Wellbeing

Ballet workouts: a guide

Vicki Anstey, founder of Barreworks tells us why ballet is so great for strength and symmetry

If you’ve ever been to the ballet, you’ll know how mesmerising it is to watch the dancers glide effortlessly across the stage, their movements synchronised, their muscles poised, but have you ever thought about taking to the barre yourself? According to Vicki Anstey, founder of Barreworks ballet-inspired workout, this kind of exercise could be just the thing to get you out of your head and into your body. “Ballet and barre are real ‘thinking’ exercise methods,” she says. “You definitely can’t participate mindlessly in the way you might go for a run or a cycle. There’s always so much to focus on, to manage and correct. The movements are precise and targeted, but accessible to all levels of ability. This means you get the perfect distraction from the stresses of life and the ideal opportunity to connect with how your body feels, moves and how it functions”

One of the main components of Barrework’s method is the focus on balance. We all know that our core muscles are key to how we hold ourselves, move, walk and even sit, but what does ballet have, that an exercise like Pilates, doesn’t? “Coordination is all about timing, sequencing and (to some degree!) musicality,” Vicki explains. “All of these skills are great for cognitive process and stress management.”

In fact, Vicki believes ballet dancers to be amongst the most supreme athletes: “Their physical ability has to be on another level to achieve aesthetic perfection,” she says. However, don’t be intimidated by this because she also insists that ballet can be taken up by anyone. “Our clients range in age from early 20s to early 70s and everything in between,” she adds. “Ballet really is about perfection. So there’s always something to improve. You never really conquer the movements, you improve, but there’s always more you can do to enhance your technique. The gracefulness of the movements – no matter how uncoordinated you think you are, or how clumsy you may feel, there are always a few moments when you really do dance like no-one is watching, it’s exhilarating!”

Vicky wasn’t always a dance teacher herself. “My former career was in advertising and marketing for some big brands, and I had pretty much sold my soul to corporate life. Late nights, with little or no exercise and neglect of my own wellbeing,” she admits. “I finally decided to change that and was encouraged to take a class called Lotte Berk that a friend described as being ‘like exercising without feeling that you are working out’. I signed up immediately and ultimately it transformed my physique so much that I gave up my career to train to teach the method myself.”

Vicky went on to train at Lotte Berk in London and taught there before setting up the first dedicated barre and ballet studio in the UK over 11 years ago. “I’m not classically trained in ballet,” she says. “Barre really has been my entry into that whole world.”

If you’re thinking about giving it a try, go for it. You have nothing to lose. And no matter how much you might worry about what other people in the room may think of you, Vicky says: “I can assure you they will only be focusing on their own movements!

On the rare occasion that I have time to take ballet class, I find it incredibly relaxing. It’s a skill to learn and has such a calming influence when our lives are so frantic. And if taking a class in real life is too daunting, you can access a variety of workouts on our library from the comfort of your own home.”

The perfect second position plié

Repeat 10-12 times
Begin with feet together, then step out to a position wider than hip-width apart.
Turn out from the tops of the thighs all the way down to the foot.
Straighten the spine with the tailbone pointing down.
Bend the knees and lower the hips maintaining a strong centre line.
Go as deep as your turned out feet and hips will allow before coming back up to standing extending fully through the whole body.
Add an arm-lift in second without any deviation through the spine or shoulders.