Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer by Mary Helen Bowers Page B
Authors: Mary Helen Bowers
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critical areas of a ballerina body:
1. Back of the legs and butt : I love the way my Bridge Series gets the muscles in your legs and butt working—it’s an absolute killer! The Reverse Bridge is also an awesome workout for the butt and legs. It’s great for strengthening your center too!
2. Abdominals : Get ready to tone and strengthen deep through your stomach and center.
3. Inner thighs : This workout targets that hard-to-reach area along the inside of the leg that is critical for shaping a ballerina’s legs.
4. Outer thighs : These exercises target and tone the muscles on the hard-to-reach part of the outside of your hip, thigh, and butt, lengthening the lines of your legs and getting rid of cellulite.
5. Standing work with arms : These fun, graceful standing exercises include low-impact, cardiovascular elements to sculpt lean, toned, feminine arms and to tighten and lengthen the entire body. They are also a fun way to practice your plié and port de bras while you work out!
I adore the way that these Classic exercises continue to strengthen and tone my physique and let me stay connected to my love of dance—even on days when I can’t get to a ballet studio! Because we are not using weights or equipment, the muscles we are building are long and lean—these exercises will never make you bulky. They may require a few more reps than you’re used to, but I can promise you that it will be worth it!
For each movement in the different targeted areas, you will do four sets of eight counts, a classic ballet workout. You’ll start on the right side, complete a sequence, then switch to the left. You will also be stretching between the movements; don’t skip this stretch! Stretching as you go is so important. It will help you get the most out of every exercise. Remember too that you can use the stretches to modify the exercises. If you are a beginner and just getting started, you may want to take more time to stretch during the exercises and perform fewer reps. If you are advanced and want a more challenging workout, you can leave the stretching to the end of each section.
Throughout the exercises, I’ve offered adjustments (). These are modifications you can use to make a movement either more challenging or less challenging, depending on whether you are a beginner or looking for a more difficult workout. Watch for adjustments for beginners indicated by /B., and for advanced indicated by /A. My Ballet Beautiful principles are marked by the Ballet Beautiful logo.
At the end of the mat work, we will transition into the Standing Series, which is a quick cardio blast and a terrific upper body workout.
All this adds up to a complete-body workout that tones, strengthens, lengthens, and satisfies! By targeting, isolating, and exhausting your ballet muscles, you will see immediate results. Get ready for the transformation and your incredible new Ballet Beautiful body!
Katherine on Transforming Her Body
I noticed a change almost immediately when I started Ballet Beautiful. My body felt different. My butt and muscles became more toned. And I discovered muscles that I never knew I had—after just two weeks! The look and feel was totally different and I felt so proud of my results.
REMEMBER THE BB PRINCIPLES
1.Stomach pulled in toward your spine, center engaged
2.Neck long and graceful—like a swan!
3.Work within your range of motion to protect your joints
4.Build long, lean muscle by stretching the knees
You will be sipping lots of water throughout each workout—whether the Classic or the Cardio Blasts—to make sure your body stays hydrated, so keep your water bottle nearby.
A Note on Adjustments
R emember: this workout is not for professional dancers. It’s for anyone looking to sculpt a body shape that is powerful yet feminine from the comfort and privacy of their own home. You can benefit from the Ballet Beautiful workout regardless of your experience, your current workout routine, or the number of years
1. Back of the legs and butt : I love the way my Bridge Series gets the muscles in your legs and butt working—it’s an absolute killer! The Reverse Bridge is also an awesome workout for the butt and legs. It’s great for strengthening your center too!
2. Abdominals : Get ready to tone and strengthen deep through your stomach and center.
3. Inner thighs : This workout targets that hard-to-reach area along the inside of the leg that is critical for shaping a ballerina’s legs.
4. Outer thighs : These exercises target and tone the muscles on the hard-to-reach part of the outside of your hip, thigh, and butt, lengthening the lines of your legs and getting rid of cellulite.
5. Standing work with arms : These fun, graceful standing exercises include low-impact, cardiovascular elements to sculpt lean, toned, feminine arms and to tighten and lengthen the entire body. They are also a fun way to practice your plié and port de bras while you work out!
I adore the way that these Classic exercises continue to strengthen and tone my physique and let me stay connected to my love of dance—even on days when I can’t get to a ballet studio! Because we are not using weights or equipment, the muscles we are building are long and lean—these exercises will never make you bulky. They may require a few more reps than you’re used to, but I can promise you that it will be worth it!
For each movement in the different targeted areas, you will do four sets of eight counts, a classic ballet workout. You’ll start on the right side, complete a sequence, then switch to the left. You will also be stretching between the movements; don’t skip this stretch! Stretching as you go is so important. It will help you get the most out of every exercise. Remember too that you can use the stretches to modify the exercises. If you are a beginner and just getting started, you may want to take more time to stretch during the exercises and perform fewer reps. If you are advanced and want a more challenging workout, you can leave the stretching to the end of each section.
Throughout the exercises, I’ve offered adjustments (). These are modifications you can use to make a movement either more challenging or less challenging, depending on whether you are a beginner or looking for a more difficult workout. Watch for adjustments for beginners indicated by /B., and for advanced indicated by /A. My Ballet Beautiful principles are marked by the Ballet Beautiful logo.
At the end of the mat work, we will transition into the Standing Series, which is a quick cardio blast and a terrific upper body workout.
All this adds up to a complete-body workout that tones, strengthens, lengthens, and satisfies! By targeting, isolating, and exhausting your ballet muscles, you will see immediate results. Get ready for the transformation and your incredible new Ballet Beautiful body!
Katherine on Transforming Her Body
I noticed a change almost immediately when I started Ballet Beautiful. My body felt different. My butt and muscles became more toned. And I discovered muscles that I never knew I had—after just two weeks! The look and feel was totally different and I felt so proud of my results.
REMEMBER THE BB PRINCIPLES
1.Stomach pulled in toward your spine, center engaged
2.Neck long and graceful—like a swan!
3.Work within your range of motion to protect your joints
4.Build long, lean muscle by stretching the knees
You will be sipping lots of water throughout each workout—whether the Classic or the Cardio Blasts—to make sure your body stays hydrated, so keep your water bottle nearby.
A Note on Adjustments
R emember: this workout is not for professional dancers. It’s for anyone looking to sculpt a body shape that is powerful yet feminine from the comfort and privacy of their own home. You can benefit from the Ballet Beautiful workout regardless of your experience, your current workout routine, or the number of years
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