Barre Hoping
Torture is not something I normally pay for, the exception being when I head into barre3 once a week for an hour-long muscle-searing session of tip-toe squats, face-scrunching ab work and leg work so intense it’s known to induce the “barre3 shake.” Apparently balancing tippy-toed on your right leg, the left extended behind you while doing one-legged squats will do that to you.
Barre3 combines elements of pilates, yoga and ballet, done at the barre or on a mat. I love barre3 for it’s intensely focused strength training routine; mixing flexibility, balance, grace and raw strength. After just a few weeks of doing barre workouts 1 to 2 times a week I felt my core suck in, my stabilizer muscles strengthen and an overall sense of strength and endurance. I head to barre3 during my rest or cross-training days—after lacing up my shoes or hitting the pool I feel a wonderful sense of strength and balance in my core propelling me through my run, bike and swims.
Barre3 studios are cropping up around the country, the majority of the studios, not surprisingly, are located in the Pacific Northwest (barre3 was founded in Portland, Oregon). But don’t fret, the intense workout can be yours on DVD or sign up for barre3′s new at-home subscription service, streaming 30 to 60 minute barre3 workouts straight to your house.
