Thank you for your comment. I apologize for using your picture. I will remove this out of courtesy to you and your instructors. However, what I cannot and will not do is apologize for my post.
I am not completely wrong about barre classes and if you actually read my post, I am all for women doing what works for them and makes them happy. But I want to deliver to my female clients what I believe to be a better program for getting stronger and gaining confidence. While I am sure that your clients have gotten stronger from your barre classes, I believe that my clients are served better by actually lifting weights that will challenge their bodies, minds and spirits.
None of my ladies look like a man. In fact, all of my women have dramatically changed their bodies into curvaceous, strong and fit women. Your comment implies that my goal is to make women look like men. Women can be strong, have muscle, lift heavy weight and still be women. I want to deliver the best program to my women and for them and for me, this includes picking up weight that weighs more than 3 lbs.
Sure, you can get stronger by doing anything…. I know women who take Barre classes and love them, but I also think if they were 1 better educated about weightlifting and strength training and 2 had accessible gyms similar to yours, more might choose Fivex3 over a barre studio. Thanks Harper! As I said in the very beginning of my post, if you like taking Barre or Zumba or Cycle or anything…. I used to teach this type of class but even while I was teaching it, I was also lifting.
Sure, these classes may kick your butt…. BUT……if you are looking to gain real strength and build a stronger and more powerful body, these classes are not the way to go. Strength training ie. You are amazing to watch while at the gym. Focused, dedicated and determined. And you are ALL woman. Very poised and professional response. There is a great misconception that women who lift will look like men, when in actuality, weight training nourishes the body in vast ways, especially for a dancer.
Your post is very encouraging and I hope that your work has evolved to greater heights since then. Be blessed!?? I know this post was a while ago, but I came across it somehow. And then I looked at the comments, which most seem lighthearted and nice, but then I came to this one.
Few things I would like to point out:. I am an Exercise Physiologist. I have done a months worth of Barre classes. I know a few girls who liked it, but then a few girls thought it was pointless me included. BUT, everyone is titled to their own opinion, especially when it come to their fitness and health. If it was fact, we would see it in peer-reviewed journal article, but as it stands, it is just a blog and take what you want from it. Ok, maybe just from today but whatever.
First of all, the blogger did not have to remove the picture you claim that belongs to you without a cease and desist letter served to her. Why is she completely wrong about Barre? Is she not allowed to have an opinion? You certainly do with your remarks about how you apparently know what women are looking for.
You need loads, loads of protein AND your body type, genetics and some more fun stuff have to align perfectly for this to happen. Their knees and hips give out on them. Fact: knees are not to go in front of your toes when you squat… 6. I totally believe what you said about your clients. They are probably stronger, much more confident, ski better, play tennis better and etc. Yes, many of women are bound and determined to never be able to pull their husbands out of a burning building.
A nice sized insurance policy can do that to a woman, I suppose. I think we can all agree that this statement was a little, um.. Do you have something against women who want to look like a men? Please, by all means, go to a rough powerhouse gym, find the manliest woman you can find there, and tell her how you feel. They have every right to look how they want to, and who are you to judge, twinkle toes? You do nothing but support a bar on a wall and are just riding out this fitness trend until it fades out, and by the looks of the date on your post, you probably already have.
Can I just say thank you and I love you? Thank you. Thank you for you and everything you stand for. Ugh so gross. What a bitch. Who wants to pull another human out of a burning building when you can ski and play tennis better! You just described me to a tee. I too am a dancer, used to teach barre and several other group fitness classes but now truly believe weight training is the best and most effective training method. I am now a personal trainer and figure competitor and can finally say I love my body and am comfortable in my own skin thanks to good old fashioned heavy lifting!
Thank you for your comment Annelise!!! So happy to hear from you and to know that I am not alone! Now, how can we get others to understand this too? Thank you SOO much for posting this. We have a fitness offering here in Memphis and due to the rise of barre classes, some of our clients have been swayed to join those classes.
It is our purpose to move our clients in a fitness lifestyle implementing strength training as their foundation for metabolic and physical improvement. However, our message is lost sometimes and some women just move to the next trendy thing. Keep up the great work and I hope you know you have a supporter of our work here in Memphis! Thank you Dexter!!! I am glad you liked it and that it spoke to you. Trendy thing is right….. Pingback: Thursday 8.
Emily, This is easily one of the most honest and helpful posts I have ever read about fitness. I am 47 years old and I am short. I have short muscles. I was looking into doing Barre workouts because I wanted to try lose muscle I know…I know but I go through these moments of stupidity where I want to have spaghetti arms.
We should be strong and fit and muscle is not evil. I can out run or walk them as well. I am very fit and I feel amazing and its not from cardio or pilates. I remember a time when I would CRY when pushups came up in a workout.
Now I am a champ! And why not be able to drag your husband or your kids, parent, pets or anyone else from a burning building? What in the world is wrong with that?? I was a trainer and it was comments like those that made me leave. Such pettiness. Hi Linda, Thank you so much for your comment!!! I really appreciate the feedback. As a dancer, it really pains me when I hear this nonsense being spewed because, well, I am tall and thus blessed with long legs.
In fact, I hardly have a torso. But ballerinas are ballerinas because, well, they are predisposed to have that kind of body that is why they become professional dancers!!!! Women should want to be strong and feel strong and look strong.
Once I got over the wanting to be one way or the other and started actually physically making my body stronger, I became much happier. I was given the body I was given and I dare anyone to make me feel less than woman. Wow, you certainly seem to have a chip on your shoulder toward women who do care about not bulking up! For years, I went to the gym and did traditional heavy weight programs I even leg pressed nearly 3 times my body weight. I tried the cross fit thing. For me, these programs resulted in injury and chronic pain in my knees and shoulders.
Barre 3 and Bar Method have provided wonderful results for me. I am still very strong and in fact I can now do 50 push ups with good form. Hi Jill, Thank you so much for your comment. You see, not every woman has the same goals. I would rather have muscle on my frame and be able to carry my husband out of a burning building if I needed to. This could not be further from the truth.
I have a client who squats, presses, deadlifts, bench presses, does power cleans….. People are really confused when she tells them she does not run, does not take barre classes, does not do aerobics.
You lift weight? And look like that? Yes she does. I think she looks great as do so many women in my gym who can deadlift their bodyweight, squat over their bodyweight and are strong, confident, empowered women who LOVE the way they look and feel.
Congratulations on how you feel. It is very important for women to love how they look. I would be lying to them and to myself if I told them them that barre classes are the way to a stronger body. I found your site researching barre classes compared with weight training.
I read all the posts. My background, I have worked out with weights for 20 years, preferably heavy. I squat heavy, lbs Lunge 70 to lbs, do pull ups, shoulder headstands…etc. I love it! I taught yoga for about 7 years, and stretching is great and complimentary. I have to say I did enjoy it. I did it with her and did it for about two weeks. I noticed some incredible changes in my body. My butt was higher, my arms and legs more defined and I did enjoy it.
It was more like a Physique 57 class fusion dance, pilates barre My question is because my base was already so strong am I just leaning up? I truly believe my booty lifting up is because of the exercises in the class. I have changed the way I want my body, a little leaner up top and still a round booty.
What are you thoughts and thanks so much for your site! Hi Amanda, Thank you so much for your comment!!! I was starting to feel like I was the lady who hates barre classes!!!
This is NOT the case!! Remember, I taught one and I enjoyed every minute of it. MY issue with these classes is not the classes but with the marketing centered around the classes. And speaking of working ou, this is all it really is too. A workout. The muscle you most likely developed from squatting, pressing, doing pull ups and teaching Yoga helped you push harder in class, allowing you to burn more calories thus allowing you to shed bodyfat and see the benefits of all of your lifting!!!
I would never tell a woman not to do something that makes her feel good…. Stronger is just always better. And have fun! I just re-read my post for the first time since I wrote it. I am honest. I am sincere. And I do NOT bash these classes. In my post, I focus on three main points: 1. My question to you is this: Did you really read my post?
I really wish people would actually READ posts and not just see one or two words and decide they need to comment. I changed my mind. And I am better for it and so are my clients. What I appreciate about basic training work—the squatting, pushing, pulling, lifting, reaching, stepping—is the functional value. At the same time that my body becomes stronger, my capacity to DO is remarkably enhanced. I want to be strong and functionally confident. This focus offers me a way to lean in and own my life in a way that is just different from wanting a merely physical outcome.
I have a similar background to yours. I got into barre through a simple Craigslist posting looking for dancers who taught group ex, a perfect fit for me. I had never tried barre before. Even though I am someone who lifts weights and yes, they are heavier than 5 lbs—not all classes are the same, you are lumping all barre formats together, but I digress , I began to see major changes in my body in the first 3 weeks of training. I could do more pushups yes, we do pushups.
I could hold a plank for twice as long as before. The shape of the muscles on my legs changed, and my turnout became stronger because we worked internal and external rotation in class.
I strengthened my TA more than ever and found a small six-pack with the tiny, slow movements we did for core.
Sure, these workouts might not be what you prescribe or believe in. These are people who may need low-impact work. Many are recovering from ski injuries, running injuries, weight lifting injuries, rotator cuff tears, osteoarthritis. I have a woman in class who broke a hip last year and barre has made her more functional in 3 months than all of her PT work over 9 months did.
Barre was created as a hybrid of dance, pilates, yoga, and rehabilitative exercise, and it is getting a lot of people moving. In addition to the low-impact benefits of barre, many people need an additional challenge in their workouts—feeling as if they are dancing and moving to music contributes to a sense of well-being and mental stress relief for many people that simply lifting weights does not, and barre classes incorporate that through graceful arm movements and fluidity.
To summarize, just as barre is not for everyone, nor is lifting heavy weight for everyone, and as a trainer, it would behoove you to remember that. If an exercise program is getting people off the couch and moving, and inspiring them to continue, that is something amazing.
Hi Briana, Thank you for your reply and comment. No where in my post do I try to discourage people from taking a barre class. I really wish people would actually read my article for what it is and not what it is not. The majority of the people who took my class were over the age of They came from all backgrounds, all ages, all abilities. They got stronger, they moved better and most importantly they had found a class that was low impact and helped them.
We did split squats, push ups, deadlifts, planks…. This is what helped them. I never, ever, ever say that you should never, ever, ever take a barre class. Anything that people do is better than sitting on the couch. I agree. And if you love barre classes, take them.
If you love to run, run. And for the love of god, please stop marketing these classes to women and promising them things that they never will achieve.
You cannot make your legs longer. You cannot get long, lean muscles. It is bull shit and I wish people would stop saying these things and promoting these classes this way. As a client at Fivex3 Training, I understand exactly what Emily is talking about.
Emily is talking about me. Just before coming into the gym I had been taking a barre class for 3 months. I love the class. I thought the instructors were great. I felt pain in places I had never felt before, and I felt like I was getting a great workout. It was the focus… look like a ballerina. I even invited a friend to a barre class because I was so excited about it. My friend is tiny. She is naturally thin and naturally strong. She breezed through a barre class that was extremely difficult for me after 3 months of the same workout.
It became very clear to me that I had made no progress in 3 months. I had no expectations when I came to Fivex3. A friend invited me, and I figured I would give it a shot.
Very quickly I learned the correct way to squat. But here I could throw a bar on my back and squat with no issues. We never talk about long, lean muscles or how we are going to look in a bikini.
Our goals are related to performance. I bet if I took a barre class now I would actually be strong enough to perform the movements correctly. It works for them. But Emily is talking about people like me.
I fell for the long, lean muscle promises. The only promise that Emily makes is that if you work hard, you will get stronger. Maybe you will change the way you look along the way, but you will definitely change the way you feel. Furthermore, at Fivex3 we do not classify people by their body shapes. We do not glorify one perfect ideal body or describe women as bulky, stocky, or manly. All body types are treated as beautiful and strong.
Everyone has a lift or exercise that they do well, so no need to feel the failure of not looking like a ballerina. I have been working out with free weights for a long time and had gotten in great shape and was strong. I recently had some work done at my house and the garage was out of commission so I decided to join a bar studio in my area. Of course the studios claim was that the workouts covered strength and cardio and needed to be done at least 5 days a week, so I went and went.
I liked it at first, a nice change, but after six months I saw no results and my cardio and strength had diminished. My garage is usable again and I am back to my home workouts of strength and cardio and am sooooo happy. That bar is not for me. Thanks for this fantastic post!!!!!! You are very welcome Kristie!!!! I always learn a lot from both sides!
Glad to know your garage is back!!!! Got lift those heavy ass weights girl!!! Your post was very informative and motivating. I would like to go back to doing weights but need help and motivation. How do I find something like Fivex3? I am located in the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Any suggestions? Hi Nancy, Thank you for your comment!!!! Anything can get you results at first….. I just emailed a coach friend of mine in Florid to see if he knows a good place in Tampa Bay.
They seem to have what he have and much more!!!! Thank you for this informative post and for expressing so well thoughts about these Barre classes. What I like about the method: systemmatic exercises and consistency.
I do not like the bucketing of body types they market: lean, ballerina type muscles. I am not lean but I am strong. I can do 40lb dumbbell lifts. Also the level of cardio in the bar method was very low compared to using a pre programmed elliptical or treadmill. Most of the people in class look straight out of the stepford wives LOL.
Why do I still go? Because it is the only place of exercise close to my home. I work and go to school, so time is of importance! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your comment!!! You go because it is close to your home and that makes sense and you like it…nothing wrong with that!! I liked teaching my barre classes when I taught them at the dance studio. And you got my post…you really read it. Do it if you like it. Do it if it works for you. If it is not working for you, stop.
Only ballerinas look like ballerinas. There is a small chance that I will stay this weight for the rest of my life, and that is okay.
I now know that I have the tools to remain healthy and make the best choices for my body. Weight Loss. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Taraji P. Accessible Beauty Products For All. Katy Allen. This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. View On Instagram. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses.
You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. More From Transformations Week. Lauren Krouse Lauren Krouse is a freelance writer who covers health, domestic violence, and self-advocacy. View Comments. Never Miss a Post! Enable Notifications No Thanks. Click the 'Allow' Button Above. You're all set. Learn more about your rights and options. Dried fruit, no sugar added.
Same comment as above, I was eating too much of this at the beginning, and kept it limited towards the end. Well, yes and no. Yes in the sense that soy sauce is off limits, and I did use some Worcestershire sauce at one point to marinate the Korean short ribs, and definitely not all of my bacon was organic. Okay, so this technically was another cheat — you are not supposed to weigh yourself at all during the 30 day period… but I did. I did not lose any weight for the first week or so, but over the remaining time, I did end up losing about 8 pounds.
My initial thought, was Ha! Yeah, right, I am going to not panic my face straight into a cupcake. However, now that I am actually at the end, I am a bit unsettled as to what I am going to do next. Am I going to drop dairy completely?
What about gluten? But I have decided to make some changes permanent. I have decided to drop diet soda completely and stick with water. I am continuing to plan 2 nights of cooking per week. I also will continue to eat breakfast every day, something that was pretty rare before starting this program. My craving for sweets is pretty much gone — at this point, it is more of an emotional desire rather than a physical one, and I think understanding this is crucial to moving forward towards a healthier diet.
This was a great decision, and one that I really needed to make — I feel better, weigh loss, am healthier, without headaches, and have proven to myself that I can make time for some cooking. In addition, my taste buds have definitely been reset — fruit that never tasted sweet to me before now tastes incredibly sweet. Overall, I think pretty much everyone could benefit from this, and I would definitely recommend it. It was not long after the birth of my child and I was getting back into the gym, eating better, and making positive changes to get healthy again.
A few excerpts from my brain during that first class…. As you can see, this was NOT what I had expected. In fact, after that first class, it took me two months to go to my local studio. And when I did, I committed for one month only. So, how did all this change? How did I go from waiting two months before braving a 2nd attempt to now taking Pure Barre classes wherever I go and planning on taking my th class later this year?
And, yes, with Pure Barre I did lose weight. But, even before my clothes began to fit differently, I noticed other changes which kept me motivated … my flexibility improved — I could go further in my stretches and hold them longer.
I progressed from not being able to do a single full body pushup to completing all of them during the warmups. My legs and shoulders started to show more and more definition. My strength increased — picking up my child became easier despite his rapidly growing size! This workout changes your entire body, not just in pounds, but also in inches, in strength and in flexibility.
Pure Barre is challenging. And even though it seems unrelated, Pure Barre has really started helping my diet as well. And let me tell you, after I have literally gotten my rear end kicked for the past hour, I want to make it count!
I love my studio. Bonds are made at the barre. Trust me, when you are pulling off of the barre, tucking, lifting, and shaking, the best person to understand what you are going through is standing next to you! Every class is unique — the exercises, the music, your classmates. This keeps the workout new and fresh and never boring. Whether it is going deeper into thigh work or working on the splits or building up to the 3 pound weights, there is always something to improve upon, become better at, or a new goal to set.
And these new goals provide continued, new motivation to stay consistent both at the barre and at the dinner table. So, here I am, celebrating my barre-versary, and thankful to my best friend who introduced me, the instructors who continue to push and inspire me, and my classmates who sweat with me. While I am no veteran Pure Barre client like surgeoninkicks who is already well past her first classes , I do have her to, ummm, thank for introducing me Pure Barre and I have returned time and time again having tested out some of the competition whenever I can.
I was joined by a friend who lives nearby and was originally inspired to try Pure Barre by this very blog ; I always enjoy workouts with friends better than solo endeavors. I was still on an endorphin high from the two road races I ran over the weekend. And, though I sometimes go months between Pure Barre classes, I had squeezed in a class at PB Boston just one week earlier during yet another work trip.
You see, the moves and the music change about every weeks or so the flow of the class from warmup to abs, to upper body, to seat and thigh, back to abs, and then finally to cool down, back work, and stretching stays the same ; so I find that having been to a recent class even if it is in a totally different part of the country prepares me to be a much better Pure Barre pupil. So yes, I was feeling really ready when I headed to PB River North this morning, warming up with a brisk half mile walk from my hotel.
But you know, I still always feel pretty pathetic at Pure Barre as I compare myself to those who attend more often than I do. Bring on the disinfecting wipe. This is a fact about every Pure Barre class I have ever taken. I am already lamenting the fact that I may not be able to get to another Pure Barre class for quite some time. I would laugh at myself for all the self-deprecation during class except, well….. Not all of my travel companions were interested in PB.
So as to not interfere with any group bonding activities and to get the calorie burn done well before indulgent brunches, I booked three 6am classes at the Highlands studio. As is always the case, the instructors were very welcoming.
And, unlike past experiences, the PB Highlands instructors spent of lot of time correcting during the class. I even did my first class today with these doohickeys.
It was a great workout that definitely challenged my strength and flexibility while getting my heart rate up. I left feeling lean, cinched in, and powerful. Yesterday got away from me so this post is a little late. It was a day filled with lemon the color , relaxation, art, culture, and food—especially food—lots and lots of yummy amazing delicious food which obviously had to be balanced by some physical effort.
The day started with Pure Barre. I was especially excited because one of my friends decided to join me and I was wearing my new favorite summer work out outfit. After barre, three of us went for an easy 3mi run along the Cherry Creek Path. I have run before Pure Barre before but never after. With the altitude that I am not used to and the muscles that were still sort of in tetany it was tough but I got her done.
You get in your workout so more food later , you get to bond, and you get to explore the locale. And then there was brunch. We went to a local chain called Snooze where there is always line out the door and a long wait. We waited 45 min on a Monday and it was so worth it. I am pretty sure a single pancake there which you can get in multiple varieties including the familiar chocolate chip, blueberry, etc. I opted for an omelette with a single sweet potato pancake on the side.
So I was totally indulgent but I did exert some control by choosing the omelette as my savory item instead of the hollandaise and sandwich options that would have the added high carb bread and I did sub the hash browns for fresh fruit. My god it was amazing. The 10 block walk back and forth also helped temper the yummy in our tummies. After an afternoon at the spa nothing like a massage to soothe the Pure Barre worked muscles , we took in the Chihuly exhibit at the Denver Botanical Gardens.
This allowed the opportunity to work off a bit more of the pancakes with more walking. Chihuly is always fun. I ended wearing one of my favorite Pleione tops from Nordstrom. So there I was again donning lemon. Finally, we ended up at a very highly reviewed restaurant built into a former service station called Root Down. We have eaten very well this trip but this was hands done the best meal and definitely a contender for one of my favorite foodie finds ever. We ate tapas style and the flavors and textures were so amazing.
We ate something called Devils on Horseback and seared Colombian arepas and amazing meatballs with balsamic blueberries and several mor e amazing dishes. Sadly we ate so much that we left no room for dessert. Sitting on a patio on a mild night with a view of the city from up on a hill was also a treat while treating ourselves to a totally indulgent meal. And yes, without really planning it, I wore my go to summer dress that I have had for years and it is lemon yellow.
0コメント