Workout Like a Dancer with the Best Barre Classes in Baltimore

What booming workout did DEFINE London founder Ashley Verma recently identify as the biggest fitness trend of 2018? Barre. And with good reason. If you’ve always dreamed of having the long, lean, lithe look of a dancer, barre workouts deliver. Here’s a closer look at seven benefits of barre workouts. 

1. They’re a full-body workout. 

Because barre workouts engage the core, they engage the whole body. The fact that the movements in barre target multiple muscle groups simultaneously means it’s an extremely efficient type of exercise. While the controlled movements in barre may seem “small,” they have a big impact. You’ll feel the effects of a barre workout long after class is over.

The core-boosting benefits of barre are also beneficial for everything from improving your posture to injury-proofing your back. Your joints will also say “thank you” because while barre workouts may be hard on muscles, they’re easy on joints.

2. You’ll get a more defined body.

Words like “long” and “lean” come to mind when we think of a dancer’s body, but “defined” should also have a spot atop the list. As Barre instructor Shalisa Pouw told Fitness, “The movements are tiny, but deceptively challenging, and through repetition, they cause your muscles to shake from fatigue, which in turn builds strength and endurance.”  And as your thighs, butt, abs, arms, and back work harder, they gain amazing definition.

3. Your endurance will skyrocket.

Barre workouts don’t just borrow from ballet. They also borrow from other disciplines, such as Pilates and yoga. However, while these forms of exercise may seem slow-paced, barre workouts move quickly. Expect your heart to race and your endurance to grow when you add barre workouts to your fitness routine.

4. Your flexibility will improve.

Barre incorporates a lot of stretching, which elongates muscles. Whether you’re looking to enhance your flexibility or to improve your range of motion for daily function, barre workouts are a terrific way to do so. Says Pouw, “You don’t need to be flexible to start taking barre classes, but the amount of stretching you’ll do in each class will guarantee you see increased flexibility.”

5. Mental clarity improves, too. 

Everyone knows that exercise has physical benefits. Now, a growing body of evidence points to its cognitive benefits, as well. Barre enthusiasts, in particular, swear by the calm-inducing potential of this workout. Continued Pouw, “Our brains are always filled with thoughts of work, kids, relationships, and what’s next on our busy schedule, but barre requires you to put all those things aside and focus on every tiny muscle you’re working.”

The end result? While your body may feel exhausted after a barre workout, you will also feel refreshed and reinvigorated.

6. Results happen….FAST.

It’s easy to underestimate the impact of a barre workout. However, just as you can expect to immediately feel the effects of your barre workout, you can also expect to see them — in as little as a month. This can be extremely gratifying, which can help you stay motivated and on track toward your fitness goals.

7. All this, and it’s fun, too!

A boring workout routine can turn into no workout at all quickly. Because barre workouts are fast-paced, dynamic, set to music, and ever-changing, boredom is not something you have to worry about. Every class is different, exciting, and uniquely inspiring.

One last thing to keep in mind is that whether you have years of dance training under your belt or you’ve never laid hands on a barre, you can still get in on the body-boosting benefits of our barre workouts. Barre is just one of the ways to get started at Brick Bodies.