Ballet Conditioning

Today, Kate shares a home fitness recommendation (shockingly well timed as I've been thinking of taking ballet but haven't found a class that works with my schedule):

I have written before of my love of ballet, a love that has been kept at a very long arm's length by my lack of necessary talent, drive, and height. However, a recent discovery allows me to feel like a prima ballerina for a few minutes each day: Ballet Conditioning -- a wonderful DVD by Element (the producers of Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners) -- offers several hours of appealing and fun exercises, all based on classical ballet positions and stretches and all aimed at toning and lengthening different muscle groups.

With my desk chair serving as a barre, the positions bring me back to the ballet classes of my childhood -- tendu! plié! port de bra! -- and I have a moment of living inside the grace and elegance of dance. But don't be fooled: this is a hard workout that will leave your thighs burning and your arms feeling like rubber.