A lot of classes start with a warm up, before moving to the barre, to focus on legs and your glutes. Then many classes end on the mat as you target the core, before a yoga-inspired cool-down. Some classes also use resistance bands and light hand weights to make the classes tougher to and to help build lean muscle, and mats for targeted core work.
You can perfect a barre workout without any previous dance experience, it can be tailored to be “as ballet” or as little ballet as you like. A barre workout can be fun, active and intense, providing intense mind and body exercises.
Barre workouts are known to drop the calories and tune the mind.
It’s not hard to see why barre workouts have become so popular, plenty of celebrities have already added barre workouts to their fitness regime.
What is it best for?
Barre delivers a full body workout, but it’s great for strengthening your core and toning your glutes and legs. Because ballet barre is low impact, it’s great if you recovering from an injury (let the instructor know if you have an injury so they can modify exercises accordingly!). Many barre classes can also be modified so they are a safe workout option for pre or post-natal clients. Barre workouts are also a good cross-training option to pair with other exercise like running, weight lifting or cycling, because they strengthen the muscles needed for these exercises without being too stressful on the body.
Which celebrities do barre?
The barre fitness craze started in LA, with A-listers like Jessica Alba, Olivia Palermo, Drew Barrymore, Zooey Deschanel, Natalie Portman and Dakota Fanning all attending classes. Victoria’s Secret Angels Candice Swanepoel and Alessandra Ambrosio have also posted their love of barre on Instagram. In the UK, Millie Mackintosh, Jourdan Dunn, Rita Ora, Poppy Delevigne and health blogger Madeleine Shaw have all attended Barrecore classes.
What are the results like?
If you attend a ballet barre class it takes just a few classes to see the difference in your body – and if you go to barre classes regularly you’re likely to see increased strength and a more toned physique. The ballet barre workouts have a heavy focus on legs, glutes and the core muscles, so yes, you will get the great bum, and toned abs! Think mind training combined with body training. You will feel muscles you never knew you had. You will feel a deep-muscle burn without negative impact on your joints. You will sweat and burn calories during workout and the rest period. It can improve your strength, concentration, posture, balance and even tune your mind and body together. You’ll be connecting the dots between your mind and body to give a finely tuned working system.
Trying out your first ballet barre workout can be easy or challenging depending on the type of class you will attend. However, to enjoy the fruits of your rewards you need to do at least one session a week and within a few weeks you will be able to start seeing the difference.
- Do think small can make a difference. Even a cm improvement in your stretch can really make a difference in how your energy moves in your body. Small concentrated movements can really build strength and tone your body. Isometric movements allow you to target the specific muscle that you are toning. In ballet paying attention to small movements is important because it is a step closer in achieving your goals.
- Do practice regularly Regular practice will ensure that you are making continuous improvements in your body shape and performance so do not skip a workout.
- Do dress appropriately. Barre workout clothes are important because they can encourage and improve your performance. Try to buy a good pair of leggings and a well-fitting top.
- Don’t skip your stretch and warm up. By warming up you allow your body to be prepared for the workout and prevent any injuries. Better spend your time to warm up and stretch rather than get injured and stay home until you fully recover.
- Don’t dehydrate. Make sure you drink plenty of water at hand, because you will sweat during the workout so you need to replace your lost fluids with water.
- Don’t eat heavy. Eating before a workout is essential, but make sure you keep it light, otherwise you might not be able to complete or enjoy the workout with a heavy stomach.
