Pilate Barre
How It Works
Pliés (wide squat with feet turned out), relevés (heels lifted balancing on the ball of the foot), and sauté jumps don’t just look graceful, the ballet moves also lengthen and strengthen muscles and burn calories.
Ballet-inspired Barre classes are a popular workout trend mixing moves from Ballet, Pilates, and Yoga to music.
You don’t need a tutu or ballet slippers nor do you need to be a dancer.
Pilates Barre classes at The Workshop also incorporate small balls, resistance bands, and hand weights for floor work. The low-impact workout focuses on proper alignment.
The classes blend cardio, strength training, flexibility, balance, and core conditioning in a total body workout that targets the hips, glutes, abs, and arms.
Intensity Level: Medium
The emphasis on proper alignment, balance, and core engagement means the classes move at a slower pace. You might not leave a Pilates Barre class drenched in sweat, but you’ll feel the burn after a class thanks to moves that target specific muscle groups.
Areas It Targets
Core: Yes. You'll do a combination of ballet positions and Pilates moves to target the abs.
Arms: Yes. Classes include exercises like barre presses, lateral arm raises, and triceps lifts to work the arm muscles.
Legs: Yes. Expect to perform movements like pliés, dégagé, leg lifts/extensions, and other ballet-inspired moves that target the legs.
Glutes: Yes. Targeted moves like glute raises help tone the backside.
Back: No. Ballet-inspired workouts target the whole body but do not target the back muscles, except for those that are part of your core.
Type
Flexibility: Yes. This ballet-inspired workout will gently improve your flexibility.
Aerobic: No. The barre moves are too slow to give you an aerobic workout.
Strength: Yes. Some barre classes use weights and resistance bands, and others use your body weight to strengthen and tone.
Low-Impact: Yes. There is no jumping or bouncing, so the workout is easy on the joints.
What Else Should I Know?
Cost: Block of 6 consecutive classes are €70 pp
Good for beginners? Yes. Ballet-inspired classes are good for beginners who want to try a new workout.
Barre fitness is ideal if you’re just getting into exercise. The classes will improve your balance, build strength, make you more flexible, burn calories, and improve stability through a stronger core.
As you get more comfortable and fit, you can ramp up the intensity by adding weights and more challenging moves.
It's challenging for men and women alike. These moves are a lot harder than they look and can help anyone take their fitness to the next level.
Is It Good for Me If I Have a Health Condition?
Barre exercises are often gentle on the joints and can be an excellent choice if you have arthritis or joint problems. You’ll also build stronger muscles, which gives more support to your joints and lessens pain.
When recovering from a back injury, you want to focus on building a stronger core. Pilates Barre can help you do that.
The next term of Pilates Barre classes starts on w/c 16th of October if you are interested in trying something new.