Belly Up to the Barre

If you want long, lean muscles, then belly up to the barre—not the one that serves cocktails, but the one along the wall in the fitness studio.

In case you haven’t heard, barre classes are the latest rage in the fitness world—and for good reason. These ballet-inspired classes incorporate a series of moves designed to target certain muscle groups with laser-like precision. The workouts have a large focus on the arms, the core and the lower body, especially the hips and butt. While just about any fitness class can target these muscle groups, what makes barre class unique is the tiny, repetitive movements that produce big results.

What to Expect

Barre classes are sort of like a fusion between Pilates, ballet, calisthenics, and yoga. You don’t need any dance background—or grace—to step up to the barre. If you think barre class is going to be a walk in the park, think again. Stand outside the door and observe a class and you might think it looks easy—until you try it.

Barre class emphasizes form and alignment and low-weight, high-rep exercises designed to sculpt long, ballerina-type muscles. The cornerstone of barre class is small, isometric movements. Think tiny movements and repetition—lots and lots of repetition. In fact, you’ll repeat tiny movements so many times that your leg will start shaking and you’ll wish it would just fall off. Imagine lifting and lowering your leg behind you a mere inch or two—over and over and over. No matter how fit you are, you can expect shaking and trembling in barre class—because you’ll work the muscle all the way to fatigue.

Of course, Barre class isn’t just limited to the barre. Expect to spend some time on the floor and to use props like squishy balls and light hand weights. Plan on going barefoot or wearing special “grippy” socks.

Benefits of Barre

One reason barre classes have become so popular is that they produce results. Barre classe probably won't give you the body of a professional ballerina (remember, they’ve been dancing eight hours a day for a lifetime), but if you consistently attend class several times a week, you can expect a toned, slimmer body and improved posture.

The tiny, repetitive movements are designed to streamline, firm, tighten, and tone muscles and realign the body without adding bulk. The total body workout will lift your seat, tone your thighs, and produce chiseled muscles. What’s more—because the class doesn’t involve any bouncing or jumping, it protects the joints.

Ready to belly up to the barre? We offer Ballet Barre Works three times a week:

Wednesdays at 8 a.m.

Fridays at 3 p.m.

Sundays at 10 a.m.

Give this challenging workout a try if you want to develop strength, balance, body awareness, flexibility, and improved posture!