As I will do for every day in the month, I’m back with my quest to get in shape for my ballet class! At the end of this week, I will only have two weeks left to make it- I really think that I can do this! I need to start working in more ballet specific stretching. While yoga is fantastic for stretching, it doesn’t always target the specific muscles dancers use, in the ways that they use them. Thankfully my gym at work has quite a large area for stretching!
June 4- Today, I finally just needed a break! I didn’t do a barre, I didn’t do yoga, I didn’t do anything. All of my joints felt creaky and sore, my arthritis wasn’t particularly happy, and I had a work event for the majority of my day. (Working on a Saturday really throws of my mojo.) I don’t know if I was being realistic to expect to exercise every day, but I think 5-6 days a week is still fantastic!
June 5- Back at the grind again, I decided to focus on my balance and core. Now that I have been doing yoga for two years, my core is actually pretty strong. I mean, I’m not going to be hauling a tire or doing a million crunches, but I’m proud of how strong it is. Despite my core strength, this was a challenging barre. My glutes are still getting fatigued from holding my turnout but that’s a good thing. I’m already in a much better place to start a ballet class, even after only a week! Kathryn’s barres require a good deal of thinking- I’m happy to have the practice of thinking through a ballet class again.
June 6- I did my now-usual lunchtime work out of 15 minutes of running and 10 minutes of stretching my quads and hamstrings. Even though I’ve cut it down to 15 minutes, I really pushed myself during my run. If it wasn’t so counteractive to my work on my turnout, I would have kept my longer runs. Alas, alack. I decided to do yoga tonight instead of a barre, because of the run. I’m hoping that I will be fresh for the barre I am going to do tomorrow night! This weight loss sequence from Erica Vetra is not easy; I only made it to the 21 minute mark. Before I “moved over” to yoga with Adriene, I would do Erica’s sequences 3-4 times a week. Not sure how, but I did. An excellent challenge! Even if I’m not in ballet shape, I am certainly getting back into general/better shape. (Better than I was, I was decently fit before.)
June 7- I couldn’t go to the gym at lunch, but I was able to do the Classic Ballet Barre Workout in the evening! This is a longer barre, roughly 40 minutes. I didn’t realise until I finished just how involving it is. I’m finding that I am able to move more into the full out version of everything, as opposed to having to modify it when I first started up again. I had a slight panic attack when I realised that I might not be able to do a wrapped foot but instead a flexed foot. However, apparently the teacher of my class is quite nice, so hopefully she is okay with me taking it as I can. Younger me would have barrelled through, but older me is not as eager to do so anymore….
June 8- Today was lunch time yoga, or “body fusion” as my gym refers to it. The flow was a heart opener- not my absolute favourite. Not sure why, but I get a little dizzy in Camel pose. (Any idea why?) I found it a little repetitive, but I guess that allows you to focus more on your technique and form than simply remembering what comes next. I also did a ballet barre, the Easy Ballet Barre workout again! Now that everything is slowly coming back to me, I’m feeling more and more confident. I mean, I clearly have quite a ways to go, but I’m remembering how to use more and more of my muscles. This barre is a good pace, and warms up all of the key muscle groups.
June 9- Zumba at lunch went well! I did the entire class, save for the last song. (The drawback of the gym at lunch is that sometimes you have to leave to get back to work.) I’m not sure how effective of a workout Zumba is for those who don’t actually know how to engage different muscles. I suppose at the very least, you are getting a decent cardio workout. I enjoy this once a week, but I don’t know that I would enjoy it more than twice a week at the most. I didn’t have a chance to do anything tonight, because I was at the ballet! (Best excuse there is.)
June 10- I am still sore from yoga and Zumba, to the point(e) that my obliques hurt when I try to sit up. Apparently I went much harder on my planks than I realised…. Today is a day off, because I can’t afford any lasting injuries right now!
What fitness goals are you currently working towards?
Until tomorrow,
The Historian!
