Weekly exercise schedule

[Xena]

I know I know, these sort of posts belong on the teen boards..but still they are fun to do. So at the risk of sounding like a 13 year old...what is your weekly schedule of ballet/exercise? (It doesn't just have to be ballet)

OK since you asked , I'll go first... ;)

 

MOnday: 1hr of cardio salsa

1hr swimming

1.5hr pointe technique

1hr rehearsal

Tuesday 1.5hr ballet technique (Int.)

1hr rehearsal

Wednesday 1hr cardio salsa

1hr swimming

Thursday 1.5hr ballet technique

1hr rehearsal

Friday 1hr down the pub

1hr swimming

Saturday nothing...arhhhhhhhhh:)

Sunday 1hr rehearsal/private class

1.5 hr pointe technique..ouchh

 

..don't forget I have the luxury of being a student,and I'm enjoying this freedom while it lasts and making the most it while I can.

 

P.s I hope my boss doesn't see this! yikes....

[Jaana Heino]

Lucky you, Xena. Let's see. In an ideal week, I'd have (this is what I theoretically could, according to school schedules):

 

Monday

1 hr ballet, beginner 2

 

Tuesday

2 hr swordsmanship (with the beginner course of longsword)

 

Wednesday

1.5 hr swordsmanship, intermediate rapier class

1.5 hr swordsmanship, longsword freetraining

 

Thursday

1 hr ballet, beginner 2 OR

1.5 hr swordsmanship, basic longsword class

 

Friday

1 hr ballet, beginner 1

1 hr ballet, beginner 2

 

Saturday

1 hr ballet, beginner 2 OR

occasionally swordsmanship workshops (2-6 hrs) OR off

 

Sunday

off OR swords workshops

 

On a *realistic* week, I make 2 of the ballet days and 1 day of swords. On good weeks, maybe 2 of each or 3 ballet and 1 swords...

 

I work 4 days a week (Tue-Fri) and have lectures etc on Mondays.

 

Here's a link to my swordschool for those who got interested:

http://www.iki.fi/janka/swordschool/

[Guest Tibbit]

Jaana,

The sword thing is really cool. I once looked into fencing, but it was expensive and I would have had to go to Philadelphia, which I don't enjoy doing. Haven't looked into it since then.

 

Here is my schedule, or actually was, we switch from summer to fall this week, and I am not to sure of exactly what I will be doing. The schedule will be similar for Fall. Anyway...

Monday: tap 1 hour

Tuesday: Ballet 1.5 hours Pointe .5 hour

Wednesday: Modern 1 hour Beginner Ballet 1 hour

Thursday: Ballet 1.5 hour Jazz 1 hour

Friday: Off

Saturday: Step Aerobics with weights and ab work 1 hour

Sunday: Off

 

Fall schedule is similar, but I might have to drop Tap, not too sure yet.

Cheers,

Tibbit

[Guest Anders]

I'm really impressed at the amount of time you guys set off for fun.

 

My week looks like this:

 

Monday: nothing

Tuesday: 1.5 hr ballet Beginner 3

Wednesday: nothing

Thursday: 1.5 hr ballet Beginner 2

Friday: 1.5 hr ballet Beginner 3

Saturday OR Sunday: 2 hr upper body work-out at gym.

 

During the summer season I also bicycle everywhere I want to go, which brings me to my favorite pseudo-ballet exercise: the "arabesque aux deux roues", sometimes simply known as the "monte velo", i.e. the arabesque getting on my bike. Everyone with a bike should try this. Start by leading the bike forwards, walking to the left of it and holding on to the handle bar. Step on to the left pedal with your left foot and push off with your right to gain some speed. You will note that the handle bar is just like a barre (a "handle-barre"?), and with your left foot still on the pedal while rolling along you have a great opportunity to get a good arabesque stretch while lifting your right leg over the back to straddle the bike. And don't forget to point your back foot. Knees straight. Ribs square. Chest front. Turn out! One thing though: even if you feel you've got it down perfectly - don't let go of the barre!

 

Oh, and numerous daily odd port-de-bras, tendues, releves etc in elevators and in front of the hall mirror.

[Guest beckster]

I'm feeling extremely un-balletic by comparison to you guys!

 

I used to do three classes a week - Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, which included about 20 mins pointe in total. But now my Saturday class has been cancelled, and I've had to give up my Wednesday class because it meant leaving uni at 5pm, which is unthinkable. So now I do two classes on a Thursday and thats it! There are currently two Grade 6 classes at my school, fast-track and slower-track, so I do both! I know almost all the grade 6 work now but I am the slowest person in the fast-track class, so it's nice to do the slow one too, as I'm used as a demonstrator. I'll know the syllabus inside-out! No pointe, as it's not available in that class and I don't think it would be wise on so few classes per week. If time and money were no object, I would do a lot more ballet and perhaps something else as well, like tap or street jazz.

[Kate B]

Oh I feel very unballetic too! Currently I am managing to get to 1 or 2 ballet classes a week (1hr 45mins) but when I have moved house, started my new job and settled into my masters degree I will try and do more exercise in general. I'm pretty stressed at the moment and last night I just felt brilliant after class so I think it's really important for me to do more...

 

I usually go swimming once or twice a week as well (although I think it's boring, I have done it regularly since I was 3 - my parents were pushy about this and piano - the only serious training I ever received...)

 

Yes, so I'm changing a lot of my life at the moment, and I'm going to put more ballet into my weekly agenda. You've inspired me!

 

PS - Xena what is Cardio Salsa? It sounds tiring!

[psavola]

Here's mine:

 

Monday:

1 hr irish dance

1,5 hrs ballet

 

Tuesday:

1 hr pilates-based body conditioning class

 

Wednesday:

2,5 hrs ballet

 

Thursday:

1 hr ballet

 

Friday:

2 hrs renaissance dance

1,5 hrs ballet

 

Saturday & Sunday: off

 

I also stretch by myself 3-4 days a week.

 

I'm ambitious (perhaps too much so) and aim to advance to the next difficulty level in my school next autumn, but my current schedule is not yet intensive enough. I was told by my teacher at the end of summer that I was currently "on the track", but before spring I'll need more classes and especially much more core strength.

 

The jump between the skill and strength levels between Advanced 1 and 2 (which I try to make) is the largest in the school, and very few adults who did not dance as children/teens make it. Mostly, I think because of the required time commitment.

(I can see why! How on earth am I going to fit more strength work and another class or two in I cannot imagine! :eek: )

 

Päivi

[Guest mathiskewl]

You guys put me to shame...

 

Prior to the beginning of this month, it was 3 ballet and 2 tap. But right now I can only fit in one ballet and tap class (plus two pilates). No more pointe . I'm trying to finish my degree by May and am looking for a job. Zena, how do you do it? I have a wonderful advisor (the best!), but he would never understand taking so much time away from research -- for anything. But hopefully I will get back to my old schedule when this madness is through.

 

-jr

[Xena]

Well, mathiskewl, I do cardio salsa, twice a week in my lunchtimes. Then swimming, I leave uni at 4, but since I go with people who actually 'work' its ok. Then if I don't go swimming, I leave uni at 5pm.. to commute the 30 miles back into San Francisco to start class at 7:30. Rehearsals usually go on until 10, then I get home at 10:30.

If I have to work late, I do. I just phone my ballet teacher and apologise for missing her class. Luckily, if I work late, then I can usually get a lift back into the city with someone and still make it in time for class..its a crazy schedule. But I'm makino the most of it while I can. The summer months here are quite quiet. Working at a linear accelerator, it shuts down for the summer, and doesn't start back up until Nov.

Also, by going swimming here, I don't have to go Physical Therapy for my knee and neck,andhence don't need to take the entire day or afternoon off to do that.

 

And Kate B, cardio salsa, is just the funnest thign around. Its a cardio workout but you do salsa, mambo, african tribal dance, mazurkas, polkas, waltzs', tarantalas, flamenco, tango, irish, scottish, you name it. So you do set routines or combinations to music, Each month we have a theme, this month is tarantala, waltz and polka theme. But unlike ballet where you do a combination then wait for a few minutes to repeat, this is just continuous.So as soon as you've done 45 minutes of that, you do weights and abs, then stretching and cool down. Loads of fun, way more challenging than aerobics, plus you get to learn the different rhythms and feel of latin-american dancing as our teacher is Brazilian and just oozes rhythm.

[tigger]

anders, that description of bike arabesque made me laugh!

 

my schedule this term will be:

 

Monday: beginner ballet 1.5 hr

Tuesday: beginner judo 1.5 hr

Wednesday: (easier) beginner ballet 1.5 hr

Thursday: judo 1.5 hr

Friday: goof off

Saturday: pre-beginner ballet 1.5 hr, beginner/low elementary 1.5 hr

 

although once schoolwork starts piling up, monday and wednesday ballet will have to go

[Guest luna]

Cardio Salsa sounds like great fun, Xena! I wish there was a class offering it around here.

 

Like most of you, my POTENTIAL exercise schedule is more rigorous than what actually ends up happening. Usually once or twice a week I end up having to stay late at work for a meeting or to create an exam or to tutor a student. If that happens, I just make sure to get to the studio in time for the second class of the evening. A "perfect" attendance dance schedule would look like this:

 

Monday:

1 1/2 hr. pointe

1 1/2 hr. adult ballet

 

Tuesday

1 hr. teaching ballet

1 hour jazz company class

 

Wednesday

1 1/2 hour jazz company class/rehearsal

1 1/2 hour pointe

 

Thursday

1.25 hr. ballet technique

1 1/2 hr. adult jazz

 

Friday-Sunday

I'm free for now, but later on in the year weekend rehearsals will be planned.

 

Mondays and Wednesdays are my endurance testing days--I teach almost all day, but have to retain enough energy and stamina to get through pointe class in the evenings, which is always a challenge for me!

[Guest dancerwannabe]

Umm ok.. maybe I really am an underachiever.

 

I work from 6 a.m. till about 5 M-F. And usually 1 or 2 Saturdays a month.

 

I have class at the local university.. Seeking a biology degree. My business degree has left me rather uninspired. Anyway, class is Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7:15

 

Ballet is Tuesday 6-8 (.5 hr pointe)

Wednesday from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Friday 4:30-6:30 p.m. - This is a pretty recent addition.. It's class with 13 year olds.. Very interesting. But challenging.

 

If I don't have to work on Saturdays I take a hot yoga class or an additional ballet class at a different studio. I am rediculously unflexible.. Hot yoga is very helpful in that respect. On Thursday's and Sunday's I usually do nothing but study and clean the house. There is always something that needs to be painted or ripped apart in my home so I do that for fun or out of frustration sometimes. I despise the gym. The gym here is like going to a bar. Girls put on make up before the go "work out". It's the most rediculous thing I've ever seen.

[Guest luna]

Dancerwannabe,

 

The gym here is the same way--a pick up joint! Ballet is much more gratifying, isn't it?

Good for you for going back to school for another degree--life is too short to spend it in a job/field that doesn't inspire you.

 

I don't know why you call yourself an underachiever--you actually do quite a lot of dance for such a tight schedule. But as my dance teacher says, you make the time for things that you want to find time for.

 

By the way, how is "hot" yoga different from regular yoga?

 

luna

[Xena]

Luna, Hot yoga is bikram yoga. They have the room temp set at 110 F or something near that, and you basically sweat puddles..literally.Its meant to totally cleanse your body and mind, and since the temp is so hot, there is less likelihood of injuring yourself..although this is debateable.

[Guest luna]

Sounds like the hot yoga would be good for increasing flexibility, but it's definately not for me--I moved away from Florida for a reason:)