Barre Body Studio

A few weeks ago I took part in a fun photo shoot for Barre Body Studio, where I'm an instructor and I thought I'd share a few photos from that day as well as explain what a barre class is all about, for those of you who have asked me about it over social media and were thinking of trying it ; ) 

First of all, you do not need to have a dance background to benefit from a barre class; we don't attempt split jumps across the floor or triple pirouettes in the center of the room. However we do work and stretch the same muscles ballerinas use while training. There are a lot of plie's and small, isolated, controlled movements to work the accessory muscles. In a nutshell: "Barre takes the focus and individual practice of yoga, melds it with the isolated movements of pilates and wraps it all up in the choreography and grace of a dance class." - BBS. Annnnnd it's a whole lot of fun!

Grip socks are mandatory in each hour-long class to prevent your feet from slipping. They are sold at the studio along with other exercise apparel and accessories, or you can borrow a pair. Don't worry, we wash them in between every use ; )

Posture and body placement are of utmost importance to help prevent injury and get the most out of each exercise.

Another benefit of taking barre classes? They improve your posture and balance! I always encourage my students to think of a string attached to the top of their head being pulled up towards the ceiling so the neck is long and shoulders are down and stacked on top of the hips, core engaged, just like a ballerina ; )

Barre is much harder than it looks, just FYI. You will sweat. Your muscles will burn. And you will shake. And bleed. (Just kidding about the bleeding part, you won't bleed.) This chair pose is KILLER! But it will also give you a KILLER butt ; ) Oh yes, after just a few classes at the barre you will feel and see a difference in your tush, I promise you. And your muscles will become long and lean!

We use props like free weights, balls and mats throughout the class while sculpting the body. We also use high-energy music playlists, which are so important since every single move is executed on a beat and this is where the choreography comes in ; )

Barre will also help improve flexibility (we do a lot of stretching) and strengthen your core ; )

Me with my fellow barretenders, L-R top row: April, co- owner Megan, Erika, Kyra, Katharine, Amanda

Bottom row L-R: Erin, co- owner Elissa (Megan and Elissa are sisters!), me and Lindsey

I'm not gonna lie - barre is hard. But it gets easier every time and you will love what it does for and to your body. Our classes are suitable for people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels. And yes, men are welcome, too! If you have any questions about barre classes or the studio please leave a comment in the comment section below and I'll be happy to respond! Or, you can head on over to the Barre Body Studio website for more information.

Photos by L Photography. *This was not a sponsored post. I just really love barre ; )