I’ve known myself to have almost toppled over just standing around. And weave dangerously when walking. No, it isn’t the margaritas but some problem I seem to have with balance. It’s a balance malfunction that caused me to fall smack on my face in jazz class some four years ago, ending in a bit of a fracture and a cut in the corner of my eye. That was the end of jazz for me, unfortunately because by the time I recovered, I’d lost momentum. The abrupt cessation of exercise also kick started weight gain.
But to my major delight, I chanced upon a DVD with a balance workout. Led by Kaitlin Rodriguez, it’s from The Method series and called Standing Pilates Blend. However, I think of it more as a ballet workout. Apparently the exercises are related to those done on the pilates reformer, but because I haven’t worked with that, I can’t confirm this either way. All I can say is, the workout is wonderful. Like Element: Ballet Conditioning, it’s divided into two major segments: standing work and mat work. And both are “seaside videos”, meaning they’re filmed on the beach, where I’d love to be. Knowing me though I’d topple over in the sand!
I’ve been working with this video for a few weeks now and finally, today, I completed the standing balance segment doing it right through without a stop. I am exhilarated. My balance has improved re-mark-ably!
The standing work, which makes up most of the DVD, is made up of lovely series of exercises that include a variety of foot circles and sweeps, attitudes and left lifts/kicks, passe while doing arm work, courtesy lunges and more. For most of these you’re on one foot. Quite a challenge, which is why I’m so thrilled to have been able to do the whole thing. I stumble now and then, but it’s getting better each day.
While you attempt to balance, you obviously have to hold your stomach in and strengthen the core or powerhouse. That results in toning, hugely improved posture, and grace. The instructor teaches along with two other companions who echo her moves but with different ranges of motion. All of them look great. The instruction is clear, no nonsense, no stupid cheerleading at all, and is well-paced. The exercises are all connected in one big flow and this, I think, very much adds to the whole balance challenge. When you go from one series of exercises to the next smoothly, it takes concentration and control. I just totally love it and have a bunch of favorite exercises from among the lot. For example, the very first exercise has you standing on one foot and swinging the other leg back and forth in a walking movement, with your arms outstretched and swinging in opposition. You stay stretched right to the fingertips and your foot brushes the floor very softly at the midpoint as it swings Without a break, you move to the build up exercise for this series which is arms up in fifth and tendue foot taps with an extended stretched leg in front. So your foot doesn’t settle down on the floor throughout this series. Not until you’re switching to a new lot.
The mat segment is more like the pilates I know but somewhat modified here and there. It’s fairly gentle, actually. The pace goes very well with the standing segment but I switch to another video for pilates because I’m trying to do an intense and complete pilates routine.
Lovely workout and highly recommended for anyone who wants better balance and grace. It’s just got an average of 3.5 stars on Amazon from 16 reviews, but one of the reasons is that the title led people to expect something else. It’s not a new DVD – from way back 2003. But I have so enjoyed the balance exercises!
This sounds amazing Mala!
I have balance issues since my childhood, too, inherited it from my Dad. He cannot tie his shoes without sitting, and when I’m not working out including balance stuff I have real trouble too.
The good thing with balance issues is you can very easily improve them. The bad thing is the results are not permanent, once you stop the exercises you’re back very soon. At least me.
This workout sounds excellent!
What helps me a lot is this:
http://www.sportlaedchen.de/index.php?pageId=653&prod=MF1003
Beneficial for various reasons, balance, and muscle tonement is improved on an unstable surface. Exercises for the legs and behind are far more efficient.
Now these come in various “instability” levels. Not everything is good for every person with certain past injuries. Like I should not have the very unstable version because it does more harm than good to the knee.
Whoever wants this and has some restrictions in the feet, knees, hips or back should consult with a physiotherapist.
Once one has found the good one, these are amazing.
They come with a dvd of exercises, which so far I have not used since I’ve learned so many exercises in 2 or 3 years of physiotherapy.
But I would love to try your workout too Mala!
Oh amazon has some pics:
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/b001v9klyy/geizhals1-21/ref=nosim?m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF
And I’d love to try out the balance gadget…:-) I think someone’s trying to tell us we must meet. Actually, you don’t get such aids at all easily in India. Regular sports equipment for everyday home use has only just started becoming more available. I’m talking about things like a resistence band or stability ball.
The Standing Pilates workout can do no harm whatsoever. It’s quite gentle, in a way. and you’re totally riht about the fact that one has to do these regularly or for a long time to retain the improvement. Strangely, I also find that the balance improvement for me shows after I’m five minutes into the workout. So, I often rewind and start from the beginning. I love these ballet based workouts. I love the difference they’re making to the belly dancing too! i can do arabesques and kicks and very quick but stable changes of position much better than I could earlier. Also, the pilates and strengthened core are giving the old moves a much more controlled look. I did this little performance session for a group of women today (5 choreographies) and I could feel the difference in control. Makes you a whole lot more confident abut dancing!
Dina, do you still have trouble with the straight-leg (Egyptian) shimmy? One thing I have discovered, and my teachers have approved, is to focus the shimmy on the upper part of the thighs and the lower butts, instead of moving the knees back and forth. This way you’re relieving stress on your knees. But don’t do it too high or else you won’t be able to layer movements such as figure eights and undulations on top of the shimmy.
Interestingly, I can’t figure out why anyone wants to do the Egyptian shimmy.
To me it doesn’t look half as good the regular shimmy which I find more delicate and isolated.
Hmm, I seem to have mixed up the regular shimmy and the Egyptian shimmy. The problem is different teachers use different terms. And of course three quarter shimmies are done with glute squeezes in tribal style and with a hip level change in the beginner Middle eastern style.
I may have to get this dvd too. I suffer from Meniere’s Disease ( a disease of the inner ear which causes bouts of veritgo) and have always had problems with my balance. Even when I am not in the throes of a Meniere’s flare-up my balance is spotty at best. I topple over at the drop of a hat when attempting yoga – even downward dog can pose a problem! I’ve even been known to fall off my high heels at the most embarrasing moments (which is why I rarely wear them!) ***yeesh***
“Strangely, I also find that the balance improvement for me shows after I’m five minutes into the workout. So, I often rewind and start from the beginning.”
Totally!
Hi Sajia!
Well I have not been dancing since early this year because of a toe joint capsule inflammation
sounds weird, but meant hell-ish pain until about June with just about every flat shoe I was wearing on and off..
I actually regret the day I started this knee shimmy!!! I could shimmy fine very isolated in the hips, but not really on command, only when in the mood for dance at parties and so on.. the adding the knees has completely broken the flow!! I will definitely do what you suggest and concentrate it more on the upper area again.. which is also good because my knees are quite good now, but certainly sensitive knees.
Btw it is very strange people refer to this shimmy as Egyptian shimmy! Jillina must have started this.A ll the Egptian stars, notably Fifi Abdo, were known for practically not moving their knees with the shimmy! for being so isolated in the hip only.
Or probably Raqia Hassan and the type introduced that, and as it was her style and she was Egyptian Western dancers thougth it was the Egyptian way of doing it.. it is actually not! girls are admired for their dancing if the shimmy is in the hip only!
So your taste is actually originally Egyptian. I also find it more delicate. Will work back towards it
what is good about the knee shimmy is it drastically alters the visual impact. good to keep audiences entertained during drum solos I guess
Oh and Mala.. I’m pretty sure you could order this kind of stuff through amazon com or professional sports stores..
through hospitals and their physiotherapist might be an option. I mean for patients I guess they must have this kind of device??
I can see what you mean with home training devices. I think it was slower to develop in Europe than in the US, too.
And if we meet… we can keep each other from falling when tieing our shoe bands
Sajia, I think the Egyptian shimmy is the one where you really back-and-forth your knees at high speed. The legs are relatively straight with knees almost locked. It’s a vigorous shimmy tha tmakes everything else wobble. I hate that. If I find it in a choreography I totally replace it with the “regular”. That is with a shimmy that’s glute and knee driven, even helped by the skeletal part of the hips and by the thighs. Basically everything that you’d use to do that freeze shimmy.
Joy, my dad has this inner ear problem. I wonder if I have a touch of it too. Or at least a vulnerability. But I’d ask a doctor before doing any balance stuff that keeps your head down (like downward dog). The ballet style exercises are good but always keep a chair just within reach – in case!
I could probably order stuff like that thru Amazon. But the shipping is going to be higher than the item! Through therapists etc – unlikely! I haven’t fully explored sports shops like Reebock.
Hmm… over here the big sports shops (at least one level in a medium size shopping mall.. sometimes more levels) do carry this product. I was not sure when inspecting their stuff if it really was the identical device from my physiotherapy, so I asked her to order it through the hospital she worked for and I paid her back…
So I don’t know if the therapists where you live utilize different methods altogether (like more yoga?), but if they do use such devices I’d guess ordering one for you, maybe charging a bit of a mark-up for their effort should be possible.. I’d guess at least!
Some ebay sellers seem to offer it, but way too expensive..
the company is MFT, that device is called Sport Disc.
I will keep my eyes open to check whether international sellers start distributing it!
Yes, must look out for it. I’m getting very fond of sports equipment though I’ve gone and collected a contraption or two that I just don’t use. There’s one contraption for doing crunches which i was dead sure I’d use and when I tried I totally hated it. I’d rather do a hundred crunches on my own than one on that device!