Things To Get Busy With Now That It's 2014 {and some sites I recommend you check out!}

No doubt about it. We are in 2014 and the year is young. The newness of the year brings about thoughts of changes, hopes and goals for the coming 12 month cycle. I've never been one for making New Years resolutions. If a habit is worth breaking or implementing, then one should avoid holding it off and get to making a better life ASAP. With that said, the beginning of the year is still a fine time to evaluate or reevaluate goals.

My household is starting off the year with our house on the market and us looking for a rental house that will accommodate our family of six. But that is no reason to hold of some doable desires. Or at least get the ball rolling for some of them.

Get my personal trainer certification. 
I have a group ex. certification through AFAA. It was something that was recommended to Zumba instructors. I'm glad I got it, but now I would like to expand my role in the fitness field. Step one is to decide which organization to get it though. There are quite a few, but I think I have it narrowed down to either AFAA, ACSM or NASM. Hopefully I will make my choice soon and get crack'in. A great way to freshen up on all that human anatomy!

Become a better blogger.
One of the best ways to get better at something is to do it. And do it some more. I've always been intrigued by writing. For me blogging offers a great opportunity to hone my abilities. I've collected a slew of articles, mainly from BlogHer, that I just need to sit down and read, reread and perhaps employ.

Master this philosophy!
Forget Setting Goals. Focus On This Instead. Written by James Clear, this article looks at the differences between setting goals and using a system to achieve accomplishments, including why the standard practice of just "setting a goal" might be the first step to failure. It is a great article that I highly recommend reading. My mind was a little blown when I first read it. I'm excited to use this philosophy in my everyday life.

Add more of this flavor to my dance fitness routines.
Burlesque! What, what. Starting last year Zumba HQ added the L.A. Zumba Instructor Convention. Prior to the West Coast event the only other U.S. convention was held in Florida. So now there are two annual conventions. I've never been to one, East or West coast. I was hoping to get to the L.A. convention this February 2014, but with everything going on, coupled with the expense it just wasn't in the cards. Maybe next year. No biggie. But if I could've gone one of the things I was really excited about was a mini workshop exploring how to infuse the flavor of Burlesque into choreography, lead by the amazing Gina Grant (she was the instructor for my Zumba Kids licensing workshop).

It is a fun style to add some heat to an already fun and sexy workout!

I also wanted to get some Dancehall...

...with Toya and Cat (they are based out of Sacremento, so this is something I can definitely make happen in 2014!)

Pretty Ballet Hands!
Making hands ballet pretty is a lot harder that you'd think. Hands can hold quite a bit of tension, are usually on the periphery of the mental body check list and they stick out like, well, a sore thumb. I personally have the "Big Mac" habit. That is where one's thumbs stick out, because of misplaced tension, making the hand a suitable sleeve to slip a Big mac burger into. I had one old British teacher who used to threaten to cut my thumbs off. Her accent made her words more believable.
I read about this little tip...

...to get hands like these...

Image source.

Pencils are cheap. I'm sure the repeated clatter of them hitting the ground won't drive me bazonkers or anything. I think my students and i are going to have a lot of fun with this one!

Convince my husband that this will be loads of fun to do with me.

Acroyoga! Okay, so this video might be little ambitious. But we can start here...

here...

and maybe even here...

Safety first. A spotter is recommended. "Caitlyn. Neil. Get in here!"

Acroyoga also means...

Do an unassisted handstand.
I'm getting pretty good up against a wall. It's time to go to the next level. Eek.

Get up from the bottom of a pistol squat. (Not necessary for Acroyoga. Just really bada**)
I can get all the way down, just not up. Future post. Currently hunting down an accomplice. Melanie?

Learn how to dance something remotely like this (the girl's part).

My appetite got whetted to learn how to waltz like this. Even with all of my dance training, it sorta knocks me out of my comfort zone. Which only makes more of a fun challenge! Lot's to remember and think about. Dang! They make it look so easy! I will most likely be a beginner forever.

I. Need. To Roll. More. Period.
When I say roll I mean on a foam roller and/or tennis or lacrosse ball.
I need to do way more than just this.

I want to do a back bend. From a standing position. Dammit.

Sites I recommend you check out!
Here are a couple of dance/strength training/fitness/body wellness sites I follow that I think you might want to check out.

Joel Minden: Strength and Conditioning.



Fascia Freedom Fighters.


The Dance Training Project.





All in all I think I have a pretty good list going for things to look forward to and stay busy with in 2014.

Thanks for hanging out. You can subscribe by email at the top.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

What is on your list for 2014? Anything that you would like to know more about? 

Technique Tuesday; Pelvic Alignment In Second Position Plie.

A few weeks ago I posted a Technique Tuesday about pelvic alignment for plies in first position. You can review it here.


This Tuesday's tutorial is super short. Everything from the first position plies apply.

Pull the belly button towards the spine
Feel the glutes "wrap around" and gently squeeze

As the knees bend, imagine the back of the pelvis is sliding up and down an imaginary wall.

Knees stay opened out over the tops of the feet.

As you straighten the knees, feel those glutes do that wrap and squeeze.

 

Because second position puts you in a wider stance, it gives a great opportunity to feel those thighs stretch out to the side, making sure to keep those knees over the feet.

 

In the video I start off by showing the pelvis out of proper alignment for plies, by showing the hips go behind the feet. When doing a squat you want the hips to go behind the heels, but not in a turned out plié.

Doing properly aligned plies in second is, of course, a necessity for classical ballet technique, but it is also a great move to add to any fitness regiment where you do squats. I'm a big fan of the squat. I do them all the time and I have my young dancers do them as well. Knowing how to properly align the pelvis for various moves can only make you stronger and more agile.

Thanks for hanging out and reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!

~Erin

Within the last few weeks I was asked to sub a fitness class at the gym where I lead other group fitness classes. The class was one designed for the elderly, including those that are mobility challenged.

 Sit N' Be Fit pretty much sums up what the class is all about. Most all of the exercises are done in a chair. Light weights, 2-3 lbs. are used for arm and core exercises. A main focus being functional movements, getting up and down from a chair, reaching overhead, bending down to pick something off the floor as well as just keeping range of movement throughout the body's system of joints.

I had never taught a class like Sit N' Be Fit, and as with endeavoring to do anything new, I was a bit nervous. While my part as an instructor would be pretty low wear and tear on my own body, it was of the utmost importance to me that I not jack up my participants, or give them movements that would leave them feeling frustrated.

Okay, right here I want to interject some thoughts on fitness, dance and aging.

Dancing makes you smarter! Its not just the physical activity, which many studies have shown is part of the recipe for keeping a brain from aging any faster than is has to. In learning, navigating and executing movement patterns in dance the brain is constantly asked to fire on many cylinders. New pathways are made while existing ones are refreshed and groomed. Add music to the mix, there's even more input for the brain to be stimulated by.

Usually dance is social. Whether you are working with partners in couples or group dancing or in a dance/dance fitness class, you are with others collectively sharing the experience. Bonds and memories are built. Keep that social life!

Many movements in dance and /or fitness require cross-lateral movement. Cross-lateral movement is when a limb crosses the mid-line of the body. This action causes the two hemishperes of the brain to communicate via the corpus callosum, the thick band of neuron fibers that connects the two sides of the brain. Cross-lateral movement is vital in an infant's brain development and the brain never outgrows the benefits!

The regular instructor gave me many pointers and ideas. As a licensed Zumba Gold instructor I have had some instruction on the needs of special populations in fitness. I also searched the web for tips and ideas. And if there is one thing I have learned from over almost 20 years of dance, movement and fitness instruction it is to not over think stuff when teaching a format that is new to me. Also, staying flexible and open minded, while always keeping safety as a priority. As long as one has a strong foundation or outline of what they plan to do, most everything else will fall into place. Over thinking and stressing out can often block out creativity.

One of the things that the regular instructor clued me in on was that the regular participants of the class love Big Band Era music. So I jumped onto iTunes and found a huge collection of Big Band tunes. My new play list had classics like King Porter's Stomp, Ain't Misbehavin' and Chattanooga Choo Choo. I also pulled out a couple of Zumba Gold routines that I modified to better fit a seated fitness format.

It is amazing how music, a certain song, can take the mind back to the past with many of the strong emotions that are attached with those memories. I could see in many of the participants' faces the memories of evenings spent with friends and family, loved ones that have passed, children that were once small. A few of the seniors shared smiles and laughter about remembering kicking their heels up with Swing dances like the the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug and Boogie Woogie. One woman told me that it was time to go home from the Town Grange when all the kids were asleep on the benches that lined the walls of the dance floor. For another woman "I'll Never Smile Again" brought back memories of all the tears she shed while being a young wife and mother with a husband fighting overseas in WW11.

I had all the participants walk around to the backs of their chairs for some standing exercises, the backs of the chairs offering something to hold onto for extra support. Using some Zumba Gold routines we heated things up with some dancin'. Doing movements to swing and mambo tunes had a lot of eyes sparkling.

So my subbing gig for Sit N' Be Fit is over, for now at least. Hopefully I will be asked to sub again. I so greatly enjoyed leading the classes. I so admire the participants for staying active both physically and socially.

Since I am in my early forties, I'm sorta at that place where I am feeling comfortable in my own skin, for the most part. I feel I have a better grip on what being vibrant and sexy means to me. But I also have those moments of "Oh sh*t, where the hell did my youth go?" "Oh. My. God. I'm becoming invisible." "Am I still desirable? Should I even care?" Yeah, I know some of those thoughts are a bit shallow, but I also know that they are not uncommon in my age group. I also have the relief that comes with knowing that the aforementioned concerns really aren't as important as to me as they used to be. I can focus on other things that are far more interesting and fulfilling.

My short spurts of time with those elderly exercisers was a real treat for me. I take comfort in knowing that if I just keep on keepin' on, I will be just fine know matter how many wrinkles I wear on my face or how stiff I may feel. Keeping connected to family, friends and community seems to make life a joy at any age!

Earlier I mentioned Swing dancing.

 

Wow!

 

 

 

Now go make some memories!

 

 

Thanks for reading.

 

Enjoy the dance that is life!

Taught My First Balletone Class...

...last week. What is normally a teen/adult beginning Ballet class w/ an emphasis on fitness that I teach on Wednesday evenings, got a make over as a Balletone: Sole Synthesis class.

What is Balletone?

It is a fitness program that uses dance-conditioning methods of ballet training, as well as principles from pilates and yoga to build strength, flexibility, core strength and cardiovascular conditioning.

Here's a video snippet with the owner of Balletone, Shannon Fable.

So that's a little of what it is. How is it different from some of the formats or movement methods that it incorporates?

Ballet;
Balletone is done in the center of the room, no barre exercises, where as a traditional ballet class would employ both. In ballet training there is a great deal more verbal explanation, demonstration of a combo, execution of the combo by students, then back to more explanations and demos. Stopping and starting. Because many aspects of ballet technique can be somewhat challenging and precise, time is needed to adequately explain. That's not necessarily a negative, at least I don't see it that way. Its just a reality, one that has to be weighted against what one's goals are.

Balletone utilizes many of the foundations of ballet; maintaining proper alignment while executing plies, tendus, lifting the leg front, side or back (arabesque) in a turned out position, passes and lunges. As well as engaging multiple muscle groups in a sustained, lengthening manor, coupled with full range arm movements. All while staying in constant motion. That's why it great for seasoned dancers too!

Pilates;
Balletone is off the mat. It is started from a standing position. Barefoot training and awareness is an important aspect of the Balletone program, regardless of which format (Sole Synthesis, Standing Flow, etc.). Keeping control of the core, while sustaining the recruitment of engaged muscles through movements is a key concept in pilates. This key concept shines in Balletone!

Yoga;
I've taken just enough yoga to know that it is no joke when it comes to strength, control, flexibility, physical and mental endurance! I'm falling madly in love with it! There seems to be an endless supply of challenges gracefully and politely waiting for me to peel back the layers of. While at the same time providing me with an opportunity for introspective thought in both body and mind, and a chance to replenish. Whew, yoga and I just had a moment...

In the Balletone: Sole Synthesis format, the yoga-inspired movement sequences provide a shift in movement and intensity, but not a rest. An important opportunity is provided to stretch and further internalise to prepare for the next set of challenges.

Cardio;
 You are constantly moving at a low-impact, mid-range intensity (hills and valleys of exertion) throughout a Balletone workout. Mid-range cardio is a cardio intensity level often overlooked.Think something between a brisk walk and a Zumba class. Invigorating as well as challenging.

What kind of footwear does one wear for Balletone? None!

Interested? If you are in the Chico, Ca. area come check out my Wednesday 6:30pm Ballet-Fit class (perhaps soon to be Balletone exclusively) at Kinetics Academy of Dance.

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the dance that is life!