It feels so weird to be bragging about the fact I have the ability to do pushups and sit ups but that’s what I’m doing now. About 5 months ago (? Around then) I watched dance moms and grew the dream to be on a competing dance team. Although I am not near good enough to be on my dance studios team (I only take ballet) I’m going to try out for my high schools drill team next year. So I’ve been training myself and although I haven’t exercised every day (other than dancing in my living room which I have done almost every night without missing more than about a weeks worth) but I have stretched everyday and exercise quite frequently. For example if you’re aware of the fitness gram pacer test and the push up and sit ups section last year I got a whopping 1 push up and 5 sit ups, currently I can do about 5 pushups (give or take depending on the day) and about 37 sit ups (give or take depending on the day) I’ve even started to get some muscle in my arms that have never been there before! I’ve lost some weight, I’m way more flexible (stretching everyday really is one of the most important parts of dance that I never used to do), and I can do an elbow stand! (Which I’ve been practicing for about 3 months now and can’t hold for more than a few seconds but I’m really proud I can do it at all!)
Now I’ve always been chubby, (about 30pounds heavier than a girl my age “should” be) so I used to try and exercise to lose weight. I’d look up tutorials online to lose weight fast and I just made myself miserable and it wasn’t sustainable. but when I found something I enjoy (or rather embraced something I liked but didn’t love) I went into it without any expectations but to higher my chances of getting on that team by a little bit, I got a whole bunch of good side effects. Along with physical rewards I’ve gotten mental rewards! When I could FINNALY do a open second (after 4months of trying), when I was able to do my left split, when I actually did an ok push up for the first time, that little boost of happiness means a lot. It also has given me an excuse to just have time mentally for me! Whenever I stretch or go on a walk, it’s very calming for me and it’s just something I look forward to, because I’m not overly pushing myself, it’s just peaceful.
Now none of this is to shame anyone, if you don’t wanna exercise don’t, if you want to exercise in a different way do it! I simply just wanted to share the ways dance has improved my life recently because I’m really happy with the way my life has been going recently! And I’m still not the best dancer, I never will be, but in six months with majority of the skills I’ve gained during it being self taught, I’m pretty damn excited. <3
(I feel it’s important to mention I was a dancer before hand aswell but I only wanted to know ballet (and I do still only take ballet classes at my actual studio) I now dream of learning lyrical and acro and contemporary aswell as ballet, unfortunately that’s unobtainable for my family so I’ll stick to lyrical and acro in my own time and ballet at my studio)
