4 Reasons Why You Need To Do Barre

Fun fact, 3 hours before I gave birth to my twins… I was pulsing it out at Xtend Barre. I credit barre for keeping me in shape during my pregnancy and snapping me back so quickly {more on that in my Fit Pregnancy Series coming soon!}. Six years ago I started going once a week and saw a dramatic difference in muscles, tightening and definitely never thought I’d see the day when I had abs {what were those?!}, but even once a week – there they were.

Let’s talk basics. So what is barre? If ballet and pilates had a lovechild it would be barre and the best part is it’s all to upbeat pop and hip-hop beats. Totally my jam. If you follow me on instagram, you have seen me at Xtend Barre taking my accountability selfie several times a week.  When I joined, I instantly clicked with owner – and now one of my closest friend Natalie Strahorn {be sure you are following her here}, so I’ve asked her to share her top 4 reasons why every gal should get their burn on at barre and of course – give you my no BS two cents as well.

Burn Baby Burn

Natalie: Ever wondered what’s up with the “Barre Burn” and “Shakes” you get in barre class compared to higher intensity workouts, like cycling or strength training? Barre recruits different types of muscle fibers. Isometric contractions and high-rep, low-weight endurance exercises activate slow-twitch, fibers, which provide a low force output but can keep working for an extended period of time. Whereas when you strength training or do high-intensity interval workouts typically activates fast-twitch, muscle fibers. These fibers contract quickly and are responsible for powerful, dynamic movements and increasing muscle size, but fatigue more quickly than slow-twitch muscle fibers. In barre, you perform many reps of the same movement involving specific muscles, you’re working those muscles to exhaustion, which means you’re going past your comfort zone—and you’re going to feel the “barre burn” and “shakes”.  

P: I have a love-hate-love relationship with the barre burn. If you haven’t felt it before, it’s the feelings that your muscles get when your legs or butt are on fire and you think you are going to give out in any moment. That feeling is what I’m addicted to and what creates change.

In a Gym Rut? This is for you

Natalie: So let’s talk calorie burn and why this workout works. For one, any form of strength training increases your resting metabolism, which means you’re burning calories ALL day. Whereas you’re burning calories when you’re doing straight cardio exercises, like running and cycling, but the calorie burn stops when you stop the cardio exercise. What drew me to Xtend Barre versus other barre methods, is that it was the only barre method at the time that combined both cardio and strength training, so you’re getting the best of both worlds.  

You can burn up to 650 calories in an Xtend Barre workout. But it’s really up to you to push yourself to go that hard. Our instructors teach to all levels, so you can take push-ups on your knees and you can keep your heels down for super-challenging exercises, or you can take the challenge offered to amp up exercises.

P: Pre-barre, I was thin, but lacked any tone in my muscles. Like literally zero. I was an elliptical addict – spending an hour each day – and going to the gym confused AF as to what I should be doing there. Let’s be honest, no one wants a pancake bum. So in 45-50 minutes wham, bam, thank you mam you’ve targeted all your muscles.

Preggo? No problemo!   

Natalie: Barre is one of the best workouts for prenatal clients because the majority of the workout is done upright, so the bump isn’t impacted.

P: It’s all low-impact, low resistance with modifications for every single move. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I would still plank for a minute but just changed up the ab series. My daily plank made me feel like a preggy bad ass, I have to admit.

No Bulkiness

Natalie: You don’t need to be a dancer to do barre. If you want the long lean toned physique of a dancer, then this workout works towards that.

P: Things that just won’t happen – building bulkiness doing barre.  It’s all about low weights, lots of reps and changing it up. If long, lean and a tight ass are your thing – you’ve got to try it.

I leave you with this. Try it. Sign up. Challenge yourself to invest in yourself – even if it’s for a week and share what you think!

P

xo