Ballet

Once a week I do ballet for about an hour at a studio in Chicago. My teacher, Pia, is excellent, and actually used to dance on Barney and Friends as one of Barney's friends. Which, I must confess is one of the reasons I decided to take ballet at this studio. That, and I had a coupon from Groupon.

Ballet is such a fascinating sport for me. I took lessons from age 3- fifth grade, when I had to chose between learning to play flute or keep taking ballet classes. I chose flute, a decision I might always regret. Since becoming an adult, I take classes here and there, when I can afford them or there is a place that offers adult ballet classes. I want to eventually take enough classes and advance so that I could teach ballet someday. I love that ballet is all about details- every muscle, every movement, has to be exact. You can't just lift your leg- you have to lift it with the right muscle group, and you can't just move your arm- you have to hide your thumbs and relax your fingers, and lift your arm using your triceps and back with your shoulders relaxed. Your foot can't just dangle at the end of your leg, it needs to be turned out to create the longest, most elegant line. After a while, the movements become natural, but there is always another detail to focus on, once you've mastered one. Such focus and concentration on my body leaves little room to think about anything else, and the hour flies by. And the reward is the creation of beautiful lines and graceful movement. At least, while in ballet class. Once I walk out the studio door, it's a different story.

Ballet has been great in training for my tri. It's so different from running, biking, and swimming, so physical in a different way, more mental concentration on what my muscles are doing. It also helps develop my flexibility and leg muscles without overtaxing them.

This weekend was difficult to get workouts in, but I only missed one bike ride. Tonight is the swim, which I am looking forward to. I've also added about a 20 minute core workout 5-6 days a week. My runs and bikes are increasing by 5 minutes this week, which doesn't sound like much, but when you're at minute 40 in a bike ride, it takes a lot of effort to make yourself go for another 5 minutes.

whoo! bring it.