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#fitfluential

Reebok True Studio Slipper Review

March 31, 2014 by gracefulfitness 1 Comment

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Reebok. As always all opinions are my own.

I’ve been teaching since I was 18.  At first it was just dance technique classes but after I graduated college I added “group exercise instructor” to my list of jobs and in addition to dance classes started teaching step aerobics, strength training, mat Pilates, yoga, and “Dancers Workout”. (Any old 24 Hour Fitness members out there remember this format?)

Not surprisingly I totally loved all of it. Also not surprisingly the class that I really excelled at teaching and enjoyed the most was the dance-based workout class.

Fast-forward nearly a decade and although I’ve realized I’m not cut out for step aerobics I am still very happily teaching a dance workout class a couple times a week.  These days my class is called Dance Conditioning and it is a format I designed based off of my 25 years as a Modern dancer with a strong influence from Pilates technique.

I’ve wanted to share this class with you for quite a while as it is hands down the best workout I’ve found for my body.  My hips, thighs, abs, and arms are leaner and more defined than they’ve ever been thanks to my twice a week Dance Conditioning class.

Seriously.

I’ve spent years of my life dancing hours and hours a day.  I’ve trained for and completed a marathon.  I was a whitewater raft guide for four years. I’ve done hundreds of squats a week (back when I was teaching a ton of strength training).  I’ve been a bike commuter. None of those things had anything on the results I’ve gotten from Dance Conditioning.

As a modern dancer I have no problem being barefoot to workout and shoe-less is what I recommend in my class; socks are to slippery and shoes don’t allow the full articulation of the foot (and they make balancing easier, which is actually bad in this case because when your balance is challenged so is your core).  I rarely do reviews on this blog but when I had the opportunity to check out Reebok’s True Studio Slipper #livewithfire campaign as a FitFluential Ambassador I jumped on it.

Initially I wasn’t crazy about the colors and the fade on these little slippers but once I put them on I changed my mind and kinda liked the brightness and variation.

FitFluential Reebok

I put them to the test while teaching Dance Conditioning a few days ago.

faith levine dance conditioning

They felt great!  The  slippers were a tiny bit sticky but I was still able to slide my feet together (to activate the inner thighs!) and they fit like a glove.  My feet didn’t sweat thanks to the innovative fabric (although the rest of me did by the end!) and I quickly forgot I was even wearing them, a great alternative to slippery socks or restrictive shoes.

They worked great for Dance Conditioning but I think where I’ll use my True Studio Slippers most is while doing yoga on the road.  The little bit of grip, paired with the lightweight feel, is perfect for om’ing away from home.

Twice a week I have the privilege of teaching Dance Conditioning at ACAC, my local gym, but at the beginning of March I had an extra special opportunity to teach it at the American College Dance Festival at George Mason University.  Over 50 college dance majors crowded into my assigned studio and plie’d their way into a wonderful sweat!  They ate it up!  Many of them came to me afterward and asked if I had any videos online so they could keep doing this workout.  As requested I am working on getting some Dance Conditioning videos up my the Gracefulfitness Facebook page, stay tuned!

Have you jumped on the barre workout trend? If so do you prefer to dance-workout with shoes, socks, slippers, or barefoot?

I’m thinking of starting a Gracefulfitness YouTube channel, any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in: dance, Pilates, reviews, workouts, yoga Tagged: #fitfluential, #livewithfire, Dance Conditioning, Reebok True Studio Slipper

#fitnessbucketlist

July 16, 2012 by gracefulfitness 14 Comments

A couple weeks ago Fit Fluential Ambassadors like myself were asked to put together a Pinterest #fitnessbucketlist board.  I immediately loved the idea but found that my mind went blank.  Fitness is always a part of my life, there are few things I’d rather be doing than dancing, walking, hiking, running, practicing yoga, teaching classes, or biking but these days my mind is just not in ‘training’ mode.  Of course, the more I thought about it I was able to come up with a few things, some of them very concrete and others a little more abstract.

Here’s my board but I also listed them below.

My Fitness Bucket List

1. Run a race in Big Sur.  I don’t care the length but I’ve wanted to do this for a long time!  Any recommendations for a half marathon or shorter?

2. Present a Gracefulfitness retreat.  This one is HUGE and perhaps a pipe-dream but that’s what a bucket list is for, right?  I’ve had readers ask me to do this and it definitely got the mind cranking with possibilities.

3. Backpack on the Appalachian Trail for more than three days.  I’m not interested in the whole 2,184 miles right now (never say never) but I do love the rhythm and simplicity that happens when you are on the trail for more than a night or two.

4. Practice yoga for 30 consecutive days. I think my consecutive record is only like 7 days.  There are things that happen, mentally and physically, with practicing everyday, I just need to commit and do it!

5. Run the Hood-to-Coast Relay in Oregon.  I had several friends do this 199 mile running relay from Mt. Hood to the coast town of Seaside and they all raved about it; stinky feet, no sleep, running thru the night and all!  Someday…

6. Run forever.  Never say never but I hope to run forever.

7. Take a Pilates-specific anatomy course.  I am eternally grateful to have been required to take an amazing Kinesiology for Dancers course as part of my B.F.A (back in 2003) but it’s time to both brush up and get into the details. I thought about this one but I decided to attend FitBloggin’ in September instead!

8. Dance. Dance. Dance. 🙂 Fitness is multifaceted and for me a main facet of maintaining physical fitness has always been a means to keep dancing.

What’s on your fitness bucket list?

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Posted in: workouts Tagged: #fitfluential, #fitnessbucketlist

I am Faith Levine, a movement instructor, home gardener, mountain biker, hiker, pickle maker, closet poet, and best of friend to some of the most amazing women in the world.

I’d love to hear from you,
gracefulfitness@live.com

Header photo: Meredith Coe

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Hi, I'm Faith! New? Check out I Am for my story, I Cook for recipes, and I Move for some motivation to get moving! I'd love to hear from you, e-mail me gracefulfitness@live.com
Header photo: Meredith Coe

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