Workout #10: Barre Method

I was again all set to go swimming for a half hour straight until I woke up to find a downpour, which started yesterday and continued right on through the night. If anything, it actually got worse here. Obviously, swimming was out. I decided to try something new today and I was so happy with it that I had to share it here!

The Barre Method has been showing up everywhere lately! Madonna shared that she used it and television actresses Aimee Teegarden and Anna Paquin soon shared their love of the workout, which is a combination of ballet poses, yoga, pilates, and strength exercises. Soon Barre began showing up in gyms and sports clubs all over.

The workout I used was Barre3 Total Body Lift Workout which I found under the Exercise TV category OnDemand. I had read that it would be hard and was completely prepared for it, however it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it to be. Sure, it was far from easy, but it wasn't impossible. The dvd begins with a quick warm up of stretches, squats, and lunges. Then, with both hands on the back of a dining room chair (as most people don't own a ballet barre), you begin a killer low body workout. Your legs will beg you to stop after a few minutes, but your trainer (Sadie Lincoln) doesn't do so many reps as to make your legs give out. Just when you think you should stand up or put your back leg down behind you, she tell you that you only have five more reps to go, and you feel like you just have to push through the last reps. Then you do a quick stretch and move on to the upper body. You use a light pair of hand weights to target the back, chest, biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Your arms will be up and lifted the entire time, so, like with the legs, your arms will be begging you to stop after only a few minutes, but you are just going to have to push through it. Then you get a quick stretch before moving on to a mat for another quick lower body workout. Then for the abs. This is mostly all pilates and yoga moves, which will target your abs perfectly. Your abs will hurt, and the pain will come on quickly. The best thing you can do is push through it as, eventually your abs will just get numb and it will get easier to continue. The workout stops five minutes early, when you start a nice, relaxing, soothing cool-down. All-in-all, the workout may be difficult, but push through it to the end for the cool-down. You will be sore afterward, but it's a good kind of sore. It's your body letting you know that you worked hard and your hard work will pay off.


Barre3 40 Minute Workout
amazon.com $25.00