"I Did 2 Barre Classes A Week For A Month, The Results Surprised Me"
Once the reserve of PTs and Class Pass-ers, barre has entered the mainstream lately. And as more people turn to this full-body, ballet-inspired workout, I decided to hang up my running shoes and give it a go – setting myself the challenge of bi-weekly classes for a month. 'How hard could it be?,' I thought, naively. Here’s everything you need to know about barre, and what went down post-pliéing…
What is barre?
If you’re familiar with the concept of barre–a workout inspired by the likes of ballet, pilates and yoga–you will know that it’s hard. ‘Each class is meant to sculpt, define, build alignment, strengthen your 360 core and elongate muscles,' says Maria Eleftheriou, co-creator of Psycle’s much-loved Barre55.
Though each class will differ depending on the studio, the focus is on a full-body workout that targets major muscle groups, from your arms, glutes and core – resulting in the famous barre 'shake' (where your whole body shakes as a result of stimulating the muscle fibres).
A ballet barre is used, but it's also a fusion of strength work and contemporary Pilates. Think balance, strength training and cardio wrapped up in a sweaty full-body workout to the beat of high-impact music.
How does it work?
Unlike the fast chase of a 10-mile sprint or high-intensity bursts of HIIT, when it comes to barre, some of the most powerful movement is minimal - tiny, even. ‘It works because it keeps your muscles guessing,’ says my Psycle instructor, Josh, during one of my first barre sessions, one of the toughest classes I’ve ever tried.
Barre works all of the key muscle groups, including your thighs and bum, that make your metabolism work faster. ‘It is best known for metabolic conditioning, meaning that the workout is so intense that you get in to the fat-burning zone and burn far more calories during and after your workout,’ explains Maria.
But it's not just a physical workout. 'Whether you’re aware of it or not, your brain is working just about as hard as your booty in a barre class,' Maria continues. 'Barre requires body awareness and that means that your brain is engaging in what your body is doing.'
She continues: ‘In barre. you're continually moving parts of the body at different speeds and in different planes (directions, i.e. forwards, backwards and laterally); this makes the neuromuscular connection and the mind-body connection very powerful.' Neuro-what? Neuromuscular connection refers to the part of the brain that controls the voluntary movements of the skeletal, which sends signals to the nerves; this is known as the neuromuscular system.
What are the benefits of barre?
Improves core stability
Fires up your metabolism
Focuses on leaning out muscles
Low impact and kind to joints
Great for balance, stability and co-ordination
Deeper mind-body connection
Prevents injury
Can offset osteoporosis by building bone density (caused by hormonal changes whereby the breakdown of calcium in the bone and lack of vitamin D means the bone becomes fragile and brittle)
Improves posture
Can anyone try barre?
Yes, no matter your level, fitness, strength, or age, barre can be beneficial for everyone. ‘The nature of the exercises mean it's always possible to modify the moves if needed, allowing you to adapt the exercises to suit your fitness journey,' says Maria. 'Movements can be restricted or expanded in their range of motion to suit all specific needs, for example pre and post natal women.’
And if you’re new to the scene? Be patient and give yourself a chance to learn and get used to the technique, she adds.
How does barre differ from other workouts?
'The primary difference is your range of motion and the types of muscles you’ll use to perform each exercise,' Maria tells me. 'Traditional compound exercises in a HIIT or aerobics class move your joints through a full range of motion (think squatting down and standing back up). Rather than larger, compound movements, you perform tiny, one-inch increments called isometric contractions in barre.'
These isometric exercises tense the muscles but without changing the length, meaning you don't put impact on your joints. That means you can do higher reps and endure the position for longer (it's at this point when you start to shake).
Everything I learned when I tried barre for the first time
1. It challenges your body in new ways
I will not lie, after my first barre session, I didn’t think I could go back. I headed to Psycle, one of London's sleekest studios, for its signature Barre55 session. My body was shaking after the first plié hold; it was trembling minutes later in 'chair pose'. And after the 55-minute session, my muscles and mind were in a state of shock.
I persevered and after a couple of weeks, I could hold the positions for longer; my mind and body were stronger and, though challenging, I pushed myself to carry on.
2. There are mental and physical wins
As Maria had mentioned, this is not just an intensive body workout – there's a lot to think about. Ensuring my heels stay lifted, my core remains engaged and my hips remain aligned – it's as much a form of exercise for my body as it is for my brain. 'All those adjustments are not just physical work, they involve the brain sending signals so that the correction can be not only made, but then maintained,' agrees Maria.
While I can certainly notice the physical gains of my barre challenge after a month (a tighter core and stronger arms) it's the mindful movement – and a better mind-body connection – where I've really noticed a difference. I'd usually do exercise purely to get a sweat on, but now I know how to actually activate certain muscles. I can recognise whether the right muscles are switched on or not, and I know how to wake them up if they're slacking.
3. It’s great for runners
I love running. But I know that some of my ailments (particularly in my knees - I often get knee pain running - and lower back) are the bi-product of pounding the streets on a weekly basis. Barre, however, is a tonic for that. ‘Runners tend to do little strength training and often work only in one plane of the body,' says Maria. 'Barre will work the whole 360 of the body, especially the sides of the body increasing overall strength and power.'
Giving my joints a break (it's low-impact, after all) is one bonus, but a tighter, stronger core helps generate more stability while running, too. This stability extends to your feet, calves and ankles too – it prevents tightness in the calves and rolling over on the ankles when you run, which can help avoid injuries in the long run, explains Maria.
Final thoughts
By far the hardest type of exercise I’ve tried, barre tested every muscle in my body. At the time of writing this article, it's been five weeks since I began and it's still hard, but I feel stronger in my arms and core, and it's definitely getting easier (albeit V gradually) as time goes on.
Will I continue? A more realistic routine for me going forward would be doing barre once a week or every two weeks, as opposed to twice a week like I did for the purpose of this article, so I'll be aiming for that from now on. Barre is a boon for mind-body connection, so yes, I'm determined to stick at it for its undeniable strengthening, toning and balancing benefits, but I found it very tiring and my muscles ached for days afterwards. Perhaps after a few months of consistent practice I'd find it easier and my muscles wouldn't need so long to recover, in which case I'd consider ramping back up to twice a week. Would I recommend it? 1000 times yes.
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