like most women, i’m particular with how i want my body to look, feel and move. i’m very feminine and i want my body to model my personality. i feel most sexiest with myself when my curves are soft and my torso is long and lean. i like to fit into my clothing with easy instead of having to stuff myself into a pair of jeans or a skirt. being comfortable in my skin and looking the way that i want is an important part of my overall well being. in my line of work i use my hands to make other people’s hands to look their best. my neck is always looking down, my shoulders and back are always slouched over. usually by the end of my work day i’m pooped, exhausted – done. i used to have the best posture, but all of a sudden i’ve started having lower back problems and waking up stiff and tired.
for me, the only way to keep my energy levels up, for my body fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle is for me to have a daily workout regimen. the dilemma i’ve faced was not partaking in a hardcore workout. i’ve tried the crossfire workout. i’ve hired a personal trainer. i’m a self-starter and would go to workout myself. the truth of the matter was that i was over all of that. so i decided to try yoga. i’ll be the first to say that i was a bit reluctant to try it. my first experience with yoga was hot yoga – never again (thanks rasheeda).
aside from yoga (which i love and will blog about later), my body was missing a cardio workout. i stumbled upon barre off a conversation that i had with a client. after doing the research about barre and the history of it, i compared companies to decide which would be the best fit for me – i joined barre3 in buckhead. although, i’m a trained dancer, after my first barre session, it was clear that i was truly out of shape in terms of dancing. barre uses positioning extensively use in ballet training and warm up exercises, yoga and pilates. all three are very easy on your joints. to my surprise, i really did not know how much of a workout it actually is.
facts about barre
- will make you stronger: the isometric contractions that make up the bulk of a barre class occurs when the muscle tenses without changing length. what’s wonderful about the one-inch movements is that you can hold a posture and benefit from continuously engaging the muscle, but you also get a mini-recovery with each pulse, so you can stay in the hold longer.
- multiple muscle groups are targeted all at once: it’s a highly efficient (and addictive) workout. because you’re doing two to four movements—holding, pulsing, stretching—at a time within each move. this also helps to raise the heart rate.
- mind and body awareness: what i’ve gathered from the smaller movements in my barre class is that it has brought a new level of awareness to my body that i never got in a regular strength workouts. barre has improved my muscular activation for frequently underused muscles.
- endurance booster: with the constant strength training my energy levels are amazing higher.
- weight loss: i’ve read somewhere that barre targets the largest muscle groups in the body (like the thighs and glutes). the larger the muscle, the more calories burned. my target goal is to stay lean and and barre class, along with yoga, my body’s muscle mass is more lean. just after day 5 of barre my body started to transform!
- strengthening my core: barre engages your core the entire time.
throughout my session, my arms, thighs and abs are working. you are always engaging, and therefore strengthening, the core as well. having a strong core will totally increase your performance in any other activities in life.
my experience with barre has renewed my body’s strength and flexibility. my body craves it whenever i’ve missed a session. although barre is tiring, you will leave feeling accomplished and rejuvenated. you do not have to be a trained dancer to experience barre nor do you have to feel intimidated. barre does challenges your body to a complete space of uncomfortableness, that makes you test your endurance levels. however, i do encourage you to try at least one session – the experience alone will leave a lasting impression with you!
thank you for reading and remember to leave any comments or questions! follow me on instagram @qtrob and you can also email me at msrobin28@gmail.com
`~robin~
the r district 