After saying it for some time, I finally picked up my 5kg dumb bell weights at the weekend and pumped some iron! Yes, I love resistance training. I prefer it to cardio. Running? No. Body building? Maybe!
I decided to try and find a dance warm-up or workout on YouTube that would be doable on a daily or every-other-day basis as part of my intention to get back into some form of cross-training:
I found a Jazz class warm-up on YouTube and did that a few times. That was VERY good in terms of stretching and core work, and it wasn’t too long. My abs were burning.
There was another one I tried without verbal instructions. The music was calming and atmospheric, the filming was in black and white, really enjoyable… and then it kept cutting to the next exercise without any transition! So one minute we’re lying on the floor and suddenly we’re standing. Also, it didn’t repeat on the other side of the body, so I had to play it through again to achieve the balance. I won’t discount it for that reason though and have added it to my playlist.
I also had a go at a Sweaty Betty ballet workout featuring Flik Swan & Victoria Marr of Sleek Technique. I only just about got through the warm-up and I was done – it is hard work! But you do get results if you stick with it. I have their triple box set on DVD, which I had started reviewing on the blog, but it is so full-on that I ran out of steam. Hopefully I’ll review the third and final DVD in that set at some point in 2018…
However, once the weekend was gone and the busyness of the week took over, I haven’t done anything since, besides running through the tap routine for tonight – doh!
- Which do you prefer to throw yourself into, cardio, resistance or maybe both?
- How do you stay fit and flexible between dance classes?
I’m mostly with you on the resistance vs. cardio. I do enjoy jogging, especially with gamification like Zombies, Run!, but I’ve really fallen into strength training recently. I hit the gym twice a week. My gym offers trainers, which is invaluable. My trainer helped me put together a neat program of functional strength exercises. I also requested to learn barbell squats and deadlifts, which I love (especially after I’ve finished them). I foam roll after lifting and stretch a little every evenings. I’ll suffer the next day if I neglect to stretch…
I’ve been really slack in the last year. I’m thinking of going to the Uni gym opposite work at lunchtimes as I usually do in the summer when there’s a break from tap class. Otherwise, I commit to doing my exercise dvd (or YouTube vid) daily as I used to…And foam rolling and stretching YESSSSS! I’m going to draw up a timetable again 😁
Good luck!