Conditioning and Pilates

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Hello everyone!

You may have seen a video I posted on the facebook page recently. It was a cardio workout video. The first time I did the workout, I really loved it. It burned a lot of calories, was good cardio, and was something really easy to do at home in an apartment living room.

The problem was, when I walked into ballet class the week I was doing that workout, I was totally off. My turns weren't working, and I just didn't feel together. Oh, and my hips, which I have chronic problems with anyway, were just killing me. The only explanation I could come up with was the new workout. It was the only thing I changed.

In terms of looking for a workout for my days off from class, I was back to square one. For me, that means back to pilates. Pilates supports my dancing in such amazing ways. When it is added to my routine, I feel so much more centered in class. It helps me feel more controlled, and to really be able to let go because I'm not struggling to find my core.

This book is such an excellent resource, taking you through many different pilates exercises individually.  It has pictures to show you what to do, with written explanations telling you when to breath, and extra tips for things to think about. I could design many different workouts from this one book.
It can be found on Amazon here.

Another really good resource is Fitness Blender on youtube. They have workouts of all kinds, including many pilates workouts. So, if you prefer a video you can put on and follow someone, they will have something for you.

Here is my current favorite pilates video from them:



 And here is a video from Jana and me where we talked about conditioning:


What kind of conditioning do you like? If you add in some pilates, let me know if you can feel the difference in ballet class!

No comments

Copyright © Ballerinas By Night. Blog Design by SkyandStars.co