{ballet for dummies?}

Friends, I have been struggling.  Struggling to get into a routine of exercise.  Hubs and I were doing really super well getting up every single morning to go to the gym.  And then something happened.  Something inexplicable. Perhaps it was because I went on an out-of-town trip or because I got sick.  I can't remember the exact moment that it happened, but for some reason, we just stopped.

Well, my husband, the dedicated and self-disciplined man that he is, started back going to the gym every morning.  It doesn't matter what time that man goes to bed {and if you have any sort of interaction with us, I'm sure you already know that his work hours are not for the faint of heart}, he will still get up to go to the gym.  But alas...I am not him.  I do not, and have never claimed to, have his level of self-discipline.  So alone he goes...sad and crying {okay, maybe not that part} to the gym at the crack of dawn.

I have been trying to make myself more motivated, but really...getting psyched up to go exert a massive amount of energy at 6 in the morning is just really not my style.  But the other day, I was over at my friend Kristin's house {You remember Kristin, right?  The one I basically spend all my free, hubby-is-working-so-I-need-a-buddy time with?} and in her TV console I spotted some videos..."New York Ballet" was on the cover so of course I was intrigued.  I danced for many years growing up, but unfortunately, I never go a strong grasp on ballet.  We were always required to take ballet classes, of course, but it was not the main type of dance that I preferred.  I was always in awe of the beautiful ballerinas who graced the stages and wanted to be just like them, but I, being stubborn and not so much into all the work it would take to develop the technique of ballet, never really got into it.  What I do know, though, is that dancing {and especially ballet} develops amazing muscle tone and helps you develop control and strength.  So I thought I would reach back into my roots and try these videos out.  I had my first go at it last night and let me tell you, I had truly forgotten just how difficult ballet is--even just holding your arms in second position for such a long time is very, very difficult!  {Side note: The exercises are based on ballet moves, but for anyone out there who's scared of having to dance, don't worry--it's mostly just slow, controlled movements as opposed to learning dance combinations.}  But I really loved it and I will definitely be making this a regular part of my life schedule.

I probably should have started here:

But instead I started here:

Recently, one of my good friends, Lyndsay, started taking ballet classes as an adult.  {She took only a year of ballet classes as a small child.}  I admire her so much for doing that, for taking on the task of trying something new that most people believe you cannot do unless you have a strong background in it from a very young age.  She even had a recital last weekend!

cute baby Lyndsay on the left

beautiful grown-up Lyndsay!

Do you have any new or unique workouts that you have started recently?