Have you heard of Barre classes? I have been trying them lately at Barre Kailua and love them! The classes involve isometric strength exercises balanced with a combination of Yoga, Pilates, and Ballet postures all while you use the barre to help with stability. You complete sets of deliberate, controlled and effective movements focusing on all the important muscle groups then head down to the mat for some brutal, yet essential, core exercises. Sound exciting?
My Experience Getting In Shape With Barre Kailua
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I’m neither a Doctor nor a personal trainer. In this post, I am sharing my experience taking Barre classes, but I don’t know what’s best for you. Always use your best judgment and consult an expert before making changes to your fitness routine.
At first, I thought it was another fad
Now, anyone who knows the fitness industry knows that it thrives on fads and has seen it all. From Zumba, to Shake Weights to those 90’s ab cruncher machines that used to hide in people’s guest rooms. It’s a very ‘trendy’ industry with these trends usually always offering a quick fix to long-term body abuse. It is no surprise that these trends fall as quickly as they rise just like Carly Rae Jepsen.
The fact is that you do not gain 30 pounds overnight and you cannot lose it overnight. Since there is no substitute for hard work, long-term success means becoming best friends with effort and consistency.
When I first heard of Barre classes I immediately thought it would be just another fitness fad that offered a quick fix without the hard work. I quickly brushed it off, thinking that it wasn’t worth a second thought.
It didn’t help that when I turned to Youtube and searched ‘Barre classes’ I happened to look at what looked like a mix of a cheap 1980’s aerobics class and the ‘Let’s Get Physical’ video clip. As I watched the women in the video bounce around in their leotards with beaming smiles on their heavily made-up faces, I reminded myself that I would not be caught dead doing these bouncy movements that were a poor excuse for exercise.
Time to give it a go
Some time went on and again I saw another article about these Barre classes. They seemed to be all the rage. Finally, I decided that it was time to give it a go with an open mind and experience it for myself. Lucky for me, during my googling efforts to find a local studio, I found one really close to home in Kailua that offered classes that suited my schedule. Barre Kailua – it sounded so dreamy. I booked my first class and that was that.
Open mind….open mind… I kept telling myself.
I arrived at the studio early and nervously anticipated the start of the class. What was it going to be like? I can honestly say that it was nothing like what I expected and certainly nothing at all like the cheesy Barre-aerobics video I watched.
The warm-up passed smoothly then we got into the good stuff. My arms were dead and tired during the arms portion, my legs were shaking during the legs portion and I felt every single muscle fiber in my abdominals during the floor work. A quick fix fad, this was not! This was muscle work, primarily focused on the smaller muscles and ranges of movement generally missed in traditional workouts. Overall, it is not an overly draining workout so don’t be too daunted.
Feel the burn
You will not feel exhausted and will definitely need to supplement your classes with cardio for a balanced fitness routine. You will, however, feel a strong BURN! Those muscles will be working, quite possibly shaking, and you will be sore the next day. Ok, I admit, you will be sore for a few days. Dare I say it though, you will get addicted to it too. It is an amazing workout and I definitely can see a difference in my muscles.
Intimate classes
Barre Kailua is a small studio with a friendly, intimate vibe. This is not like regular gym classes of 40 people where you get lost in the middle somewhere then walk out wondering if you did any of the exercises right. Here, you will not get lost in a class.
Instead, you get a tailored, personal experience with coaching for proper technique. Jen is your instructor and with her happy, friendly, and laid-back energy, she makes the class feel like home.
That warm energy is contagious and definitely comes in handy when you need extra inspiration during the more difficult parts of the session.
I attend a class each week and the other ladies in the group have been great to work out with, welcoming me as a newbie into the group with friendly and accommodating vibes.
So now you want to give it a go, don’t you? All you need to do is call Jen on 808-230-4186 to book your spot. All the equipment is provided so all you need to do is show up then you are ready to get started and feel the Barre burn!
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