Hi Ballet Beauties! Welcome back to part 3 of our fun series, Ask Mary Helen! We know that you all have many questions for Mary Helen so keep them coming and she will do her best to answer as many as she can! In the meantime, read her thoughtful responses to some of your workout and lifestyle questions. Grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy your one-on-one with Mary Helen!
Do you listen to music when doing exercise? If so, what kind?
I love a workout environment that is peaceful and calm so that I can focus on myself and my clients! Sometimes I won’t use any music at all but I do love beautiful classical music. Piano concertos are some of my favorites and I of course adore dancing and training to Mozart, Bach and Beethoven.
What is your favorite workout combination and DVD?
There are so many different Ballet Beautiful workout series, I love to mix and match depending on the day and what I have going on. I just had a baby so abs are a current favorite. Our new bikini workouts are so targeted and I adore our Skyline Workouts to whittle the waist. I’m also enjoying extra standing work and cardio now as I really want that extra burn! Our Ballet Basic Series has also been a lot of fun. Below are a few favorites!
– Burn Bundle: Backstage DVD + Swan Arms Cardio
– Classic 60 Minute Workout + Skyline Workout
– BB Blasts – abs & inner thigh, Ultimate Supermodel Workout and finishing it up with Ballet Cardio – Allegra.
– Bikini Workouts + Spring Body Blast – Cardio
Have you considered making any workouts that can be done en pointe as well as soft shoes?
Our program is inspired by ballet but it’s not an actual dance class so pointe work has never been incorporated. Many of our members have never danced which I think is so cool. I love opening the world of ballet to others and would hate to have people feel like they couldn’t do the workout without a serious background in dance. Pointe work is so challenging and pretty advanced. It’s definitely something to think about but I can’t imagine it ever becoming a centerpiece of our program.
PS. Have you seen our new selection of Ballet Beautiful slippers? I love the fact that our satin slippers with the ribbons look like a pointe shoe but without the blisters and pain ha!
Which 3 foods should be staples in our everyday diets?
Diet and nutrition can be very individual depending on food allergies etc. In general I think it’s incredibly important to eat fresh, whole foods and balanced healthy meals. Three foods that work very well for me and are staples in my diet are: organic wild salmon, organic eggs and fresh fruit.
What are the VS Angels workouts like before the show?
Intense! The VS Angels train like athletes, or ballerinas that is! For more detail on what a typical pre-show training regime looks like check out, A Week Inside a VS Angel’s Workout, on the BB blog for all the details. These women work hard and we do increase the intensity of their training in the final days and week before the show.
Those final pre-show workouts involve longer sessions to allow for a deeper more challenging workout that includes more Ballet Beautiful cardio, abs and toning – we even add light weights on the ankles for certain exercises to highlight extra definition through the butt, legs and thighs. Check out the supermodel bundle videos to start your own BB Supermodel workouts today. There is no question that the VS Angels are fit and they work hard for their results but you can do it too. Ballet Beautiful is here to help!
