Cardio Diva

  

     In a world obsessed with body image and a country suffering from obesity it's no secret that diet and exercise are becoming more mainstream. We've got women aspiring to have Kim Kardashian curves, arms like Michelle Obama, and the slimness of Heidi Klum. Whatever your "inspiration" might be I can almost guarantee that being a "Cardio diva" will leave you and your ego unsatisfied.
    So you ask, what is a "cardio diva"? Whether your hitting the gym everyday, twice a week, or once a year I'm sure you've seen one before. Heck, you might even be a cardio diva yourself! You walk into the gym to the right on the elliptical machine shes wearing a full face of make up, a push up bra, and the latest issue of "Glamour" magazine is in front of her face. It's been a steady 45 minutes, she's blasting "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls, her gym bag is a Coach wrislet, and shes wearing the latest design of Victoria's secret "Pink" boyfriend sweats. After an hour of low intensity cardio, she does a set on the "thigh" machines, 50 crunches, and shes out of sight. Oh c'mon don't tell me you haven't seen her before! We all have and it's ok if that describes you because at least your cute butt is at the gym and not catching the latest episode of Tyra!
    Now you probably think I'm just being a little ridiculous and I am. I'm proud of these chicks for looking so great and working their tails off but I have a better method to your better body. Don't get me wrong cardio is GREAT it burns fat off and enhances your stamina but its more about quality rather than quantity. You also don't want whats left of you to flab so you need some strength training in your routine. You are NOT going to get "bulky" or "big" we're women, your going to get TONED!
    Heres what you do, try a more intense form of cardio for a shorter period of time. My favorite is spinning! Spin for 40 minutes and not only will you burn 400 calories but you'll gain strength and incredible stamina. The treadmill and stair master are great too! Whatever form of cardio you choose (fine you can stay on the elliptical) make sure to add resistance. Do intervals, 2 minutes of super hard resistance and 3 minutes recovery. Do some weight training two to three days a week using nothing less than 10 pound free weights. Do various exercises which target different muscles in your body followed by some ab work.You can browse the internet for some great routines or pick up a copy of "Women's Health" magazine. Finally, put on some proper fitness attire, ditch the magazine, and take off your make up (your pores are begging you!). Now you can blast "don't cha" because girl you're fierce and everyone wishes they looked as good as you! :)

Recipe for success

I'm back twinkle toes! As promised I would be back before the summer here in New York came to an end and here I am with some updates and good news. After my college graduation which kicked off my summer I decided to take a break from my dance blog to really sort out my life and figure out where I would take my next few steps. Besides taking class all summer I've been exploring ways in which I can get myself involved in other aspects of this dance world I reside in. Sometimes as dancers we forget there is so much more to dance than just taking class every chance we get. During my journey this summer I stumbled upon this quote by Michael Jackson which helped encouraged my quest to be more involved in the dance industry.

"...Work like there's no tomorrow. Train. Strive. Really train and cultivate your talent to the highest degree. Be the best at what you do. Get to know more about your field than anybody alive..."

Michael Jackson was not only a remarkably talented individual but he was intelligent about his work. He knew everything there was to know about singing and dancing from the techniques to the finances. He simply knew it all and to watch him work was not only astonishing but inspiring. No one knew their own talent like Michael did which is why his work remains legendary.
After reading this quote and watching "This is it" I was reassured that talent and technique is simply not enough. In order to accelerate my gift to the next level I must learn all there is to know about it. And what better way to learn than to be actively involved. I worked all summer and discovered these stellar ways to begin my learning journey this fall. First I will be interning for "The pulse on tour" dance conventions where I will be involved in the preparation for their 2010/2011 tour and work on-site at the actual convention. This will provide me with the in's and out's of creating a successful dance event and i'll get to take class in the process. Next I will begin my masters degree in dance education at Rutgers University. Learning how teach others will teach me! Finally I will use my years of training and education to teach children's ballet, tap, and jazz at a studio in my area. Of course I will also continue taking class and challenging myself and now I will have the knowledge to support my craft. And that to me is definitely a recipe for success ! :)