BALLETfit

In Tip Toe Shape:

I’ve had the honour to meet and see some of the New York Ballet Group train and I have to say, if there is anyone out there thinking ballet is gay then think again!  These guys train like machines and as tough as any boxer.

Guys getting into ballet is, I think a little different now than even a few years ago with the event of Britain’s Got Talent giving a platform for all kinds of dancers including ballet.  Also the expanding list of dance movies mixing street with ballet and other disciplines has made ballet cool and sexy.

One of my all-time favourite dance movies apart from Dirty Dancing has to be Save the Last dance starring Julia Styles, her girl next door looks and the story backdrop mixing up ballet with street dance was great and showed a little look into how much these ballet dancers dedicate to their profession.

So Ballet has lost its frilly tutu image and even started a craze of hip workouts for sculpting your body …   So here are a few exercises used by ballet dancers to give then the awesome strength and great sculpted bodies.

To strengthen your hips:

Sit on a chair with your feet hip-width apart.  Holding your abdominals in tight, imagine you are squeezing a tennis ball between your legs (to increase the resistance, place a tennis ball between your thighs).

Do 3 sets of 8 squeezes.  Jumping or skipping also helps strengthen your hips.  Try 60seconds of skipping 10 times with a short break in between once per day.

To strengthen your back:

Lay face down on the floor, with your legs together, arms by your side and palms on the floor.  Lengthen your spine and lift your head and shoulders off the floor.  Make sure your feet stay in contact with the floor and lift your palms just off the floor.

Count to 5 as you raise your head and shoulders off the floor, then hold and count to 5 and finally lower counting to 5.

Do this for 60seconds

To strengthen your wrists:

Sit on a chair with your knees over your ankles.

Then resting your forearms on your thighs holding a dumbbell in each hand.

Now curl the dumbbell up and down by only moving your wrists.  Do 3 sets of 8 reps with an under hand grip and then repeat with an over hand grip.

The gym:

Consider joining your local gym and get advice from a fitness professional on a weight training programme and check out the New York Ballet Workout DVD.

By Mike Buss.

For more fitness advice or to book a personal training session with Mike then call: 07791 356 482 or email: activelifeuk@hotmail.com

 

Category: Fitness Class Reviews