How to get a lean ballerina body

By Rebecca Almond

Thighs burning, abs shaking, face a sweaty mess – working for a toned ballerina body is harder than I thought. I’m at Barrecore in Mayfair, London, road-testing the ballet-inspired workout craze that’s got the nation pirouetting with glee at its body-shaping power. ‘It’ll be fine,’ I convince myself as I walk into the studio, recalling my dance training of days gone by. But this is not the toes-pointed, tutu-wearing Swan Lake style of ballet I remember. Ballet shoes and experience are not required for this exercise class – just a willingness to work your body hard.

‘This will hurt – your muscles will shake, they’re supposed to,’ the instructor warns at the beginning of the session. And she’s not kidding. The 60-minute workout is a blend of high repetition pilates and barre exercises that use your body weight and small equipment (light weights, pilates ball, resistance band) to exhaust every muscle group, alternated with stretching – and boy do you need to stretch! It’s these isometric movements (static holds with small contractions) that shape and hone the muscles, improving your posture and alignment – and burn up to 500 calories.

In spite of the pain, I leave the class feeling a few inches taller, tauter and buzzing with endorphins – I even booked myself in for the same time next week. An exercise class that tones the whole body and burns calories, all under the pretence of gracefulness… I'm hooked.

The next day, I catch up with Barrecore founder Niki Rein and ask her to share her ballet-body tips:

What’s so good about the Barrecore way of exercising?

We work the body like dancers do – targeting every muscle in the body, especially the small stabilisers (the muscles that hold the body in place so a desired movement can be performed) to create long, lean lines.

What’s your favourite exercise?

I love our thigh exercise, V Waterski. Stand at the barre, heels together with toes turned out, then lean back and pulse towards the barre. It’s a thigh killer that shapes the inner and outer muscles, stretching and elongating them at the same time. Plus, it lifts the seat, flattens the abdominal wall and sculpts the back. 

The V Waterski

When is the best time of day to exercise?

Before 10am is the best time as our cortisol (stress response hormone) levels are highest. The amount of cortisol in our bodies naturally reduces throughout the day so we are relaxed by bedtime, but exercise – a stressor – results in the release of extra cortisol from the adrenal gland. By working out in the morning when cortisol levels are already elevated, it gives the body plenty of time to reach the relaxed state needed for deep restorative sleep. Exercising later in the day may disrupt the natural cortisol rhythm. Plus, studies show people who work out in the morning are more consistent exercisers than those who exercise in the evening. 

How long should you wait after eating before working out?

Two hours after a large meal, but it’s fine to have a light snack just before exercise.  Great light snack choices include a handful of nuts, a raw energy bar such as LoveRaw, or even a couple of bites of chicken will help you burn fat and sustain your energy levels during the workout.

What is your favourite post-workout snack?

I love a green vegetable and apple juice after exercising. Workouts cause acidity in the body, so the greens help increase alkalinity, while the sugar in the apple helps improve insulin uptake after exercise. I always aim to get a little bit of protein shortly after my juice, too, for muscle recovery.

What’s your best piece of fitness advice?

Stay mentally connected to what you are doing – try and visualise your muscles working and changing. This will get you working harder and burning more calories.

Fancy trying it for yourself? Barrecore has studios in London’s Mayfair and Chelsea, or you can download one of the online classes and workout in the comfort of your own home. Visit barrecore.co.uk for class times and prices. 

Tina tries... Up close and personal

By Tina Betts

In her first ever gym session, Tina is put to work by her personal trainer…

I’m nervous about meeting my personal trainer for the first time. My most pressing worry is… argh, what do I wear?

My trainers are caked in mud, as the last time I used them was for gardening, and my trackie bottoms are stored safely in a suitcase on top of the wardrobe (they’re certainly going to need an iron!)

But with trainers cleaned and bottoms pressed, I'm ready to meet my nemesis… Nuffield Health’s Lloyd. Turns out he’s a laid-back kind of guy who quickly puts me at ease, but just as quickly puts me to work. Taking into account last week’s MOT and having listened to my goals, he’s worked out a programme for me. I start with a set of exercises, so he can gauge my fitness level (squats, twists, mountain climbing). With each set he ups the challenges. So far, so good as, 20 mins in I'm still standing and confident I can get through this first session without looking like a numpty.

I resist the urge to giggle every time Lloyd asks if I can "feel it in my glutes yet?" I have no idea where my glutes are (I now know they’re bottom cheeks, and yes, I can feel them). I’m also introduced to my core – that’s tummy, mid and lower back, hips, shoulders and neck regions. And, boy, do they get a work out (I’m really feeling it the next day).

Was the workout worth it? Well! I’ve overcome my reluctance about gyming it - I’m even excited about my next session. Best thing is, I’ve realised I can do it. Over the next few weeks Lloyd is going to help me build up my stamina and, to help, he’s suggested I fit in a cardio session. So next week you can read all about my aqua aerobics session. Now where’s that cossie?

Personal training sessions at Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing Centres cost from £55 for a single session. A five-hour booking costs £230 (that’s £46 a session) but it’s cheaper if you pay by direct debit. See www.nuffieldhealth.com.

We’d love to hear about your endeavours to get fit… 

Tina tries…

In our new series on shaping up, Healthy Food Guide’s art director Tina Betts starts on her journey towards a proper exercise plan to supplement her day-to-day walking…

By Tina Betts

How did it happen? I’m 43, and things are starting to sag. I haven’t changed my eating and drinking habits, so age is starting to catch up with me. I inherited my ‘walk everywhere’ gene from my Dad. I don’t have a car, so think nothing of whizzing down to Sainsbury’s with my trolley bag. But despite frequent trolley dashes, there’s a big but – my big butt, in fact! I’m lucky that I’ve always been a healthy weight, but it’s starting to creep up, the muffin top is rising steadily and there’s no way I’m going to fit into my dream 40th birthday dress again, at least not the way things are going.

My fear of exercise means I’ve never liked the gym or classes. It’s the classic ‘I was always the last to be picked’ for the team at school. It’s made me a tad anxious in sporting environments.

But that all changed a few weeks ago. As part of a work feature, I tried a yoga class for the first time with my work colleagues. And I could see the attraction of exercising as a group. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. And so, Tina tries… was born. It’s a week by week log of my mission to get fit - and get me back into that party dress.

My first stop was the Health Check at Nuffield Health at their flagship centre at London’s Cannon Street (it’s really more hip hotel than soulless gym). All members go through checks before starting their fitness plan.

Nuffield Health’s senior wellbeing adviser Katarina Berceliova took me through my body MOT, checking my BMI, resting heart rate, blood glucose levels (all healthy) and quizzed me about my sleep patterns (fine) and lifestyle habits (cholesterol and alcohol quotas not so fine). Generally, at 5ft 5in and 9 stone 3lb, my BMI at 21.2 is very good and my blood pressure spot on. But I know I need to do something about my fitness levels – I’ve reached the age where you can’t take anything for granted. 

I came away feeling optimistic with three main Wellbeing Action points: to monitor my blood cholesterol, up my water consumption and increase my activity and fitness levels.

Come back next week to read about my first ever session with my personal trainer. I have to admit, just those words make me nervous…

Dancing in the street

By Rebecca Almond

Those who know me will agree when I tell you I’m not at all “street”. So when I was invited to sample the new urban dance exercise class at Fitness First, I was conscious my moves would be more hip-pop than hip-hop.  

Now I’m not one to shuffle around my handbag when I hit the dance floor – 16 years’ of ballet training instilled a modicum of rhythm in my body – but this genre of dance is way beyond my comfort zone. Still, the allure of burning up to 400 calories in a one-hour ‘fun-filled workout’ led me to pack my gym kit and prepare to take centre stage…

Diversity Street Dance promises to help you achieve traditional exercise goals through high-energy street dance moves, offering a workout that boosts cardio fitness, muscle strength, balance and flexibility. And, as the class name suggests, the routines are choreographed by the winning dance troupe of Britain’s Got Talent 2009, Diversity.

“This class is for absolutely anyone,” says Diversity’s leader and man with the moves, Ashley Banjo. “We hope the class will attract more people to street dance – the idea is people have fun, gain an insight into a different style of dance and get fit.”

So, warm up done, positions taken – and my eyes sheepishly averted from the surrounding wall of mirrors – the instructor takes the class through the routine. The steps are easy to grasp, combining a series of jumps, body rolls and powerful moves both upright and on the floor. And when we’re ready to put everything to music and the beats start booming, I’m quick to realise Ashley’s get-fit pledge has grounds. Two takes of the routine and I’ve worked up a sweat and am gasping for water – but all worries of looking like a fool have been danced away.

This class is hugely energetic, but not in a humdrum, must-keep-pounding-the-treadmill sense. There’s something about dance that turns your mind away from achieving your exercise goal and focuses it instead on mastering the moves and having fun – regardless of whether your interpretation of the routine is as polished as the instructor’s.

If you have two left feet, this class probably isn’t for you as the choreography is fast, varied and high impact in places. But don’t let age hold you back – my session was filled with men and women of varying generations. ‘There should be something for everyone,’ says Ashley.

A class that burns calories and builds strength but doesn’t feel like an exercise class? I’m sold. In fact, street dance is likely to become a regular feature of my stay-fit regime. So come on Mr Banjo, I’m waiting for your call – I quite fancy myself as the 12th member of Diversity…

Diversity Street Dance is available at selected Fitness First clubs nationwide. For more information and to find your nearest class, visit fitnessfirst.co.uk/Diversity

No sweat!

By Melanie Leyshon

Parkrun is a simple but effective fun fitness formula. It started with 13 runners at one event in Bushy Park, Teddington, in 2004, but has grown into a well-organised 5km weekly event. Every Saturday around 34,937 participants join in at 234 UK-wide locations, from Aberystwyth to Aberdeen.

All you need to do is register online, drag yourself out of bed, print off your individual bar code and head to your local park for 9am.

This isn’t a race, it’s a challenge to raise your own fitness levels. At the end of the 5km, your barcode is scanned and this feeds the online stats table, which covers time, age grading, personal best and number of runs completed.

Encouraged by Katherine Jenkins, who didn’t even break into a sweat during the London marathon, last Saturday I joined the 100 or so runners at the Dulwich parkrun.

It started well. As an enthusiastic but inexperienced newbie, at the first bend I was in the top 15. Halfway into the first lap, I was overtaken by a man running with a buggy and child. Then a 70-year-old whizzed by, followed by a batch of children running with their parents. A few more paces and I was ready to drop out (or at least take a sneaky shortcut through the trees).

Call it pride, the communal energy, or simply the thought of writing this blog, I kept going. The volunteers helped, shouting out timings as we passed the first lap. About 20 mins in (lap 3), the endorphins kicked in and I started to enjoy myself. I even managed a semi-sprint on the home straight, but was beaten by a more energetic 29-year-old.

My finishing time? An acceptable/respectable 30 min 41 sec – not bad for a first-timer. I loved checking the stats page back at home. I was 112th out of 126 runners, but first in my female age group (there were two of us!).

I’m planning to shave those 41 sec next weekend. Not that I’m competitive, I’m just hooked. It’s brilliant, motivational exercise. Done and dusted by 9.30.41am, with a post-run coffee in the park café at 10am, feet up…

To sign up for parkrun, go to parkrun.org.uk.