Fitness

Raising the Barre

Get in shape with a ballet-inspired aerobic workout

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It's been one week since my Barre workout at Barrington Pilates and I am still feeling the effects of standing on my toes for an hour! I was expecting to plie, tondue, and rond de jambe with ease and grace in this class. Since my last ballet lesson took place when I was 10 years old, the whole grace thing went out the window within the first 30 seconds. Although all of those previous movements were incorporated into the workout, the fast paced repetition of each combined with mountain climbers and that part with the little purple ball you squeeze with your legs without dropping, made for one sweaty ballerina.

The instructor, Mora Babineau, was very understanding that it was my first class, and happily showed me the correct position for exercises I wasn't quite grasping. Merci Mora!

Barre certainly gives your legs a fantastic workout; your thighs and calves are sore for days afterwards. However, your abs and core certainly get their fair share of exercise, as you have to maintain an upright posture throughout. The mountain climbers sprinkled in during the class have your entire body in action. Even my THUMBS got a workout from gripping the barre.


Before I knew it, the session was over. The constant movement and high energy exuded by both our instructor as well as those participating made the class fly by (except during the mountain climbers, time went by like molasses during those). I don't think I've ever had such an intense leg workout, but I do think I've finally found the way to have legs like Tina Turner.

I had also been invited to try out a Pilates class immediately following Barre. I honestly didn't think I had it in me to do both, but since the Pilates class worked entirely different muscles than Barre did, I was (surprisingly) able to transition into this workout easily. The focus of this class was on the core, so my legs were a shoutin' hallelujah. Mora was our instructor for this class as well, and I'm sure if I had a fraction of her energy I would get a lot more accomplished on a daily basis.

We were all supplied with a yoga mat, a hard foam "roller," and a rubber ball. I need to invest in one of those rollers. You place it at various points underneath you during the workout with the purpose being to "activate deep core muscles, improve balance and posture, and strengthen extremities." It almost kind of massages you while you exercise. That's a wonderful combination, in my opinion.

By the end of class I had truly experienced a full body workout and a surge of endorphins that lasted all week. I'm currently motivating myself for the next double session...

Barrington Pilates & Studio 47 | 47 Maple Ave, Barrington | 289-2787

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