Kate Walsh, 51, has a sponcon type post with US Magazine with a demonstration video from a studio called Ballet Beautiful. It looks like classic ballet moves at a bar and like a great workout. It reminds me of pilates, which uses similar moves, and which I did a whole ten minutes of last night. I know I do too much cardio, I’ve talked about it here (hey kitten) and am trying to do more strength training. I chase that exercise high and calorie burn. Kate’s story is reminding me to go easier on my body and to focus more on overall wellness. She had a hip replacement just seven months agos and loves ballet training for both recovery and the benefits she’s seeing. I’m sure she’s getting paid too, but it sounds like she was a customer of the studio before she started endorsing it. Kate’s trainer talked about getting results without punishing your body and I really needed to hear that.
“My stylist recommended it,” [Kate Walsh] tells Us. “It’s so Hollywood, but she’s like, ‘If you want to keep that butt up, go to Ballet Beautiful.’ And I was like, ‘Got it, done.’ It’s in my best interest.”
Walsh began going to the model-beloved studio, founded by professional dancer Mary Helen Bowers, a few months ago — after she had hip replacement surgery. “I had a hip replacement seven months ago and it’s amazing,” Walsh tells Us of how the NYC-based class helped her recovery. “Just the movements in this workout particularly are so hip-opening, hip-centric.”
Bowers… agrees. With her barre-based workout, she tells Us, “you’re building strength without overtaxing the body. You don’t have to punish your body to have a great workout. That’s something people don’t always understand [you don’t have] to do crazy cardio to change the way the body is shaped.” With some adjustments, the low-impact routine is also a good pregnancy workout, both pre- and post-natal, says the pro.
I’m somewhat dreading getting stuff replaced when I get older (ok in a handful of years) but it’s likely inevitable. My mom had a knee replacement and I know people who have had hip replacements. As long as you do the rehab recovery is possible. Also, when you hear stories about people exercising and doing well just a few months after a joint replacement it makes you think it won’t be that bad. Maybe if I do more strength training and less jumping around I can avoid needing things replaced, but that ship has probably sailed.
I forgot about this fug dress she wore to the Umbrella Academy premiere. I keep hearing about that series, it’s on Netflix now. I linked to these premiere photos on Go Fug Yourself, her sleeves are way bigger than they look from the side.
Also she started a perfume line:
photos credit: WENN and via Instagram
So it’s basically Barre. I started taking Barre classes last month and so far I love it. It is hands down the most intense workout I have ever done. And I like that it is not high-impact cardio but you still get a great workout. It’s all about small motions that exhaust the muscles.
for years I suffered what I was told by my doctor was a herniated disc; and lo and behold it wasn’t. but not having insurance, I suffered thru; using a cane and in constant pain. finally eligible for Medicaid I saw an orthopedic doctor, was diagnosed and scheduled surgery. went in on a Friday afternoon, had surgery that night. up walking on saturday and released on sunday. with absolutely no complications since. only the scar.
a huge shoutout to NYU Langone and the staff!
Congrats. This is wonderful.
I feel like with women, there’s this push to do Barre style exercises out of a desire to get your body to look a certain way (“long and lean” – except you can’t elongate muscles or spot reduce weight) and a fear of “bulking up”. But we physically need to lift weights (which can include impact exercise, FYI) because it helps maintain bone density which is incredibly important after menopause, and actually helps to strengthen those very joints (what’s hard on joints is actually cutting and pivoting movements). We’re not going to bulk up, that takes an immense amount of effort.
Lol. You DO lift weights in Barre class. You utilize resistance band, ankle weights and traditional hand weights. And there are no “cutting and pivoting” movements in Barre. What you are thinking of is traditional ballet.
Unfortunately, no that is not the same thing (I’m familiar with Barre and have tried many iterations). The weights used are simply too small (there are physiological reasons that I could get into). If Barre is your jam that’s fine, but as a workout form as a whole it’s more along the line of cross train/supplemental than a primary modality.
Agree with you, Kerfuffle. Absolutely nothing wrong with Barre. My coworker is obsessed with the barre studio that’s located in our office building and I’ve gone with her a couple times. It’s an interesting workout but those tiny weights are absolutely not a substitute for consistent weight-training with heavier weights. The lowest weight I use in my classes is 8 lb and I only use them once in a while for shoulders if I know we’re going to be doing lots of long holds. Otherwise, I’m 12.5 and recently, 15 lb always.
The problem is that small weights simply don’t cause the hypertrophy that is needed to build muscle that will burn calories while you’re not working out. And to build muscle you have to be consistent about increasing weight because low weights eventually become manageable and muscle-building stops. So yes, Barre gets your heart rate up, it burns calories during exercise and is very challenging. But no, it’s not gonna do a whole helluva lot in terms of muscle-building.
But the irrational fear of getting bulky that discourages so many women from weight-training is stupid anyway. When you weight-train you get stronger, you build muscle, but you don’t control whether that muscle is “lean” or “bulky.” Your genotype is going to determine what your muscle looks like,
You can get the Ballet beautiful workout dvd or stream the classes online. My friend who lives in nyc swears by her classes and got me the dvd since I’m in Austin. Its hard stuff, doesn’t look like it would be but I couldn’t even get through the whole workout the first few times, and it does keep your body in great shape. I prefer Pilates but that dvd workout will kick your butt.
I’ve been watching Umbrella Academy, I really like it. And I’ve always liked Kate Walsh since Grey’s Anatomy.
Isn’t she a bit young for a hip replacement? I remember reading an interview with Walsh during her Grey’s Anatomy hey-day and she was getting bunion surgery. I know that the variables for bunions cropping up vary but she seems to go harddddd on her body.
Everyone experiences things at different times. I’ve known more than one person who had hip replacement around age 30. Strokes happen then, too. Some people experience peri-menopause in their 30s, some go into full menopause due to medications or surgeries. I mean, shit happens, right? Kate seems to have had more than her share of health issues in the last decade, for sure, and that’s not necessarily because she goes “harddddd on her body.” Difficult medical issues can happen to anyone at any age. I’m glad to hear she’s feeling better and getting the care and maintenance she needs to be healthy and feel strong.
That’s what I was thinking — 50 seems so young for this! Replacement joints might be great for someone in their 70s but are not a permanent fix if you’re an active person. They can wear out and you need a new replacement joint, sometime in as little as ten years.
Some people just have more fragile bodies. I had to have ankle surgery when I was 12-13 and I was an indoor kid. I used to date a guy who had a hip replacement at age 14 (he did some sports, but was also a relatively indoor kid). Some of us just don’t have the privilege of being born with bodies that deteriorate at the normal speed.
Umbrella Academy is the best show – it’s amazing. Standout acting. Fantastic plot and arc. Just – solidly top tier all around. So so so so good.
i’m 32, but with the hip pain i have, a hip replacement cannot be far off and tbh honest, thinking about it makes me want to throw up and faint
You’ll be okay. I used to date a guy who had a hip replacement at age 14 and he recovered extremely well (full functionality). The younger you are, the easier it is to heal. The way he put it was: “Better now when I’m young and strong than at 60 when healing is harder and more painful.” In the long run, you’ll be better off. I hope that eases your mind a little.
My little girl was born with mild hip dysplasia and had to wear a harness for the first 4 months of her life. The dr. said it’s so common they check for it at birth. If it wasn’t found she probably would have had a hip replacement at a younger than normal age. Could be what’s going on with Kate, it’s just not something they started checking for until recently.
Suziesuzoooooz well, they checked for hip dysplasia back in the late 60s soo, yeah sure Kate specifically might’ve just missed out..but to say they only started checking for it recently isn’t accurate
I think that very mild dysplasias could have been been missed. My cousin, born in 1964 was diagnosed as a newborn. She had a metal brace on her upper thighs for 18 months to hold her femur in place so the hip socket could grow around it.
The Umbrella Academy is really good but I think it is for a specific kind of person. If you like that neo-noir superhero kind of thing then you will love it. I’m really enjoying it!
Haha aw poor C/B! I didn’t mean to pick on you 😉
And you’re not alone! Seriously, so many women put a huge focus on cardio and neglect the weight-training. I too am addicted to the endorphins that I get from cardio but if you do HIIT or Tabata (for instance) you typically get a combination of weight training and cardio. So you definitely get the endorphins from a raised heart rate, but you get the muscle-building in there too. Try it you might like it! 🙂