Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
Barre is one of the many trending exercise classes that women and men are interested in. Barre focuses on a combination of postures inspired by ballet, yoga, or pilates. The class utilizes a ballet barre that can help balance the body.
Barre uses a lot of isometric strength training, or holding your body while you contract a specific set of muscles. It also combines a large number of reps of small range of motion movements.
The benefits of barre are incredible. Class members have reported muscle definition, weight loss, increased flexibility, better posture, and reduced stress.
I went to a class with my roommate, thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal. The night before, I read online about what to expect and I was a little afraid of what would happen. Women wrote blogs about how tired and sore they were or how difficult the classes were. I wanted to bail on the class altogether, but a promise is a promise to my roommate.
We arrived early to the studio, as recommended to get set up. We both got a flat mat, similar to a yoga mat, a cushy body ball, and a set of hand weights. The hand weights typically come in one, two, or five pound options, but don’t doubt the smaller weight sizes. With repetitive movements with the weights, your body gets fatigued early. Choose a light option to start out with.
Everyone took their position on their mat. There aren’t any bad seats in barre, like a heated yoga class.
The instructor had us start immediately and we powered through a lot of exercises. You engage all of your body: your arms, your chest, your core, your legs, and your seat area. Most classes are an hour long and take you through a warm up, body exercises, and a cool down.
I thought I was going to die halfway through the class. We didn’t have many breaks and the class got harder and harder to keep balance in odd positions while going through each of the series the instructor presented. She pushed us hard.
We finished the class with a plank that lasted almost a minute. My body shook and ached already from the impact. I thought I was going to be in better shape than I thought.
It’s a good workout. Would I do it every day? Nope. You couldn’t pay me. But I’d go back a few times a month to do barre. But I’ll stick with my hot yoga classes for now.
Here are a few tips to help you survive a barre class:
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No shoes! Wear shoes to the studio, but prepared to go barefoot!
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Register for your class online and make sure to do so in a timely manner.
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Dress for class! Wear tight fitting leggings and a tank top. Don’t do anything flowy that might get in the way.
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Bring a water bottle!
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If you’re worried about other people watching you, don’t. Everyone is so focused on their own posture and movements that they couldn’t possibly look at you or have time to judge you.
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Eat something healthy after to refuel.
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Be prepared to be sore the next morning.
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Be patient with yourself. Sometimes it takes practice. Some of the poses are awkward or difficult, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do it!