5 TIPS on HOW TO MAKE THE MOST Out of Your Ballet Fitness MORNINGS

Different schedules call for different approaches to our fitness routines. If your mornings are the best time to dedicate to your ballet fitness, then having some tips to help you stay on track can really help.
And if you're one of those that can’t manage time, here’s some interesting read for you

5 simple things you can do
to maximize your morning routine.

1. Get Enough Sleep.

   Give yourself a set bed and wake time. Your body needs rest. The importance of getting enough sleep can not be overstated.
   Try making your bedtime a comforting ritual. Enjoy a warm bath, sip some herbal tea, give yourself a moment of quiet and calm reflection on the days’ activities. Your rest time is just as important as your dance time, both are sacrosanct. And, experts across the globe (be it sleep, fitness, or medical professionals) all agree that you shouldn’t bring your phone to bed with you.
   
   Once you are done for the day, be done. Put your phone away or turn the sound off, and try to get in the habit of not checking it again once you’re in bed.

2. Get Everything You Need Ready the Night Before.

   Make your mornings as hassle free as possible. Have any clothing you’ll be using ready to go and laid out where you can get to it quickly and easily. Any barre, centre, or choreography you want to work on should be queued up so all you have to do is hit that play button.
   
   If you’re a coffee or tea person, get it prepped before you retire for the night. Get your breakfast of choice ready (or at least, easy to throw together) so you don’t have to waste time figuring out what you want to eat, and how you’re going to make it.
   If you need to set an alarm to help you wake, choose a song you love to wake up to. (I can promise you, that little change makes a world of difference).
   
   And, don’t hit that snooze button!
   
   Resist the temptation to hit snooze for an extra 5 minutes, all you’re really doing is making things more difficult for yourself by taking away time you could be using to get yourself more lucid.

3. No Alcohol within a couple of hours of bedtime, No Coffee within eight hours of bedtime

   This is an excellent rule of thumb. Both alcohol and caffeine with disrupt your natural sleep cycle as your body works to metabolize them. Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it will rob you of the deepest most recuperative type of sleep the body needs.
   
   Caffeine, with its naturally stimulative properties, will inhibit the production of melatonin (the hormone that tells the body, “hey, it’s time for sleep!”).
   Studies have shown having caffeine within even 6 hours of bed time will disrupt melatonin production. And, we don’t want that. We want good quality sleep. Your body will thank you in the morning.

4. Turn on the Lights!

   We have specialized receptors in our eyes that absorb light and, in turn, help set our body clock appropriately. When we expose ourselves to light upon waking, our body responds by telling us “hey, it’s daytime, time to get up!” So, tear open those blinds, pull back those draperies, or turn on a bright light in your room. Simple? Yes. But, bright light is a key player in the body’s sleep/wake cycle.
   
   Use it to your advantage, it will help get rid of the grogginess we feel when first waking.

5. Have a Goal.

   Having daily goals that complement your long-term ones will help keep you motivated and committed to your routine. Acknowledging smaller, but no less important, daily achievements are a crucial part of sticking to a fitness routine.
   
   If ballet is your fitness of choice (and what a good choice it is), then think of one thing you want to improve the night before. If improving your extension is one of your long-term goals, then set smaller daily ones to help get you there.
   
   Try telling yourself, “I’m not going to worry about the road ahead, only what I can do today to take a step forward.” Rather than going straight for that 90 degree arabesque, and being disappointed when you don’t nail it, choose something from the Extension Series that will help pave your way to that arabesque. And, be proud of what you accomplish each day- even if it’s just committing to doing the exercises, eventually all those “small” achievements add up.
   
   One day, and that day may be sooner than you think, you’ll catch a glimpse of that hard-earned arabesque, and the change will be glaringly apparent. Like I always say, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
   
   Let’s try to remember that with each goal met, no matter how small it may seem, we are one step closer to reaching our full potential.

What helps you get going in the morning? What do you like to do in the morning to help you stay the course? Everyone has their own unique spin on things, so leave your comments about how you like to tackle your morning routine!

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Of course I’m here for you, so if you have any question or want to start a conversation, feel free to leave a message below or send me an email to hello@lazydancertips.com :)

Love
Alessia