Although, it does have origins in dance, but still those who have never been any good in dancing shouldn’t be worried at all. You don’t need any prior dancing experience or expertise to complete a Barre workout without any mishap. No leotards, no tap shoes and no fancy foot work is needed. A typical Barre session will take you through series of invigorating and dynamic holds, exercises and movements.
Usually, all the Barre workouts follow same structure. You will start with a mat based warm up, which will have sequence of upper-body exercises including free weights, push-ups, planks and other moves to target the biceps, triceps, chest, and back muscles. The next target is the thigh and seat muscles. For this, you will use the ballet barre for support and balance, and your bodyweight for resistance. The core muscles are engaged throughout the session and will be targeted towards the end of the workout. At the end of the workout, to cool down, you will go through series of stretches that will increase your flexibility and will help your muscles to recover. Usually a Barre session will last for 60 minutes.
Although most of the moves are typically bodyweight, you can still use some gear to make the workout more challenging. For instance, the light hand weights (usually two or three pounds) or resistance bands can be used to level up the arm exercises. Then, you can use a soft exercise ball to better engage your leg muscles.
What to wear to the class?
The typical yoga wear will do the trick. Leggings, sports bra or a tank top are all well suited for the workout. Ensure that the clothes you are wearing doesn’t interfere with your workout session. And, avoid wearing thick fabric and heavy clothes. Your clothing should be conductive for different range of motions. As for the footwear, you don’t need it. You can go barefoot or can do the workout session in socks. Most studios usually have carpets, so it is advisable to wear grippy socks to prevent any instance of slipping.
The Benefits
So, as you now have a brief about the Barre workout, let’s move on to the important aspect. Let’s take a look at the benefits it does offer and that would justify spending $20 to $30 on each class.
- Tiny movements make you stronger
The Barre workouts are loaded with tiny muscle movements known as isometric contractions. This happens when the muscle tenses without changing length. These movements are opposite of the typical strength training moves (known as concentric and eccentric contractions), which occurs when a muscle shortens and then stretches.