In my quest to attempt every group exercise class at my gym, I tried a different class several months ago. This class, called Balletone, combines simple ballet moves with core exercises, similar to pilates. I had always been fascinated by the description of this class. One of my regrets in life is that I never took ballet lessons, as many young girls and women do. (unless, that is, you count the one year at age 5). It is generally easy to spot the ex-ballet dancers, even in a dance exercise class; they have a certain stance and poise that is unique. One day I was talking to a woman in my dance class who said that she loved Balletone. Her name is Rose, and she explained that it was an excellent class to help with balance and flexibility, both of which are very important parts of fitness. She further explained Balletone's benefits, including helping her to recover from a foot injury.
Encouraged by Rose, I decided to finally give it a try. The ballet moves on my toes were certainly challenging but I loved pretending to be a ballerina.I didn't even mind the corny piano music! What I realized was how great the moves were for balance, and also for strengthening my feet, which have always given me problems. I have been going to Balletone since then, once a week, and it is one of my favorite exercises.Part of my reason for writing about this experience is that the main reason I went to the class was because of my friend, Rose, inspiring me and suggesting that I would probably benefit from this class.
Other people have given me inspiration to experiment in different areas of the fitness world. My friend Ellen, in Asheville, would tell me about all of the classes that she had done on a particular morning. She would do a zumba class and yoga, or maybe spinning and pilates. I was impressed that she could do several classes in a morning, because I had never even tried it. She made me think about this possibility. Now I sometimes take a zumba class followed by a core conditioning class, for instance, and actually find it helpful. I still haven't been inspired by Ellen to try spinning again. (excellent exercise, just not for me), but one never knows!
My husband Rich had always expressed his praise for push-ups as being one of the best overall exercises.I knew that I needed to do regular upper body strengthening exercises, but always seemed to hurt my neck when I used the machines in the gym. I was getting frustrated by my flabby arms, and actually googled "how to get rid of flabby arms". The main solution given was push-ups! I started doing them regularly, several times a week, and could really tell a difference in my upper body and core strength. More importantly, I did not have the neck or shoulder pain that I had previously encountered. I continue to do push-ups at home, and I thank my husband for inspiring me. (although he has reminded me several times that he had been trying to tell me this for years)!
Inspiration from a friend or family member can be a powerful tool in starting a fitness routine, or adding to a current one. I try to keep an open mind now instead of being locked into my same routine, as I have found new fitness activities that have helped to balance my life. I appreciate Rose, Ellen and Rich for their inspiration. I also thank Carolyn, who got me to try Dance Trance. I am grateful to Allen, who helped me to realize that I could walk much further than I thought I could, and dodge cars at the same time! And who knows - maybe my friend Lou will eventually get me out on the tennis court again!
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