Lily Aldridge credits her toned post-baby abs to the routine; Erin Heatherton her pert derriere and Natalie Portman, her prima ballerina posture. No, this isn’t another mad dash cycling class; this is Ballet Beautiful!
Founded by former...
Lily Aldridge credits her toned post-baby abs to the routine; Erin Heatherton her pert derriere and Natalie Portman, her prima ballerina posture. No, this isn’t another mad dash cycling class; this is Ballet Beautiful!
Founded by former New York City Ballet dancer, Mary Helen Bower, Ballet Beautiful is a unique mix of targeted strength and flexibility training exercises that provide techniques to ‘building and maintaining the beauty, strength and grace’ of—you guessed it—a ballerina. Beloved by the aforementioned Victoria’s Secret Angels, Miranda Kerr and Karen Elson to name but a few, the ballet-inspired workout has quickly become the go-to routine for those looking to sculpt long, lean muscles without the added bulk acquired after weeks of pumping iron at the gym. Of course, that’s not to say that this workout is anything less than a head-to-toe challenge. Having tested Mary Helen’s at-home DVD workouts, we can attest to its sweat-inducing, heart-pumping effects.
Here’s the deal: composed of a series of mat and standing exercises, the Ballet Beautiful workout focuses on combining sets of muscle pulsing ab moves, leg lifts and bridges done in ‘demipointe’ position to round out a full-body workout, clocking in at about an hour. For those looking for a bit more variety in their routine, there’s also the option of Mary Helen’s new online custom workout program, which offers a more targeted version of her existing video regime, giving users the option of narrowing in on specific problem areas or particular fitness goals. Along with unlimited access to the site’s streaming video library, the monthly subscription service will automatically put together your tailor-made training program that can be adjusted when you find yourself short on time. And with two new workouts added to the queue each month, you’ll likely never plead boredom with your workout again!
Not convinced of the power of ballet just yet? Would some supermodel testimonials do the trick? We thought so. While celebrating the launch of Ballet Beautiful’s new online feature, we also had the chance to chat with Lily and Erin, possibly two of the program’s biggest fans, where we discussed the benefits they’ve experienced training the prima ballerina way and how they like to customize their workouts when they’re on the go. For that and more on the Angels’ favorite healthy snacks and fitness tips, see our full interview with the lovely ladies below:
How did you first get into the Ballet Beautiful workout?
Lily Aldridge: Karen Elson was the one who first told me about Mary Helen. I just had my baby and I was coming to New York for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and I was like, “I’m going to try this,” and it was so fun and so effective. We do it every other day, and I love working out, which is weird, because I typically didn’t.
Erin Heatherton: Lily’s abs! She was breast-feeding and I saw her change clothes and I was like, “girl, what are you doing? You look amazing,!” She looked better than I’ve ever seen her look, and I was like, “what’s going,” like I never usually ask, you know girls have their secrets, but I asked and she said, “it’s Mary Helen, here’s her number.” So I started working with her and its just been incredible for me because I’m such a tomboy and I like sports, but I don’t really have that ballet elegance, so Ballet Beautiful has really helped me have more control over my body in a way that helps me with modeling. You need your fingertips to your toes to be a good model, and that’s what Ballet Beautiful does. It really gets you connected mentally to your whole body.
How long have you been doing this workout?
LA: For about I would say nine months, [Mary Helen and I] have been working out together.
EH: I started about a month before the VS Fashion Show.
What are the benefits of Ballet Beautiful workout?
LA: It’s just very effective for me. You know, everybody’s different, but for me, this has just transformed my body. I can’t speak highly eno
