I know the blog has been a bit silent lately (more on that to come later this week), but one thing that I want to shout out loud would be the opening of The Barre Studio in Capitola.  If you have never done a barre class before, now is your chance to try a class for FREE… that’s right… FREE.  If you have done a barre class before, then you know how incredibly awesome the workout is (and you can try for FREE too).  Keep reading for all the details…

If you’ve checked out the About section of this blog, you know that I’ve been a fitness instructor for a long, long time.  In this time, many trends have come and gone, but one thing that is here to stay would be strength and flexibility.  This happens to be just two of the benefits of a barre class.  If these don’t have you convinced, let me tell you more.  According to Jessica Von Duerring, a certified Pilates and Barre instructor, barre is:

• hard on the muscles, but easy on the joints
• beginners have no fear… barre is for everyone
• it’s a full body workout (but, hello sexy butt!!!)
• work muscles to failure (sounds scary, but it’s all good)
• your muscles will become more flexible… and they will thank you for this
• it’s fun
• you’ll lose weight and inches
• increased range of motion (which transfers to other sports)
• results so fast your friends will wonder what you’ve had done

Still not convinced… read the whole article 10 Benefits of the Barre

In the last few years, I’ve started to notice several imbalances in my body from doing the same exercises time after time.  Don’t get me wrong, I love running, teaching my classes, and subbing for others, but muscles have memory and if we do the same things over and over, we start to develop weaknesses in some areas while overdeveloping other muscles.  Over time, those weaknesses can turn into injuries or lost range of motion and tightness.  When exploring options for workouts that can turn my weaknesses into strengths, I kept winding up at a barre class.  It was shortly after that a friend of mine had this idea to open up a barre studio.  This girl raised her hand quickly and said… “I’ll do anything you need.”  Soon, I will get to join an awesome group of instructors to bring this amazing class to Santa Cruz County and beyond.  We have all been certified and have practiced over and over to bring you a top-notch barre class.  And if you recall… you get to try the class for FREE!

Now… just one more thing before I give you the details on the studio and those FREE classes.  If you are new to barre, it can be scary to enter into a studio.  The good news is that most people in class with you will be brand new too.  Even better news is that I’m going to tell you what to expect in a class.  Here goes:

EQUIPMENT:  You will be told what to grab at the beginning of the class.  This will/may include a mat, weights, a ball, a strap, or a band.  The studio will have a barre mounted to the wall.  One piece of equipment you will need to have for class would be those sticky socks.  They will be available for sale at the studio if you don’t have them already.

CHOREOGRAPHY:  Fun, uptempo songs will keep you moving throughout the class that will include a warm-up, upper body (oh… you will be asked to grab weights or bands here… don’t be cocky… this is hard and even going without weights will make your arms burn, baby, burn), butt and thigh work at the barre, flexibility after you make those legs shake (and burn… big time), core work, more flexibility and a cool down.  Here’s the key… most moves are done about 16 times.  Just when you think you can’t keep going, remember that you are really, really close to being done.  Breathe and keep pushing… your goal is to work the muscle to fatigue.  You will be rewarded greatly for doing so.

LANGUAGE:  Barre is a descendant of ballet.  You will hear some ballet terms like relevé, arabesque, and plié.  Don’t fret if you haven’t a clue what they mean… you will learn, and with this new knowledge, you will slowly start to adopt these words as a part of your everyday vocabulary.  Before long, you will feel like a dancer and your body will become graceful like a dancer, your posture will improve, and of course, all will start to ask for your tips on looking so fine.

TECHNIQUE:  Open your mind to a completely new experience.  Other than the warm-up, there are very few large movements in a barre class.  Muscles are worked through very small (one inch most of the time) movements.  You may hear the word “pulse” or “micro movement” during class.  It’s very important to understand this concept because this is what will give you the results you are seeking.  Don’t be alarmed if your instructor gives you a little tap or puts a hand out to help make your movement smaller.  You will be grateful when you slide into your skinny jeans.

CLOTHING:  Like I mentioned before, you will need sticky socks for class.  Other than that, there isn’t a barre uniform, but you will feel most comfortable in leggings or capris.  It is best to wear a top that is somewhat form fitting in the beginning.  This will allow the instructor to see that you are aligned properly during the movements.  The Barre Studio will have a clothing boutique with so many clothes that are too cute for words.  Bring some extra dough because you will want some for your next class.

CALORIE BURN:  A typical barre class (when done correctly) can burn between 300-500 calories, and you will continue to burn calories for hours after class.

Now that I hopefully have you convinced that this is a can’t be missed workout, taking advantage of a FREE class is a must do!  The Barre Studio opens on Saturday, October 18th and you can sign up for FREE classes on Saturday and Sunday here.  After you try out the workout (and you’ve fallen in love with the workout) the studio is offering a 1-month unlimited special for $99.  You have nothing to lose but inches and some lbs.

I’ll see you at the barre!