So, my husband wants to add me on to his gym membership. I used to be a member but the place got kinda dumpy so I stopped going but now it's under new ownership and they are fixing up everything little by little. I went to take a look and it is better than it was, but what I was really hoping for was a room with a mirror to do some drilling and practice. Unfortunately they keep the classrooms locked when there's no class (they never used to) so the only place with a mirror is the weight room. Do any of you drill at the gym for all the world to see because "there's a big mirror and damn it I'm gonna use it", or do you drill in the privacy of your own home? I know I could use some strength training and some cardio but I want to improve my dancing too. How do the rest of you keep in shape?
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Massachusetts
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 2:18 PMI honestly couldnt imagine drilling at a gym. I also couldnt imagine paying for a membership if my only desire was to have a bigger mirror (if you are really interested in the machine and such not, then thats a different story).
I had a gym membership (well, still do, its a lifetime thing), that was a gift many years ago. But there is no branch local to me, and while I will go hours out of my way for a dance class, I could never do so to work out.
Fortunately, at home, we have an eliptical trainer thingy, some weights (that my BF uses) and he got me the Fluidity System workout barre and DVDs (which is actually pretty cool and a nice workout, also gives me the advantage of having a sturdy dance barre at home!) I would say that most of my exercise though, comes from dance practice and drills, in front of a small mirror at home. -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 2:46 PMI hear ya. I'm in need of more exercise, but I think I'd rather do it at home. The problem is I get distracted here by dust and laundry and stuff. It's not that expensive for him to add me on, less than $100 actually, but I don't know if I'd go. I used to be a gym rat, but I don't know if I still have it in me. What I think I need it to really commit to a certain amount of time every week and forcing myself to get into a routine. I'm like you, I'd drive miles for a dance class.
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Wed, May 7, 2008 - 3:38 PMI do drill at my gym, yes. Most people there are so focused on their own workout that I don't feel under scrutiny - though a few times some cute little kids waiting for their moms to finish have wanted to know what I was doing, which is fine by me.
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 4:41 AMCan you ask at the main desk if there's mirrors in the classrooms, or if they would let you use one of the classrooms? Perhaps if you tell them your decision hinges on your ability to use a classroom, they might allow it.
Drilling in public is no problem for me - not now, anyway. I''ll drill anywhere and I've gotten gigs because total strangers saw me practice. But there was a time when I felt uncomfortable even when bystanders peeked into class!! Then I discovered that at night, when no lights were on outside, but the lights were on inside, the giant picture window in the living room was rather mirror-like. So I started using that - not realizing that *I* could not see out -- but everyone and their cousin could see in - and watch!!! LOL!!!!! -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 5:34 AMI dance anywhere.
but when I used to go on base with my roommate to lift and there are all those big beautiful mirrors I realized it was a little ackward because that wouldn't generally be accepted in the military world (when you are a guest you must have some sort of propriety). So I generally don't, anywhere else I would but there it was sort of a tactful issue.
Tempest holds her class at the North Beach gym, and they have a cool place set up, it's not a room persay, but it is sectioned off by a wall and clearly they do pilates and areobics and the like there, as well as dance. The wall section has a little curtain so people aren't constantly 'staring' which is relative because it's on for a few seconds then off.
so yes it happens... if I was at a regular gym I would do some drilling, not my whole drill session, but some that help strengthen... its' a gym... it's for working out. come on now.
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 7:24 AMThe gym I go to locks its classroom up as well, but if you ask them to open it up they will. There are also mirrors in the weight area and in the Cardio clinic, but those are usually too busy.
I have been known to forget myself and do hand/arm work while walking on the track and listening to my mp3 player. :0)
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 9:12 AMI practice my dance at home BUT I do workout at the gym. I find that belly dancing alone is not enough to keep in shape. I do a BUNCH of different activities including weight lifting, taebo, cardio, yoga to keep me in shape. So I guess the question is, are you looking to just dance? Or are you looking for more?
Also if you can weight train, do a taebo class or something with your honey, it's a great way to spend time together and connect. It is a great way for me to be with mine. :) -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 10:46 AMI drill at home with a video and a full length mirror. My only issue is that I can't see myself from fingertip to fingertip when I'm doing snake arm drills, which I really need practice with. I just realized today that I could get a back of the door type mirror and mount it sideways on the wall. :)
If I did belong to a gym, I would totally drill there. I just have so many other things I need to spend that money on. :) -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Thu, May 8, 2008 - 2:06 PMI'm thinking that I might just give it a go. Lord knows I need some serious toning and cardio. Plus I did say that this year I was going to make time for me for a change. I can work out and drill at home to a certain degree but I get too easily distracted at home so being somewhere else will help me focus. Plus I could work out with my hubby which might be fun. Not to mention maybe drop a few pounds that I seem to have acquired over the winter..........
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 11:00 PMsecond that...I drill at home and can also use the dance studio at school during my lunch hour for free. other than that I walk,cycle and can swim for free at school too, which is great. Gyms I've been in here seem to have endless crappy loud music, loads of TV's going and a slightly macho competetive flavour, not my thing... and expensive too.. agree about spending time with your other half tho'..always good.. we seem to spend alot of our free time in the Pub together, good fun but not as healthy! : ) -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 6:24 PMGYM??? HELL YEAH!!!
YAY FOR WEIGHTS and WEIGHT MACHINES!!
Adding muscle is the best way to boost your metabolism...even when sleeping! I am going to have to have foot surgery so I won't be able to dance/perform/treadmill/elliptical, etc. for a while but are soooooo many other things to do at the gym...no need for workouts to be totally derailed! In fact, I'm using my foot surgery as an excuse to start packing on some serious muscle! Pushups (on knees, don't want to put weight on my foot), bike at high intensity levels (sitting only, no "spinning" standing up), bench presses, pull-downs, quad raises, hamstring curls, assisted pull-ups, plus a gazillion things to do on the floor (101 ways to work your abs).... and STRETCHING....AAAAAAHHHHHH!!! It's ALL GOOD!!
Do I dance-drill at the gym? HELL YEAH!!! (Well, before my foot injury.) My gym has these things called Bosu Balls (google them). They look like a big yoga ball that was sliced in half and mounted on a flat round backing. I stand on those things (or I used to, before my foot problem set in) and I would drill *any* and *every* belly dance move with level changes! If you can do level changes while standing on a bosu ball, doing them on a flat surface (floor) is no problem. I'd do mayas, shimmies, and anything you can think of layered with a shimmy... all while on the bosu ball... and all with level changes. It's AWESOME!!!
Now, have I gotten comments or weird looks from people when I drill at the gym? Sure! Of course! But ask me if I care! Plus, for the most part, the comments I get are actually QUESTIONS asking me about where I take lessons from, do I teach (I actually used to teach there), do I perform, where do I perform, etc. So, introducing the art and explaining it to people is my pleasure! If I can create 1 more BD convert, then it was a great day!
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 9:11 PM -
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Mon, May 12, 2008 - 9:12 PMPS:
I drill at home and when I'm with my partner when we're at the studio. The gym, for me, is for cardio and training --- and I get the eff out :)
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Re: to gym or not to gym
Sat, May 24, 2008 - 10:52 AMI think I practiced some moves once at a gym, because you're right that it's very tempting with the huge mirrors in the aerobics room! But I felt kind of uncomfortable, and plus, you can't use the cd player to play your music, which sucks. :( But I have seen other kinds of dancers at the gym practicing in the aerobics room. One girl even brought along her music player. I do not rely on belly dancing alone to stay in shape. I'm not saying it's not a work out, but for me, it doesn't compare to my work outs at the gym. I think that staying fit will help improve every aspect of a person's life, including things like dancing. I even feel like working my oblique muscles seems to help with my downward and upward figure eights, because I really try and use my obliques when doing these moves. I really like it when you can see the muscle definition as you're doing the moves. I think it looks fantastic!
