Back in the day…
I didn’t think that dancing twice a week really had that much of an impact on my physical condition. I mean, I’ve been dancing for so long that it isn’t really aerobic exercise. In most rehearsals, if we weren’t running the show, there was a lot of down time; sitting around waiting for my part to come up, hanging out in the dressing room while the company ran a piece I wasn’t in; lots of stops and starts.
But it’s been four long months since I’ve danced. It’s the longest hiatus I’ve ever taken. I didn’t even take that long of a break after having my kids. Initially I thought I’d really enjoy giving my body a rest from the pounding it had taken over the years. But now? Man, I miss it.
I miss the physicality of it, the three-dimensional movement through space, the power and strength and flow and energy of dancing. I’ve tried giving myself a barre here at home a couple of times a week, but it sure doesn’t compete with the rigor of class.
Here in Ohio, however, my options are extremely limited. When we moved to Denver from NYC, I thought I was nailing the coffin shut on my dance career, but was pleasantly surprised by how much dance there was in Colorado. Hoping to find the same experience here in Ohio, I’ve been met with the opposite: a stunning realization that there ain’t a whole lot going on.
What I also didn’t expect to miss was the extra calorie burn I didn’t even know I was getting. Don’t even get me started on how rapidly I’ve been gaining weight. At first I thought maybe I had a thyroid problem, that’s how fast I was packing pounds on. Sure, maybe I need to get on a more consistent pooping schedule, but I haven’t been this big since I was pregnant with the kids. Guess I took those hours of dancing for granted. Gone with my slimmer figure is also my core strength, rotation, and flexibility. It only took two months for my body to shut down and feel old. Like a wheel grinding to a screeching halt.
While I’ll save the emotional toll this has taken for a later post, right now I’m trying to recover my body from the bowels of Couchpotatoville. I know it’s a long slow process, but I’m determined to get back in the game. I’ve started going to the gym again, taking a yoga class once or twice a week from a teacher that gently but firmly pushes me. And I’ve gotten my ass on the elliptical machine.
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The last time I used these evil contraptions cardio machines, when it asked me my age and blinked that “35″ as the magic middle age, I had to press the DOWN button a couple of times to get to my correct age. Now? I have to press the UP arrow. A few times. Man, that stinks. At least I still get to press the down arrow for weight, because if I had to pound on the up arrow, the gym would get an shitstorm of obscenities.
Even though I’m trying to get active again, it still doesn’t compare to how my body felt while dancing. Months ago, I felt strong, vibrant, toned and sturdy. Now I feel rickety, brittle, and…aged. It feels a little like starting over, or more like I’m starting from zero. It’s a hard journey back to feeling strong again, but I’m determined to work on it. I can’t continue to feel the way I do, it’s not healthy. Physically or mentally.
Plus, I can’t afford to buy new pants.
What do you do when you’re in a physical rut? How do you get yourself back on track?
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I too am yearning to get back to an active exercise routine but the body is less then willing.. also with you in a physical rut. Am trying my best to do more exercises around the house meanwhile.
Then let’s get going, Dominique! I have often squeezed in exercises while doing stuff…taking the stairs two at a time, doing some squats while brushing my teeth, etc.
It feels like ages since I last played football. I miss this beautiful sport a lot.
Is there a way you can still get back in to it? Start a league on your own?
Oh, girl, I feel your pain. It hasn’t helped that since Halloween I might as well have eaten a small child composed of chocolate and skittles. I wish I had some advice for you, except you seem determined and on the right track. Would you ever start making work? Then you could teach and take your own class, and be dancing again?
I’m patting myself on the back that I haven’t eaten that much candy this past week. I thank my vicious chest cold for granting me a nice loss of appetite for that. I’ve been thinking of rigging a studio down in our basement, so that I can take barre, dance around, etc. on my own terms. One day motivation will hit me and I’ll figure all this dancing stuff out. Thanks for your support!
I’m just at the start of my exercise rut–I’m newly pregnant and tried to keep up my exercise routine but find myself *exhausted* very quickly. I’m trying not to let it go entirely, but this lack of energy is killer! Keep at it–you’ll find something that works for you!
I can remember that from pregnancy. Knowing that I needed to stay active but having zero energy. Can you take a prenatal yoga class? I loved those when I was pregnant, and it gave me a boost of energy as well.
I go for a run! I can totally relate to your feelings of missing your work outs as a dancer. Maybe running could help? It’s easy to do, you don’t need anything except a pair of shoes and it only takes about 30 minutes of your day.
Read how I combine running and motherhood at http://www.momshomerun.com
Oh girl, I wish I liked running. I ran a bit before I had my first kid, but since then, my hips and pelvis aren’t fans of the sport. And for a while, I couldn’t run and dance at the same time. The work I was dancing in NYC required me to be loose in the hips, and I couldn’t do that with running. I’m thinking it’s time to get started with P90X again…
I always think the organic workouts are far better than machines!
I love running, swimming and aerobic dance …. I can’t stand the gym. I don’t like the way I feel when I’m hitting the machines up at all. And I def don’t like the smell.
I agree, the machines can get pretty monotonous and boring, no matter how much I try to mix it up with some kind of interval thing. And you certainly have a point about the smell. But our gym offers babysitting, so that’s hard to turn down.
I know how you feel exactly! I haven’t been to ballet class now in years, and my tendonitis just doesn’t let me do it anymore. I go running now, which still irritates my tendons, but you really have to keep up the physical routine in some way, plus cut your calories as you get older. Oh, the cold hard reality of getting older! Hang in there! What’s that saying? “If you’re not old, you’re dead.” There’s always a bright side;)
It seems that my metabolism slowed down to a turtle’s pace the day I turned 39! I can’t imagine eating less, so I’m not sure how to cut calories to even MAINTAIN things. I think I just have to adjust my standards a bit. And I do think that keeping moving makes you feel more able to keep moving, if that makes sense. But still, I miss the fullness I felt after having a really great dance class.
I’m so glad that you posted this as I am trying to find my way out of my very own physical rut! I need motivation to get on track – I love signing up for challenges and taking classes. When surrounded by others I tend to do better, left on my own I’ll grab a seat and my laptop and just veg out! But with working FT, mommy to a toddler, & a wife – time for classes are hard to come by.
I’ve never belonged to a fitness group or anything, though I do have friends who swear by that time of pack training. But I do see the need for accountability. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day, right?