How to Get the Most Out of Your Hour
How to Get the Most Out of Your Hour?
We’ve all been there, right? Watching the clock because we have other things we need to do like pick up the kids, make sure you’re home for the cable guy, or getting groceries because your husband and kids have complained 100 times because there is nothing to eat in the house. We are all super busy, but we carve out this one single hour for ourselves, so how can we get the most out of it?
Here are 5 easy things to think about next time you take class:
- Get to class on time
I know I know, I’m super guilty of this too! We all get doing things around the house, or running errands that we lose track of time. However, it is super important to get to class to warm up the body and muscles properly instead of just rushing in and going right into a plank. The other reason it is really good idea to come to class on time, is to set an intention for your hour. I try to do this right when we stand up to go into the warm up. It is always something short, like, I’m not going to stand up during thighs, or I’m focusing on breathing when a variation gets challenging.
- Challenge yourself
Try taking a step up in weights for bicep curls, or maybe try holding on to weights during triceps. Another good challenge is to stay on your toes during planks or push-ups. If these are things that you are already doing, try to pull your abdominals in tighter or challenge your alignment in a position. Taking challenges doesn’t allow plateaus in your workout routine.
- Regine your movements
This one is extremely important. You hear us say all the time, one inch of a movement. The whole reasoning behind these small isometric movements is to get deeper in the muscle, but in less time. The smaller the movement, the more your muscle needs to control. This will yield greater results.
- Breathe
I cannot stress how important breath is during class. Breathing naturally engages the transverse abdominals, which if you read my previous blog, wink wink, you would know that is the mother of all abdominals. The transverse is engaged because it is connected to our diaphragm, which is the muscle we use to breathe. Using breath also allows you space to get deeper into any position by allowing the abdominals to pull in and tighten. Lastly, the breath allows us to focus and stay in a position. It keeps intentions fresh in our brain, and really challenge ourselves while we are here.
- Stay for final stretch
I know this is hard to work in when we think, “Ok, I’ve worked hard, now I can get moving on to the rest of my day!” This could not be more wrong. To get your maximum results you need to stretch the muscles that you just worked to fatigue. With the stretch comes the long lean muscles we all aspire to have, and come to class for. This time also allows time to absorb all that class had to offer to you that day. Whether it was a new understanding of a position, or you being grateful for holding a position a little longer than you had in previous classes.
The next time you’re in class, just try to focus on one of these five things. I guarantee you will find you have completed a more whole and beneficial class.
Until next time at the barre + beyond!
Rachel
