Tip of the Month - April 2018

Coach Monika says…

Numerous people in the past stated that I have been “light years ahead of time” – something which was not always to my advantage as the same people also called me “crazy” for my novel coaching approach. The March Newsletter dealt with the impact of posture on sport performance, and incorporating modified Ballet into your sport program – a trend that has been increasing with popularity over time. In fact, there was a recent report in the Calgary Herald (March 31, p. G 8), “Time to raise the barre on your fitness routine”, about that very subject.Am I still crazy? I used modified Ballet, Yoga, and Pilates years ago when the fitness industry was not even aware of these activities. I released two dual DVDs in 2016, Ballet for Swimmers: Modified Exercises for Cross-training and Ballet for Athletes: Modified Exercises for Cross-training. The swim DVD links modified ballet exercises to swim strokes, starts, and turns; while the Athlete DVD deals with various individual and team sports.So, why is the fitness industry just recently putting emphasis on the benefits of barre training? Here are excerpts from the Calgary Herald, 2018:…You may think you’re doing a more graceful and slower paced workout, but guaranteed you’ll be sweating, and your thigh muscles will be twitching while doing a ballet barre class. Combining ballet, Pilates and Yoga, barre classes have exploded, taking a page from diligent ballet dancers who have the gams to show for their dedication……Barre is used for many of the exercises that isolate specific muscle groups, and you will use it for balance or to grab on to just when you think you can’t do one more plié or squat (sometimes with the added challenge of a medicine ball squeezed between your thighs)……After a couple of classes, you’ll feel you’re well on your way to a firmer derriere, thighs and calves. The upper half of your body isn’t forgotten in the hour-long workouts. There’s also ‘Ab’ work, hand weights for triceps and biceps and shoulders. You will feel like you’ve worked just about every muscle in your body when you’re done…Coach Monika suggests putting new life into your training program and having your athletes try ballet to change the daily routine and maintain motivation.Reference:Monforton, L. (2018, March 31). Beyond the everyday gym. Time to raise the barre on your fitness routine. The Calgary Herald, p. G8.