Injured girl fitness

Maintaining my fitness during my surgery recovery has been something very important to me. I am planning on training for the Oireachtas this fall when I am cleared to dance, so I want to make the transition as easy for myself as possible. Plus, apparently staying active while injured (withing your limits of course!) helps with healing. Enter Blogilates, a YouTube channel I stumbled across last fall while searching for ab workouts.

This whole fitness journey started in April when I first really dug deeper into the Blogilates website. I decided to reinvent my eating habits by completing the 12 week New Body Makeover, which includes clean eating meal plans for 12 weeks. I followed the meal plans right up until my surgery, and while I no longer follow their strictness, I do find myself making better meal choices based on guidelines from these meal plans (also, some of the meals have made their way into my go-to meals they were so delicious).

After resting for about two weeks after my surgery, I became very bored at home. I have always been an active person, so sitting on the couch doing nothing got old really quick. Boredom led to me searching out the June workout calendar from Blogilates and completing five YouTube videos, which added up to a 50 minute workout session. From then on, I knew that I wouldn't be bored for an hour of each day.

I was extremely mindful of my own limitations, so I modified a lot of exercises at first.  I skipped whole chunks of standing exercises, I planked on my knees, and did whatever I could to complete the exercises withing my limits. The Pop Pilates videos lend themselves very well to modifications for ankle injuries (aside from cardio videos). The modifications also helped me not feel overwhelmed with the intensity of the exercises because some are really difficult!

Want to see the calendar? Sign up at blogilates.com!

My favorite part about Cassey's whole system is that she releases a calendar of what workouts to do on each day of the week. I literally don't have to think about what I'm going to workout each day because she has done that for me! Her calendars change monthly, and this change over to the August calendar has been tough for me because there is more cardio and leg exercises, two areas I'm only getting back into since my surgery. On occasion, my boyfriend will join me during my daily workout (if I don't complete it while he's at work). It's a fun challenge to see if I can match or outlast him over the course of a ten minute workout video.

I can proudly say that I have only missed one workout since June 30th and that was because I was at Kings Dominion all day long. I was still able to complete the daily workouts while I was on vacation in Michigan with my mom and sister (possibly getting them hooked on Blogilates in the process), thanks to my tablet and free Wi-Fi at our hotel! I can feel that I am stronger all over, and I hope to be able to continue the daily workouts once school starts.

As an added bonus, I also have new ideas for ab workouts at the beginning of dance classes (because that always seems to be my job at my dance school). I can't wait to torture the other dancers with some of my new-found ab routines.

Here's where to find Cassey Ho and Blogilates on the web. Sign up for the workout calendar on her website, watch for new workout videos every Monday, and look for quick healthy recipes on instagram!

[Blogilates website]  [Blogilates on YouTube]  [Blogilates on Twitter]  [Blogilates instagram]

Goals: Daily workout, ankle exercises, and stretch.
Days till Os: 115

Adventures in Cross training: Bikram yoga

My first foray into Bikram yoga was just after the new year turned this year.  I purchased a 10 visit Groupon deal for a studio that was relatively-near-but-not-really close to my house.  I had heard awesome things about Bikram.  I was both looking forward to and dreading my first class in the 105 degree room.  I figured not only would this particular style of yoga help my body, but the whole mental aspect of perseverance through heat would be beneficial as well.

This summer, I again turned to Bikram in August with the purchase of another Groupon (or possibly LivingSocial) deal for a Bikram studio much closer to my house.  I really wish that a) I had more time in the day, and b) classes weren't so darn expensive because Bikram is something I'd love to practice at least three times a week now that I found a studio I like.

What is Bikram yoga?
It is a type of hatha yoga (which focuses on physical and mental strength building exercises and postures).  There are 26 different postures that are repeated as well as two breathing exercises.

What are classes like?
Hot.  Very hot.  And also humid.  Classes are 90 minutes long and consist of a standing series, a balancing series, and also a floor series with a large focus on back strengthening exercises.  You will sweat.  A lot.  Be sure to bring towels not only to stand on, but also to wipe your sweat off afterwards.

How will my body benefit?
You will feel very stretched out and lovely, as heat plus stretching equals great things.  Your back will feel stronger after the spine strengthening series.  Your mind will feel very accomplished that you made it through a class in a very hot room.  And those are just my favorite things!  There are also a bunch of different supposed benefits to each pose (some promote weight loss, others stimulate different organs. A list can be found here).

Where can I sign up?
In my area at the very least, I have many different options of where to go practice.  I have found that Groupon, LivingSocial, and Amazon Local often have vouchers for Bikram yoga.  Check there first so you can have a trial before purchasing expensive class packages.

Goals: Stamina on hornpipe
Days till Os: 59

Beating the winter chill

In which I post some of my favorite new winter dance outfits because I am upping my dance attitude by looking great.  Also, don't forget to support me to become the Top Dance Blog overall and in the recreational dancer category by voting here!

My go to clothing choice for chilly night of solo class lately has usually consisted of leggings.  I can begin to describe to you how awesome dancing in athletic leggings by saying: warm legging hugs.  Pull your poodle socks up over the top of them, and roll into class with a stylin' pullover and infinity scarf.  Mix up your next layer and still look cute: pull out that Oireachtas shirt, go for dance chic with an athletic top, or wear a tank if you foresee lots of sweating in your future.  I've done them all and felt fab in each one.

On team practice days, I like to be comfortable and stylish.  Less time spent on intense dancing means layering up is essential for me.  Pair yoga pants with a tank and a pullover with with thumb holes (essential to stop sleeves from riding up or getting in the way!).  My personal preference for dance shoes are Pumas because they are light and not bulky.  If my feet are sore or can't handle ghillies at the third hour of team practice, I will switch into these.  Bonus: almost all of this outfit was bought on sale at Target!

I hope I've given you some great and stylish ways to brave dance on cold nights.  Stay warm in these last (hopefully short) weeks of winter!

Goals: Finalize hornpipe 2nd step
Days till NANs: 158

Adventures in Cross-training: Metrobarre

Signing up for Groupon and LivingSocial was probably one of the best things to happen to my cross-training fitness for dance.  Especially after last year's injuries, I was looking for different and exciting ways to get back into dancing shape.  The gym and I are friends from long ago, but I was looking for more. (Read: I'm bored of my gym routine and didn't have the desire to workout on my own.)

Right smack in the middle of the time that I was asking myself what to do, I received an email from LivingSocial advertising "10 barre fitness classes."  I for one love ballet, and know the benefits of barre work, so I was intrigued and signed up for a class called MetroBarre.

What is MetroBarre?
MetroBarre is a fusion workout of ballet and Pilates inspired movements with elements of yoga and sports conditioning/physical therapy exercises.  It's low in impact, but high in intensity (meaning higher repetitions of exercises).  This is not a particularly new fitness regime: injured ballet dancers all over the country have been using some form of this class to get back into dancing shape.

What are classes like?
A typical class starts with a standing center floor series containing a light (low-impact) cardio warm up, light stretches, and some work with light hand weights (no more than four pounds).  The middle section of class moves over to the ballet barres to work on intense plies (sometimes with a fitball between knees), tendus, degages, and the occasional grande battements.  The class wraps up with seated center core work, often times using the fitball again, and a final relaxation (shavasana/corpse pose) to absorb the benefits of the hour-long workout.

How will my body benefit?
Because of the repetitive movements, this class will probably not do much to improve overall fitness, but it does strengthen and condition muscles.  Sculpting and toning: yes.  Weight loss: no.

Where can I sign up?
My classes are at the Metropolitan Fine Arts Center in Northern Virginia.  Across the country, there are many different names for this particular fitness class ranging from BarreConcept to just Barre Ballet.  Check out your local dance/fitness/yoga centers to see if they offer something similar.

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Goals: Begin to practice all the way through reel/hornpipe
Days till NANs: 157