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| Monday, June 08, 2009 |
| Step Up to the BAR! |
The Ballet bar that is. Ballet bars have gotten more and more popular for working out. They aren’t just for dancers anymore. Many gyms, Pilates studios and yoga studios have added ballet bars to their workouts. I took a class last weekend and I LOVED IT! Granted, I love exercising, but I think almost everyone would enjoy this class.
I’d seen videos of bar classes before, so I sort of knew what to expect. But the workout was much tougher than I thought it would be. The class was totally packed with ladies. There were ladies in their 20’s and some who may have been in their 70’s or 80’s. The music was pumping and everyone was sweating after about 5 minutes. I could feel every move working a different muscle which I really liked. I like to feel like I really worked out if I’m going to spend an hour doing something. By the end, everyone was moaning and groaning. After a great stretch, the class was over and I was beat. I spoke to some of the ladies who said they absolutely swear by this workout. Most do it three times a week and I will say most of them looked pretty good. So being a Certified Personal Trainer, I decided to do some research on the Ballet Bar Workout.
I knew it wasn’t a new idea. I mean, have you seen some of these ballet dancers? They always have the best bodies. I found out that there were a number of places to take a bar class including: The Bar Method, Cardio Barre, and Physique 57. The classes are all slightly different depending on which organization you go through. They are very different in pace, but they all use the ballet bar and include weight training, abdominal work, and several strenuous exercises that help to trim and tone the body and hopefully create that “dancer’s physique”. Even though the roots of these classes are in ballet, you will get a much more upbeat, heart pumping, calorie burning workout.
I actually took my class at The Bar Method in New Jersey. I really felt my muscles being shaped and toned by the small isometric movements. Each moved was followed by a great stretch which lengthens the muscles. It all went at such a quick pace that I knew I was burning fat.
You can check out some of the exercises from the class at The Bar Method website and click on exercises. The Bar Method claims that the results you will see include:
- Firm, elongated muscles
- Reduced body fat
- High muscle definition in the chest, upper arms and upper legs
- Improved posture
- Long, narrow thighs
- A lifted seat and defined hamstrings
- Strong, flat abdominals
- Increased stamina and energy
- Extended youthfulness
After just one class, I definitely agree. You can probably find a bar class near you. The Bar Method is in NJ, NY, California and Illinois. In South Florida, try a class at Leading Lady Fitness or Pure Pilates. In NY also try Physique 57. In Pennsylvania, try Lucille Roberts. Many other fitness centers have added bar classes as well. They can be expensive so shop around for the best deals or try a video at home. Currently my favorite videos are Pure Barre and of course The Bar Method videos. So give it a try and belly up to the bar.
- Jennifer
Labels: Exercise, Fitness, Jennifer
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posted by My Sensei @ Monday, June 08, 2009   |
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| 2 Comments: |
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Sounds fun! I'm always up for something new! I'm going to check and see if we have a class in my town.
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WOW, sounds like an awesome workout!!! When I was a kid, I did ballet, toe & tap so I remember those workouts BUT this step up to these classes sound amazing & as we always say, the bod likes change so why not give it a try, right! Saying that, I doubt anything will ever pull me away from my love of the weight room!!! :-)
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Sounds fun! I'm always up for something new! I'm going to check and see if we have a class in my town.