Everything you wanted to know about Barre

The history of Barre

While the barre itself dates back to the late 1950s, the barre workout method has a style all its own.

Barre originally came from London, from Lotte Berk, a ballet and modern dancer who created the idea by combining ballet exercises with rehabilitative therapy. Berk noticed an amazing change in her body and dreamed of creating her own version of the technique. Barre training aims to empower people of all ages and abilities to build a strong, lean, toned and healthy body for life.

Working alongside a team of physiotherapists, Berk created a barre method that is safer for the joints and makes the muscles work more efficiently.

The benefits of Barre

A barre class combines standing exercises and work in front of the mirror to raise the intensity and maximise results. Barre classes use a variety of props – weights, sliders, balls and resistance bands – to strengthen the body and vary the exercises. Adding barre classes regularly to your fitness routine can improve flexibility and endurance, strengthen the core, legs and arms, sharpen mental focus and reduce stress. And the benefits don't end there! Here are some of the top things you can expect when you add barre to your routine:

1. Changes in posture: your core will be engaged throughout, and you may find yourself sitting taller and straighter, with greater body awareness. Cues from your instructor will remind you to work from your abs, draw your shoulders down and lift your head.

2. A deeper mind–body connection: many believe yoga is the only way to build a stronger mind–body connection, but barre instructors will also teach you to breathe more deeply and focus your energy and movement more efficiently, to get the most out of every workout.

3. A stronger upper body: the barre technique changes the muscles and the look of the body. Using weights at the start of each class sculpts the arms (biceps, triceps) and shoulders, helping build a more toned upper body.

When you start doing barre consistently, you can expect to see results within the first month!

Changing the body doesn't exactly happen overnight – it takes patience, time, dedication and consistency. Still, one of the best things about barre specifically is that results often accelerate once you keep at it regularly. That's no surprise, since the technique is unique and focuses on developing and strengthening every muscle group.

Our recommendation: everyyyyone should experience all that barre has to offer. If you haven't tried it yet, talk to us and come to a class at the studio.