelling at me 🙂

I did go with the bundle, because when it comes to fitness I LOVE options. I hope this is a fun amazing DVD program. I am not going to stop my Barre class but I can maybe squeeze in a little extra ballet during the week. Once we buy a house I have been thinking about how I want to install a barre in my workout room. I think about that every Tuesday night when I am sweating like a piggy grabbing the barre at my spot. But I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

It is scheduled to arrive on the 20th. I hope it is as great as I am hoping. Or at least a good workout.

Here is a sneak peak of some of the moves.

Well that is all I wanted to post about. I am a little caffeinated and over excited.  It is also my 4th wedding anniversary! Partly why I am over excited in general! Off to get in a quick workout before my brother gets here to babysit my little man. I have a day of beautification to attend.

 

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Categories Exercise, fitness, Healthy Living, pilates, Reviews

You have abs!!!!

June 12, 2012 //
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Sunday we had a little shindig at our home. It was hot hot hot, in the 90s. We went tubing, wakeboarding, grilled out, swam in the lake. It was a fantastic day with my family! There was no reason to get together other than the wonderful summer weather!

My grandma even made it over. She really cracked me up yesterday. I was running around in my bikini. At one point when I walked into my living room she stopped me and told me the following:

“You don’t even look like you had a baby! Not at all. You have abs!!!!” She then turned to my hubby and said “you are one lucky man!”

On Saturday we were at another family party. She told me I was too skinny and that she liked me with a little meat on my bones. Then smacked my butt!

HAAAAA

It really made me smile.  The abs comment especially. I mean I know it was my grandma saying these things. When it comes to grandchildren grandmas can be biased. But knowing that my abs are visible to other people made me feel like my hard work has been worth it.

I wasn’t fishing for a compliment. I was simply running around being a momma and trying to get Jack ready for his nap before we headed back on the boat. (don’t worry my grandma, mom, dad, etc stayed behind. There were land babysitters around! We had a lot of people over.)

Then yesterday I came across this little gem of a meme! It really made me giggle because it is so true. In my life at least.

It is how I felt yesterday. I am a little crispy from all the sun. A little sore from being thrown from the tube and I had at least one kinda rough wipeout on the wake board. Jack’s sleep patterns have been rocky at best the past few days. So I am just tired in general. I took it easy today but I did workout.

It isn’t easy. I do not sit around eating boxes of cookies doing nothing. I workout, I eat pretty healthy and clean, and I am active in general. It is not something that just happens. I had to lose about 35lbs of baby weight to get back to what I was. A good 15 of it came off right after having Jack but the rest of it took a while.

I now weigh between 118-120lbs depending on the day. I have had to eliminate dairy as much as possible. It has made a world of difference in my life. It is sad and amazing at the same time. I wish I could tolerate cheese! MMMM

I have even been finding alternatives to decadent desserts (a weakness of mine) I recently made a frozen black grape dessert. I came across it last week and I whipped it up. I am sorry but when I saw how easy it was to make I couldn’t pass it up. It probably took me less time to make than it takes someone to make a lovely ice cream sundae with all the fixings. It is fantastic! I still have some frozen. I did not use walnuts. I also added some water to get it smoother. My food processor wasn’t making it as smooth as I wanted without a little liquid. And a little extra water never hurt anyone. Hydration hydration hydration!

I highly recommend this. You can really do it with any grape. I have been freezing grapes and eating them for about 8 or 9 years. I never thought to puree them though, how silly of me! I actually introduced my hubby to frozen grapes. Initially he thought me bananas until he tried them! Then he was hooked.

So like I said, it isn’t something that just falls on my stomach, these abs. They didn’t just appear one morning. I looked down and was like oooo hey there hot stuff, where did you come from? You’re welcome to stay. No, I bust my ass daily in my workout room, at the barre, and in the kitchen.

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Categories Baby Weight, Exercise, fitness, Healthy Living, Momommahood, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, pilates, Recipes, Running, weather, weight loss, working out

Fight the fatigue

March 28, 2012 //
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Yesterday I had my Burn at the Barre class. This is always a favorite day of mine during the week. Two days post Shuffle. I could definitely still feel how fatigued my muscles were. I was never sore from the run, not Sunday night or at all on Monday. But when I had to use all of those leg and tushy muscles last night I could feel how they were not performing up to par.

I kept mentally telling myself two things:

  1. You destroyed your estimated time this weekend, you can do this.
  2. You gave birth with only 1/2 of your epidural working. You felt everything on the right side of your body. It hurt way worse than this does!

I only burned just over 400 calories. Usually I burn over 500. So you can see how I wasn’t working as hard as normal. I wanted to but my legs begged to differ. I did try though. I am hoping that partly it was because she changes the routines each week and we did some things slightly different. Right? A combination of the two I am sure!

Monday I did work out but I did a Long and Lean Bosu work out. It has a lot of stretching and I thought I could use that. It was a a very mild workout and not too long either.

This morning I have swim lessons with  my little sweet face. I am looking forward to getting into the water. I am debating a run later but I think I may workout during nap time inside instead. I have a hair appointment at 6. Sometimes Jack naps until 3 and then takes 30 minutes to eat lunch. That is just cutting it close and not really giving him any playtime. Tomorrow we are free and I think we will go for a run after he wakes up and eats. I want to do 6 miles. Last Thursday when I ran with him he started to get antsy after just over 3 miles. I mean you cannot blame the kid. He likes to move and play and sitting there for 30 minutes can be boring. I give him toys but he isn’t overly interested in them when I am running. So we will see how he is doing after the first lap around the lake.

Training with the stroller is really awesome. I am pushing well over 50 lbs between baby, stroller weight, all toys in the stroller, and any of my things (water, keys, wallet, phone, etc). I equate it to taking practice swings with weights on the bat just before you actually bat. You remove that and suddenly you are able to conquer anything!

I have a few photos from the race. From their official photographers. They are still matching photos to runners. The last I checked they were 63% done. I am going to purchase all of my images once they are entirely done. I will post them. The 4 that I have already are really actually great. They are all from the end of the race, two after I crossed the finish line and two from just before. Surprisingly I don’t look totally awful!

It is supposed to be beautiful out. So maybe we will walk to the park after nap time, the far park so I get over a mile walk there and over a mile walk back, plus any workout I do.

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Categories Exercise, fitness, Healthy Living, Jack, Momommahood, motherhood, parenthood, parenting, photography, pilates, Running, toddler, toddlerhood, weight loss, weightloss, working out

Barre class

February 28, 2012 //
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Tomorrow night I am finally getting out of the house, to a pilates studio, and going to a class! I haven’t done a class outside of the house since the night I went into labor with Jack! That was my prenatal swim class. I decided since we are done nursing it is time for me to get back into things for myself. I have the time now. Most importantly I won’t feel worried the entire time. Wondering if he is hungry, watching the clock. Or scrambling before leaving to make sure he nurses close enough to my departing time. I can just go, enjoy myself, relax, and get a good workout. It starts at 7pm. Jack often goes to be around 8. Since I don’t nurse him to sleep I don’t have to worry about rushing home. Jason can handle bedtime all on his own if necessary.

I signed up for a Barre class. It is a mix of ballet and pilates apparently. I have not taken this specific class before. I have taken pilates classes before. I do pilates at home. I have taken a couple ballet classes. I thought the combo could be interesting. I decided to start with this class because the elements are something familiar. I am looking for a place to go weekly. There are two pilates studios near my home. I plan to check them both out.

I still feel a little guilty about leaving and doing my own thing but I have to get past that or accept it. I think I have started to understand momma guilt never really leaves. I am home with him all day. We do a million things together. Yesterday we went to Gymboree Play class, he sort of napped for about an hour after, then we ate lunch, went grocery shopping (a long leisurely trip), we stopped at the park for a few minutes after shopping, we played with cars and trucks, we cuddled and both fell asleep until Dada got home, then after dinner we all had family play/reading time. I mean we do a lot together! It is ok for the both of us if I go do something alone for an hour once a week. Right?!?!?

I was hoping to make it to music class this morning, but Jack tends to sleep in late. Usually after 9. Class starts at 9:15 and it is about 20-30 minutes away. I may have to cancel Gymboree music and join a music class through our park district that starts later on Thursdays. I hate to do it because I LOVE the Gymboree family, but the music 1 classes just don’t work with our schedule! Oh poo!

 

 

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Categories Breastfeeding, Exercise, fitness, Healthy Living, Jack, Momommahood, motherhood, nursing, parenthood, parenting, pilates, weight loss, working out

Ballet conditioning

May 25, 2011 //
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I got around to trying out the Ballet Conditioning dvd. I.am.in.love. Seriously. This is exactly what I expected/wanted. It brought me back to my last semester in school. I forgot how amazing of a workout ballet really is. I feel amazing. It is such a great total body workout.

What I like about this dvd:

  • The pace is perfect. I did not find myself getting lost.
  • She explains each move very well.
  • Her voice is soothing and relaxing.
  • It creates a relaxing yet intense workout. I was sweating a lot and using my muscles but I did not feel stressed, afterward I was totally relaxed.
  • You can immediately feel how much your muscles are working. The burn is good!
  • It is a total body workout, without feeling like a workout scene.
  • There is a nice amount of focus on the lower body, which is my current trouble area. Silly baby hips!
  • It is in the privacy of my own living room, so I don’t feel ridiculous for looking as ridiculous as I know I do! (I am a horrible dancer)
  • The pilates style core work towards the end of the dvd. It is great and your core starts to burn. I am a huge pilates fan, so incorporating this into it was right up my alley.

Possible cons:

  • If you have never taken a ballet class or have no experience with it, the terms may confuse you.
  • If you dont have the muscle memory of the ballet moves you may get a little confused with the footwork.
  • The jumps can get a little confusing because of the footwork. However, this was my weakness in my classes as well. I am not greatly coordinated.

However, the possible cons are easily fixed. You just have to do the dvd a few times! I was able to keep up without thinking too much because I have taken some ballet in the past. I remembered the positions both mentally and physically. She demonstrates each piece of footwork slowly at first. Then you do some quicker reps of each. I know that I will get better with the jumps in the next few times I complete the workout.

I give this DVD 5 stars. It exceeded my expectations. It definitely helps you create a lean, streamlined figure. She even moves the chair (the only prop you need) gracefully. Much more gracefully than I do! Perhaps in a few sessions I will also move a bit more gracefully. (HA! I am incredibly clumsy….so this is pretty much impossible!)

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Categories Exercise, Reviews