Jump Start Day With Pure Barre

I could really tell it was Daylight Savings Time weekend as I drove over to Pure Barre then went in for the 8:30am class.  There were even less folks than normal on the roads on an early Sunday morning and the class was smaller.

I had a goal to get my workout done early today because my list of things to do is extremely long.  This was my sixth Pure Barre class.  I'm trying to get in at least once a week because I love the isometric moves and that the class is based in Pilates, ballet, dance and other forms of exercise that focus on the long and lean body instead of bulk up.

The water ski series and some of the abs series are still really tough for me but now I'm determined to master them!  Next time you're doing leg lifts or abs thing small movements.  Try moves in an up and hold; then up, up and hold; then pulse fashion.  That will give you an idea of what exercises are like in a Pure Barre class.  I just keep thinking long and lean with goal to look like a ballerina to get me through the class.  Pure Barre is purely fantastic to jump start my Sundays when I'm home in Denver and not traveling.

If you've never gone to a Pure Barre class or what to see what it looks like here's a promo.  If there's not a Pure Barre in your city they do sell DVD on their website.

I'm A Runner Ballerina...Well At Least Today!

With the high of 65 today in Denver there was no way I was going to miss out on a great running day.  65 degrees on January 5th!  So I did a 2.5 mile run at my favorite park in Denver, Wash Park.

From there I bolted over to Pura Vida Club for a ballet body class.  There's a reason ballerinas have beautiful figures.  The instructor Elizabeth Vino is a classically trained dancer and it was an awesome class.  Great blend of ballet and fitness.  Yes it kicked my butt especially the plank, hamstring, and abs series.  I'm already feeling the soreness of going for the dancer body.  But I love it!

Get The Ballet Body

I used to love taking fitness classes.  In fact I used to teach them in Knoxville, TN and San Antonio, TX.  But for whatever reason I haven't taken a class in ages.  Which is a shame since my gym, Pura Vida Club, has some amazing ones.  Can't even remember what the last class I took - probably a spinning or pilates mat class.

So today I decided to take a Ballet Body class.  Almost didn't get to because of the threat of storms but I made it.  I love to dance and what female doesn't what the toned beautiful lines of a ballet body.

Here's Pura Vida's description of the class:  This class will tone and sculpt giving you the lean, dancer's body look you desire. You will sweat and burn your way through strength training exercises rooted in Ballet, Pilates, and gymnastics. Barefoot encouraged. Reservations required. 

I walk in to the class and see everyone grabbing a mat, ball, yoga strap, and 3 pound weights so I do the same.  The instructor is Amanda, whom I see sometimes when I'm doing Pilates.

Amanda starts the class with shoulder circles to loosen up then straight in to arms.  You might think 3 pound weights sound wimpy but go through the series of lifts and pulses that we did for about 10 minutes and you quickly find out 3 pounds can weight a ton!  From weights we went straight into a 3 position series of push ups then over to the barre for leg work.

At the barre,  we do a series of relevé moves with feet parallel and in position of heels together and toes apart.  Then add the ball between legs just above knees for additional focus on inner thighs.  With these moves it's easy to see why ballerinas have that long, lean, toned look!

Then it's back to mats for abs then stretching with yoga straps.  We end the class with hip flexor stretches.

It's a great class and I'm sure I'm going to feel it tomorrow.  It went by so fast - that's a sign of a great class.  It definitely showed me that I need to do more ballet moves and stretching to increase flexibility, especially since I do so much cardio stuff like running and hiking which can cause you to really tighten up.

I'm going to keep going for the Ballet Body!