This week I got to try something totally new- a barre class. My soon-to-be sister in law is a newly minted instructor for Barre3 in Madison, and she was teaching a few free classes this week to family and friends. I've been in a workout slump, so I had to jump at the chance for something new and fresh!
The description of barre classes is, "where ballet barre meets yoga and pilates".
The description of barre classes is, "where ballet barre meets yoga and pilates".
I can definitely attest to the combination of yoga and pilates, but since I have 0 experience in ballet I can't say how much of that was in the class. My guess would be very little, or I probably wouldn't have made it out alive! The class was 60 minutes. We started with a dynamic warm up, then worked arms and legs both on and off the barre, and finished with core work on a mat with a ball. My favorite parts of the class included:
1) The focus on form. We never rushed through exercises (but also didn't go at a snail pace), and each exercise had a purpose. At the start of each exercise, the instructor gave a brief description of the target muscle group and a few helpful tips on form. Practicing good form in classes can be the make or break in terms of whether you get an overall benefit, and this class did an excellent job!
2) Working the often neglected muscles. I typically do a lot of running, swimming, and biking- none of which include very much abduction. I'm also very prone to muscle weaknesses including the glutes and hips (most women are). Most of the leg work offered in the Barre class focused on hips and glutes, and further, the exercises had a good mix of balance and strength. The ab work at the end of the class got me to work my deepest abdominal muscles (the transverse abdominis) which is really hard to target.
1) The focus on form. We never rushed through exercises (but also didn't go at a snail pace), and each exercise had a purpose. At the start of each exercise, the instructor gave a brief description of the target muscle group and a few helpful tips on form. Practicing good form in classes can be the make or break in terms of whether you get an overall benefit, and this class did an excellent job!
2) Working the often neglected muscles. I typically do a lot of running, swimming, and biking- none of which include very much abduction. I'm also very prone to muscle weaknesses including the glutes and hips (most women are). Most of the leg work offered in the Barre class focused on hips and glutes, and further, the exercises had a good mix of balance and strength. The ab work at the end of the class got me to work my deepest abdominal muscles (the transverse abdominis) which is really hard to target.
Overall I really enjoyed the class, and would definitely go to another one! I know a lot of athletes (particularly triathletes) emphasize strength work in the off-season, but gained strength doesn't just hang on for the other 9-10 months of the year- you lose it quite quickly. Working on your muscle weaknesses is important to maintain all year- especially when you're in heavy training and more susceptible to overuse injuries.
Cheers to getting out of my comfort zone- may be a theme for 2014!
Cheers to getting out of my comfort zone- may be a theme for 2014!