What Is Barre Class All About?
Barre classes focus on light cardio, strength training, and stretching, rather than perfect dance technique, putting every tiny muscles in the core, butt, arms, and legs to the test.
Each class is designed to be a full-body, muscle endurance workout, broken into different sections that focus on major muscle groups including the arms, legs, glutes, and core.
It focuses on low-impact, high-intensity movements designed to strengthen your body in ways that few other workouts can.
Benefits Of Barre Workouts
#1 Increased flexibility. Borrowing from ballet and all the flexibility that dancers need, barre classes can help improve your stretchiness. Some exercises involve a bit of mobility, particularly in your hips & hamstrings.. Beyond the specific ballet-inspired moves, you’ll also get a fair amount of stretching in most Barre workouts to stretch out the muscles you’ll be working.
#2 Increased muscle strength. Any form of resistance training will increase muscle mass. Intensity or added weight builds muscle, but so can volume and because so many of the moves you'll work through in class get your abs and back fired up you'll sculpt a stronger, more defined core
#3 Improved endurance. Barre workouts are all about endurance, form, and repetition,. You hold positions for a long time and exhaust reps, but with minimal weight. Because you are spending a good amount of time in each shape to really work the muscles & feel what part of your body you are supposed to be activating and strengthening.
#4 Gentle on joints. Barre classes are low-impact, which can reduce the risk of injury and help if you are already injured. Barre is low-impact because there is no jumping which makes it a great option for pre- and postnatal women
#5 Better posture. So many of the moves in a barre class target your abs and core, so not only can you work toward a stronger, more defined core, you’ll also be gaining solid strength to improve your posture, balance, and overall agility.
#6 Great for cross training. You don't have to go all in on barre to feel the effects. Even if your primary focus is on getting ready for a long run, barre class can be a great form of cross training to maintain strength and well-rounded fitness
Barre is for everyone, and you don't have to be a dancer or super fit to do it. Unlike many exercise classes, which require a high level of physical fitness or prior expertise, barre is very beginner-friendly and adaptable to different skill sets and ability levels.