Are you new to the barre class scene? Not even sure what a barre class is? Let us break it down for you! Barre is a low impact fusion class! Imagine a blend of yoga, Pilates, strength training, and ballet all in one! Sounds simple and easy right? WRONG!
What You Can Expect from a Barre Class:
Barre will kick your butt! Don't be fooled by the colorful, rolled out yoga mats and cute, pink 3-pound weights. It's nonstop movement for an hour filled with cardio drills, small isometric holds, and lots of pulsing. The focus and goals are to lengthen and tone your muscles, improve balance, build core strength, and improve flexibility and posture.
1.) Lengthen & Tone Muscles. Barre helps strengthen and tone your muscles without increasing bulk. The use of small light props allows you to use mostly your own bodyweight for strength exercises. With the small and pulsing movements, you can easily increase your cardiovascular endurance and metabolism, which helps you quickly burn calories.
2.) Improve Balance. The majority of exercises in a barre class are done using one leg at a time, holding a split-stance, or balancing on the balls of your feet, thus improving static balance, hip stability, and core strength. Balance exercises give the brain a great workout too, and lessens the difference between your “strong” and “weak “side. We want to avoid any muscle imbalances in the body.
3.) Core Strength. Another benefit of barre is engaging and strengthening the core in a safe and effective way. Core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdominals to all work together. A strong core allows the body to function properly and safely which can also prevent back injuries and hip pain.
3.) Increase Flexibility & Posture. A vital component of any barre class is the restorative element of stretching. By properly stretching the muscles, it strengthens them and allows them to function properly and move within their full range of motion. If you find balancing on one leg a challenge, tight hamstrings or glutes could be the culprit. Try stretching before and after your workout to see a significant difference in your balance. Because barre also puts a large emphasis on proper posture, and can aid with better body alignment and therefore make balancing a way of being!
4.) Have Fun. Why workout if you're not having fun? Expect a killer, upbeat playlist, an energized instructor, and a fun room full of people ready to get moving and take charge of their health. Barre classes are created for any body and level. No experience necessary!
Ready to try a class? Click here!
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