Today I was back into ballet, attending my weekly class after two weeks off (one they were closed, last weekend we were away). My hips have continued to pop after starting about three weeks ago and it has, unfortunately, gotten more frequent and more intense. I sense I’m back on the SPD train I was on with Doodle.
But I’m trying to be better this time. I’m trying to be cautious and today was the first class I didn’t complete so far during this pregnancy. I thought about backing out at “half-time” (aka: the break between the barre warm-up and center work) but despite barre feeling never-ending, it was only half the class so I decided to stay and do what I could.
Class started off shaky from the first time I stepped into 1st position (the V shape, heels together). I assumed my normal 1st position and my right knee felt torqued so I released my turn out a little, on both sides to be even. But my left leg wanted to turn our normally so I felt crooked and odd throughout barre though, somehow, my balance was spot-on today.
But by the more intense barre work (fast degages and ron de jambes), my hips felt completely unstable and that is when I thought I’d probably leave at the break. Plus my right butt cheek was cramping, probably from the unusual/uneven position I was working in.
Center went okay, I was able to complete everything up until jumping which is when I took up residency in the corner and began marking the exercises and practicing my port de bras (arm movements).
I’ve been so careful this pregnancy to try to keep the SPD at a minimum. I’m avoiding deep hip stretches which felt sooooooo good during my pregnancy with Doodle but I think might have excessively stretched things that were already loosey-goosey. I’m only doing frog stretches (sitting, bottoms of feet together, legs bent, bending forward) and gentle straddles (sitting, legs wide to the side, bending forward). I’m NOT putting pressure down on my knees in the frog stretch as I worry this might overstretch my hips and I’m also not doing many deep squats or wide 2nd plies with pressure back on my legs as these are much more intense than just froggies and straddles and what I loved doing during my pregnancy with Doodle.
But I am happy to report, seven hours later, my pelvic floor and hips feel awesome. No pain, discomfort or impaired mobility like I was experiencing with Doodle so I must be doing something right this time and hopefully I can keep it up for another 15 weeks! (though I do have one heck of a sore right butt cheek…)
