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I took ballet lessons for ten years as a child, which was the perfect extracurricular activity for my young self. I have never been very athletic, I’m tall and lanky and muscles just aren’t my thing (unfortunately). Even though I was the stereotypical ballerina, I enjoyed it.
These days, my problem is not that I don’t like to exercise. My problem is that I can’t find a form of exercise that I like enough to stick with (for more than a month or two). Spinning was my favorite for a while, but that faded. I tried running, but ended up with too many injuries. Yoga is fun from time to time, but I can’t do it too frequently or I get bored. See what I mean? Workout A.D.D.
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When I found Pure Barre (or PB as I like to call it) I finally felt like I found an activity that I truly loved. It incorporates some classic ballet positions and is an effective workout. This class is a full body workout that uses very small isometric movements to work each muscle group to fatigue. Think of it as a combination of ballet, pilates, and yoga mixed with interval training.
Here’s the scoop:
- In class you will use two light weights for the workout, along with a small red ball, and a double tube. We’re talking very light weights here people (I use 2 lb weights everytime)
- Wear leggings (yoga pants or crops), don’t wear shorts
- Bring a pair of socks (socks with the little grippers on the bottom are best)
- Every class is different and uses unique interval workouts for each area. However, the lineup is always consistent: warmup, thigh work, “seat” (aka butt) work, round back at the barre, flat back at the barre, abs, bridge exercises, and lots and lots of stretching
- The music changes every couple weeks and the instructors are very high energy and welcoming. Each one learns your name (and somehow remembers it) and gives you shout outs during class when you need it the most
- I will admit, that it took a long time for me to adjust to exactly how to do the moves. (Think, the smaller the better) The key is to do the moves very small so that you are using muscle instead of momentum. It took me about 3 months to really get a hang of it and do every move correctly, so don’t feel bad if you feel lost when you start
- It is one of the most painful (in a good way) things I have ever done. Your legs will be shaking and the last 10 seconds of each exercise will feel like a lifetime. To this day I still have a hard time getting through the entire class without taking a break
- Each interval is 2:30 minutes long, but I promise you that it feels so much longer than that (again, in a good way)
- Time flies! The duration of class is 55 minutes, but I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to look at the clock
- The Pure Barre motto is “Lift.Tone.Burn” and you will definitely experience all three of these words
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
There are other barre classes out there, but this is the only one I have tried. They usually offer LivingSocial deals from time to time, so be on the lookout for one in your area!
Have you ever tried a barre class?
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