Originally Published: 6/1/2018

Reformatted: 5/5/2021

by Malia Warren

Forget Diamonds, Barbells are a Girl’s Best Friend.

As a fitness enthusiast, I find myself gravitating towards the Bar.

Not the Dive, or the Upscale kind, but the Cold, Shiny, Nitty, Gritty Kind.

It’s callus, and cold-hearted sometimes (especially in the winter), but never lies about its weight.

I’m talking about the Barbell, my friends.

It’s where you’ll usually find me, if fitness is involved. On top of it, under it, thrown in the air, I don’t care. I’ll take calluses over a pretty manicure any day.

But that’s the thing, I’m an adventurous type and love trying everything once, which is why I wanted to venture out and try something new.

The Barbell will always be my number one Bae, but trying new fitness classes might even be the best thing you can do to up your performance.

Having lived in California my whole life, fitness and healthy eating are for sure a stereotypical dietary requirement.

But guys, since relocating to Denver, I have to say this place is the mecca for healthy living.

No joke, there are at least 20+ fitness studios or gyms within 5 a minute drive and I’d be lying if I didn’t wonder what torture is going on behind each door.

There are so many new fitness trends… to me anyway. This is why I am thrilled to introduce the Work. Lift. Balance. series starting with my first adventure in trying a Barre class!

Barre None

Before attending this class, I had never been to a Barre class.

Or, honestly, any other class besides my normal CrossFit classes for a while.

When I first began my fitness journey in 2012, I was adventurous AF—I tried every class I could at the local gym. It was included in my membership, so why not!?

It was limited to Zumba, Yoga, Cycling, you know, the typical globo gym offerings.

SO many fitness trends have emerged since then.

New on the map for 2018 is Animal Flow, Ropes Gone Wild, WaveShape, and even Rowing (Rowing link). See I told you guys Rowing was effing awesome.

Honorable Mention for 2018 though: Bokwa. According to Shape magazine, you’ll “draw” letters and numbers with your feet while performing a calorie-torching cardio routine. I mean, now I know my ABC’s but next time won’t you Bokwa with me?

In doing some updating of the blogs I decided to check into 2021 fitness trends and they look quite a bit different!

The top spots belong to home fitness, solo fitness, and HIIT. Not super surprised after what covid did to gyms. It was so sad seeing so many gyms shut down during the pandemic, but one that seemed to still hold on (at least one or two of the locations in my area) was Barre. It’s easily done at home minimal equipment and/or with an instructor so most gyms were able to keep their doors open.

But Barre has proven that it can stand the test of time.

It’s been around for quite a few years now, first emerging on the Fitness scene in 1959. According to Studios, Inc., it all started over 50 years ago, when Lotte Berk, a famous German Dancer, opened up The Lotte Berk Method in London.

After suffering a back injury, she got the idea of combining her ballet barre training with rehabilitative therapy, and thus Barre was born.

It emerged in the United States in 1971 but has recently taken off in the last 10 years, with thousands of studios opening all over North America. Basically, if you don’t have a Barre studio within 5 minutes of you, you must live on another continent.

Behind Barres

When I first heard of Barre, I thought it was a just a ballet style dance class.

Plié. Arabesque. Croisé.

Yes. I know how to do one of these, I took ballet for like a year or two at the local YMCA when I was young. #badass

Anyway, Barre studios are similar to Ballet in their look, but don’t expect Plies, my friend.

Expect a badass workout with non-stop body challenging movements.

Our instructor, Rachel, started us off with some light movements to get our blood flowing. Think Yoga type stretches, but higher tempo.

Oh and when the instructor says, “grab your weights”, PLEASE for the love of all the weights being re-racked, choose the 2 lb weights. I know you’re used to lifting 100 times that in compromising positions, but the movements are hard than you think.

You, and your ego, will thank me later.

Barre Fly 

With some awesome music pumping in the background and a room full of people that are struggling the same as you to hold those core-busting positions, you will love everything Barre has to offer.

Expect to leave a little sore (the good kind), clear-minded, and laser focused on your goals.

Interested in giving Barre a Try? Most studios offer the first class free, as a trial. Some even offer a full first week for free. That’s one week FREE, people. Seven whole days (maybe 6 if you rest one day) of muscle shaking, sweat-inducing, feel-good workouts!

Barre Outfit

Ok, now we’re at the point in the program where I tell you what to wear to Barre class.

It’s your first class, you don’t know what to wear, so I’m here to give you the low down!

According to the Barre3 site, attendees should wear “Yogalike attire like leggings or long shorts, and a comfortable top.”

Most of the attendees were wearing yoga leggings, a fun flowy top, and definitely no shoes.

Barre or Bar?

I say both!

If you can swing both in your schedule, I say go for it!

Here’s why: Barre is functional training with a twist. Rooted in three fitness disciplines—ballet barre, pilates and yoga—barre workouts will have you feeling strong and balanced inside and out.

They’re known for building lean muscles, a strong core, and long-term postural benefits.

If you’re reading this, and you are also a lifter, your lifts can benefit from the change in pace, the core-strengthening movements, and the posture improvements. I’ve never met a lifter who didn’t want to improved their form.

Think I’m cray cray!? 

Check out our interview with Barre3 Highlands Ranch studio owner, Britney Palmer, as she helps answer some of our questions on the benefits of the Barre method for strength trainers.

What other classes should I try!?

If you have any questions or you would like to be a guest blogger, please email us at hello@liftingthedream.com 

Bee Tee Dubs (BTW). 

CROSSFIT, INC. and USAW, DO NOT ENDORSE, SANCTION, APPROVE OF, OR SUPPORT THIS WORK OR ANY OPINION EXPRESSED HEREIN.