Still Wednesday

I went to my favorite Pilates class with weights this morning and now my back feels like I was run over by a truck.  So sore.  But it's good for my arms.  Sitting on a Swiss ball with 2 lb. weights in my hands, I moved my arms up straight to the side, up and down.  Then bending my elbows at my side, I moved my arms up and down at right angles, then pulsing up, up, up and down, down, down while my arms were at right angles by the shoulders.  Then I moved my elbows toward each other, then I moved my arms in and out while bent.  Then leaning over with a flat back, I moved my arms straight back, and then tried to touch my hands behind my back.  After the arm series, I walked forward over the ball and did pushups and pikes.  Then finally lying down I held the Swiss ball overhead and moved my arms back and forth; then placing it between my ankles, I did the hundred Pilates crunches and moved my legs up and down and sideways while holding the Swiss ball.  Then I swam alone in the pool and the steam room felt really good.

After going home for lunch, I walked downtown to Joffrey Academy for beginning ballet.  Beginning ballet is deceptively hard because it is hardest to do the simplest movements well, like really pointing the feet, using the face, arms, holding the legs straight and moving gracefully with every movement.  We did a good basic barre and an exercise in turning at the barre, turning a quarter, and then a three-quarter turn.  Another student asked what makes you turn and the teacher said it is the torque created by the turned out leg position.  The teacher herself had exquisite feet and really used them with every movement and she was quite beautiful.  I told her after class that I was trying to look more graceful in class and not just grunt through class like I was at the gym.  Now I'm exhausted but ready for a well-deserved rest.  A good day's workout!