Chris Pine Has Realized That Ballet Is 'an Incredible Workout'

Chris Pine has expanded his workout routine to include ballet classes. The actor recently told People that he's taken up the technical dance style, saying "I wish I'd done it years ago." (

Ballet boasts many physical and mental benefits, so it's no surprise that Pine has gotten into it. Any style of dance, including ballet, helps with flexibility, coordination, strength, endurance, and stamina, says Katia Pryce, a trained dancer and founder of DanceBody. "It's truly cross training your entire body at the same time. So it's a time saver — plus, you're conditioning every piece at the same moment."

Pine became interested in ballet after watching a Russian dancer dancing to the artist Hozier in a church. "I was like, 'Who is this guy?' I was like, 'I want to look like that,'" he said in the People interview. Now that ballet is a part of his fitness routine, it doesn't sound like he'll be stopping any time soon. "It's an incredible workout. I just find it so beautiful, because you have to be so strong and kind of masculine, so to speak, but also very gentle and feminine." (See: Hilary Duff Recreated Her Iconic 'With Love' Dance for TikTok)

Though Pine seems to have no trouble embracing dance as a form of exercise, Pryce is well aware that a common misconception about dance, and ballet in particular, is that it's only for women. However, she says that's simply not true. "Dance is such an incredible workout for men...You're sweating, you're using every muscle." She also points out that it strengthens the lower body, including the quads, calves, and hamstrings.

All in all, it's a great workout for just about anyone, according to Pryce. (No wonder Jennifer Garner recently showed off her ballet moves for fans on Instagram.) And you don't need to have years of training to get started. "I think the hardest muscle to train is your mind," says Pryce. "And I think the stigma around dance, certainly around ballet, is that you have to be coordinated." But the only way to gain that coordination is to start moving, and you can do so with small steps, such as taking a dance class for beginners, suggests Pryce.

If nothing else, adding ballet or another type of dance class to your regular workout schedule is a great way to switch things up. "Everyone needs to shake up their movement routine," says Pryce. So consider following Pine's lead and sign up for a new workout class today.