Beginner’s Tips and the Benefits of a Barre Workout

A first-timer’s guide to barre workout

Barre is well-known for being a great full-body workout. From core to tush to sculpted arms, barre targets every zone for serious fitness conditioning.

I recently tried out Body Balance, Vancouver’s newest barre studio for my first barre experience.

Click through for my beginner’s tips and to find out the benefits of a barre workout…

Go bare for barre

As a beginner, I had no idea what I was in for, but that wasn’t going to stop me. I had heard amazing things about the results barre has on the physique, so I was excited to challenge my body. One of the great things about this workout is that you can do it in bare feet, keeping the whole prep and outfit fuss-free.

Stick to a schedule

Easy to integrate into a daily schedule, the 45-minute classes make it easy to schedule my workout. I prefer morning classes because I’ll put off my workout all day if I don’t do it first thing. I booked the class using the easy app the day before and doing this made me accountable to sticking with it.

Stretch it out

I started out with Yoga Barre, which incorporates classic yoga poses (hello, downward dog!) with a muscle-burning barre workout. I loved the stretching aspect of the class, and my legs and glutes definitely got a workout from the repetitive motion strength training. I felt my posture being challenged and it kept my hunching in check throughout the day.

Do what you can

Next up, I tried the Barredio class, which is a high-intensity workout with fun music. This one definitely got my heart rate up and as a beginner, I had to take a few breaks, which was to be expected. Thankfully, the instructors let you go at your own pace and I felt comfortable doing my best.

Get refreshed

The Body Balance studio is fresh and clean, and the minimal decor creates a modern feel. I enjoyed a refreshing glass of Kombucha on tap after my workout, taking it to go as I got on with my day.

Commit

This is a workout I will be sticking to. They say four times a week will yield the best results, but I’m starting with three. I’m adding the efficient workouts to my super busy schedule like appointments and I plan to keep it up!