Ellen Barrett Ballet Burn

Meet “Ballet Burn”

Ballet Burn features three of my go-to's: 1. flow, 2. big ranges of motion, and 3. a turned out stance. Why do I adore these traits so much? Efficiency.

The Psychology of Tight Hamstrings

Hamstrings are more than muscles - they're gateways to serenity. (Oh, buckle up...you're never going to ignore your hamstrings again after you read this post.)

Moving the Needle, Ellen Barrett Blog

Moving the Needle

That 15minute workout you're squeezing in today? It might appear like nothing much. However, it' s a VIP (very important part) of your wellness journey. What is the ocean, but a multitude of water drops?

Ellen Barrett Love Wins

Love Wins

There are three exercise modes: autopilot, force, and love.  The autopilot mode is like brushing your teeth. It’s just another chore one is inclined to do and there’s no real emotion behind it.  The force mode is like getting on your roof to clean out the gutters. It takes some goading, and there are varying degrees of dread. The love mode is like a gardener tending to her beloved roses. It’s enjoyable, soul-feeding, and she...

Ellen Barrett Wrist Weight Workout

Why A Wrist Weight Workout?

So why a wrist weight? Well, the teeny bit of added weight applied to the endsof your lever length (a.k.a., your arms) adds resistance, induces a bit more body awareness, recruits the core a little more, demands more movement control, allows for un-fisted hands, and subtly increases cardio challenge.

Ellen Barrett New Moon Energy

New Moon (And We Begin Again)

It’s officially a new moon (as of this evening, as I type), and I’m here for it. I look at all new moons the way many people see Mondays or January 1s. To me, a new moon is a fresh start-clean slate-new beginning, so if you veered off track, if you want to turn it up, or if you want to set sail on a new frontier, now is good to begin again. The new moon has got your back. So what are you jonesin’ for? How...

Preppers

There's a tremendous sense of empowerment in knowing you can handle physical adversity. Plus, being physically capable is a great way help others and put them at ease. Ultimately, when you're fit,  incidences like ones I experienced in the subway, the airport, and the high-rise hotel, become opportunities to shine. 

Ellen Barrett Let's Move!

This Stunned Me!

This weekend, while watching college basketball with my sports-obsessed family, I spied a horrendous slogan, written front and center in bold, on an entire team’s sweatshirt, that read NOTHING EASY.  Of course, I was like, “How did that get approved?” If I was the coach, I would never allow my players to wear such a low vibe, buzzkill statement across their heart centers. Talk about misdirecting focus and setting an entire team up for a major slog! (And they lost BTW.)  Easy or...

The Ultimate Status Symbol

Is it uncomfortable to sit cross-legged? Do you struggle getting down to and up from the ground? Do you feel tension and/or pain in your hips after walking, hiking, jogging or cycling? If you answered yes to one, two or all three, you are not alone and the following info might enlighten you!   Hips are big, weight bearing joints and the most common reason for discomfort in our hips is a lack of mobility, making stretching the missing link. There are three...

#winningroutine

By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, I have celebration fatigue. The gauntlet from Thanksgiving, to December birthdays, to Solstice, to Christmas and then to NYE is a really big one for me. In fact, today is January 1st, New Year’s Day, and I’m admittedly out of whack, socially and emotionally very tired, and I crave routine. Routine is a very underrated part of wellness success. It’s what leads to consistency and since we become...