8 Things To Know Before Trying Barre For The First Time

@barmethodmontclair

Even women who didn’t dream of being ballerinas when they grew up have fallen in love the barre fitness trend, which melds the physical methods of ballet and pilates into an hour-long, surprisingly grueling workout. It brings its fans an equal balance of strength, self-confidence and grace, which is why it’s such a positive addition to any exercise regimen.

But for those who are giving it a try for the first time, don’t underestimate its intensity. And above all things, come prepared. Here are eight things you need to know before trying barre for the first time.

1. The grippy socks matter.

We understand if you want to make sure you love the class before purchasing the gear for it, but a simple pair of grippy socks really does make a world of difference in how you experience barre. They help you maintain each posture without any stress of slipping. That means extra sturdy planks and no worries about the arch of your foot sliding along the ballet barre.

2. The “tuck” is a key concept you’ll learn almost immediately.

Barre class isn’t loaded with strange terminology in the same way Pilates is, but there is definitely one command you’ll need to familiarize yourself with: “tuck.” Think of this motion as simply tilting your pelvis forward so that the distance between your frontal hip points and lowest ribs decreases. This shift helps to protect your lower back throughout all of the core work you’re about to do.

A post shared by U Barre & Pilates (@u_barre) on Oct 30, 2017 at 10:29am PDT

3. Good posture is not optional.

If you slump when you’re walking or slouch in your desk chair, barre is going to be the end of those bad habits. Since it’s a core workout from start to finish, you need to maintain a strong, neutrally-aligned spine to move through each ab and lower back exercise. Lazy posture can lead to either injury or a less-than-effective workout (which isn’t what you’re paying for here).

4. The smaller the movement, the more effective the exercise.

The range of motion you aim for in barre class is incredibly small. By only moving your leg “up an inch, then down an inch,” you force your body to use its strength and endurance rather than momentum. There will be a lot of pulsing movements that fire up your bigger muscles in a surprising way and require your smaller muscles to work alongside them to provide a sense of stability.

5. Keep your abs engaged constantly.

As we’ve already mentioned, this is a core-centric class. Just as posture matters a great deal in doing each exercise, so does the engagement of your core. After all, how do you plan on getting tight abs if you don’t make them work during strengthening poses? Exactly. There are no shortcuts to this one. The more you remain aware and keep them firing, the more effective your barre workout will be.

A post shared by The Bar Method Montclair (@barmethodmontclair) on Oct 21, 2017 at 9:40am PDT

6. You won’t be at the barre the entire time.

Sure, the class is named after the ballet barre, but most studios have you spend only about 35 percent of your time there. Expect some floor work for your glutes and core, and standing poses in the middle of the room for your quads, hamstrings and calves. Some studios even throw in a little weight resistance training and cardio to make the total-body workout even tougher.

7. Muscle shaking means you’re doing it right.

Ah, the coveted muscle shakes. When you do the micro movements correctly and fully engage the muscles you’re working with, you’ll probably feel heat in that particular area and notice a shaking of those muscles. Don’t worry, though, you’re not causing your body harm. You’re just really giving that part of the body a workout, so keep after that feeling rather than shying away from it.

8. Get ready to feel all kinds of sore the next day.

All that posture focus and core engaging and muscle shaking means one thing: you’re definitely going to feel the burn well into the next day. But that’s a good thing! That’s part of why you show up to exercise, right? Proof that it’s working, that challenging your body in new ways makes you stronger. So embrace all that muscle soreness, drink plenty of water to help your body to recover and get excited for the next barre class you’re undoubtedly going to sign up for.