How are the ladies at barre class so fit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And I don’t want barre class you go to, but the ones I’ve been to are either frequented by thin frail looking older women, fit middle aged women (who likely do other forms of exercise), or overweight woman of various ages

Not my experience. I am overweight and was judged harshly at barre class. I took my fat ass and my money elsewhere.

Haha! This is precisely why I will not go to a barre class or any other class. I am overweight but not obese and quite fit. I can run at a decent pace 3 miles straight and then after some work on the weight machines, jump in the pool and do 10 laps non-stop. But, if people are going to judge by looking at me, they probably think I am some fat nasty couch potato. To be fair, my midsection is very distended as I had surgery on my intestines, and severe damage still. They are ALWAYS inflamed and there is nothing I can do about it. I do not want a total removal. So, my legs and other parts of my body look decent and then I look pregnant. But, I WILL outrun and outswim you and probably would kick those barre bishes butt.

In your dreams cow

WOW you are a straight up monster.

+100 What a creepy weirdo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

And I don’t want barre class you go to, but the ones I’ve been to are either frequented by thin frail looking older women, fit middle aged women (who likely do other forms of exercise), or overweight woman of various ages

Not my experience. I am overweight and was judged harshly at barre class. I took my fat ass and my money elsewhere.

Haha! This is precisely why I will not go to a barre class or any other class. I am overweight but not obese and quite fit. I can run at a decent pace 3 miles straight and then after some work on the weight machines, jump in the pool and do 10 laps non-stop. But, if people are going to judge by looking at me, they probably think I am some fat nasty couch potato. To be fair, my midsection is very distended as I had surgery on my intestines, and severe damage still. They are ALWAYS inflamed and there is nothing I can do about it. I do not want a total removal. So, my legs and other parts of my body look decent and then I look pregnant. But, I WILL outrun and outswim you and probably would kick those barre bishes butt.

I go to Barre3 and use their online classes as well and many of the instructors are built like you are. No one there would flame you for your body type and if other students judged you, that is their problem. It's a very accepting, body positive place.

Other barre classes might be different. I've certainly been in barre and other fitness classes where the students and instructors are judgmental and awful. But they aren't all like that.

I don't do barre, but I think this is true of any type of exercise class. The gym probably has a lot to do with it, too. I stopped going to one gym altogether because the students (women) were so rude. It took me forever to find a yoga class because even though many are advertised as "appropriate for all levels", the judgment could be fierce!

[Anonymous]

I am a wide and curvy size 10 who could stand to lose 20-30 lbs and I noticed a significant difference in muscle tone when I was doing Pure Barre 4-5x a week. I found it to be a very effective workout.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Purebarre is bull.

Real dancers do real barre. They look a bit different than the women in Purebarre classes

The reason "real dancers" look the way they do is because the ones who don't look like that don't rise to elite levels. Not because "real barre" itself makes them look like that. The build comes first. Did Peter Gallagher in Center Stage teach you nothing?

It's both. I'm 5'6, 116lbs, muscular. People on this site would call me underweight, etc. but I'm not. I was a dancer and I watch what I eat, and I also exercise 2-3 times a week, including weights. I haven't done a 'pure barre" class but I imagine it's great if taught properly, even if it's not ballet class.

Adult ballet classes are great and very challenging, and you see all kinds of shapes and sizes.

The barre classes they are talking about look almost nothing like the barre work you would do in ballet class.

[Anonymous]

I am a figure skater, runner, pure barre and yoga athlete. Those who say barre or yoga is not a real workout sound like morons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a figure skater, runner, pure barre and yoga athlete. Those who say barre or yoga is not a real workout sound like morons.

Agree!

[Anonymous]

I do Pure Barre twice a week and I look very fit (can see muscle definition, very toned). But PB is NOT my only workout, nor is it the one that got me those results. I weightlifted for years and also do Orangetheory for cardio and rowing and to push myself. I view Pure Barre as a way to etch out the muscle definition I already have and spent years building; it’s also a nice lower impact routine that helps strengthen my core for the harder stuff I do. I love what it does for my body but I also realize Barre alone would not/could not get me this body.

The women in my class seem to fall into 3 groups:

-older women who clearly invest a lot of energy in keeping fit even when menopause and age are working against them. several women in their mid to late 50s in there killing it

-women in their 30s-40s who are naturally thin and/or in shape from years of dedicated exercise. They range from very toned to just skinny but visually appear to be “in good shape”

-women in their 30s-40s who are maybe a bit overweight or lack muscle definition and visual signs of being “in shape.” They’re most likely to be the ones using PB as their exclusive workout routine or starting a workout routine

It is equally challenging for all of us because even if you’re in shape or a Barre regular, Barre only gets MORE challenging the better you are at it because once you know how to hold your muscles and move in the teeny tiny ways with perfect form that lead to the shaking you see , you are REALLY working. I would wage that Barre is less challenging for the novices who are using larger movements, not able to tuck properly, etc.

[Anonymous]

Those of you saying Barre is easy have never been to Barre3 and taken a really good instructor’s class. I go to the bethesda studio regularly and while all of the Instructors are good, there are a few who will quite literally kick your ass. And they come in all shapes and sizes, just like the clients (although the most challenging teachers tend to be in the best shape IMO). But you will see women of all ages and shapes and sizes and it’s a very body positive place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those of you saying Barre is easy have never been to Barre3 and taken a really good instructor’s class. I go to the bethesda studio regularly and while all of the Instructors are good, there are a few who will quite literally kick your ass. And they come in all shapes and sizes, just like the clients (although the most challenging teachers tend to be in the best shape IMO). But you will see women of all ages and shapes and sizes and it’s a very body positive place.

They think it’s easy because they’re not activating the tiny muscles yet because they can’t and they’re not holding the perfect form, because they can’t. I will maintain forever Barre is harder when you’re good at it because you actually can activate and use the muscles and form that make it so challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you saying Barre is easy have never been to Barre3 and taken a really good instructor’s class. I go to the bethesda studio regularly and while all of the Instructors are good, there are a few who will quite literally kick your ass. And they come in all shapes and sizes, just like the clients (although the most challenging teachers tend to be in the best shape IMO). But you will see women of all ages and shapes and sizes and it’s a very body positive place.

They think it’s easy because they’re not activating the tiny muscles yet because they can’t and they’re not holding the perfect form, because they can’t. I will maintain forever Barre is harder when you’re good at it because you actually can activate and use the muscles and form that make it so challenging.

NP - barre is not easy on an absolute scale, but it’s easier than, say, solidcore. The same is true there: the more experienced you are, the harder the classes, at least if you choose to make them hard.

All that said, yes, most people at barre who “look like they work out” are doing other things and/or genetically gifted and/or eating very little.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you saying Barre is easy have never been to Barre3 and taken a really good instructor’s class. I go to the bethesda studio regularly and while all of the Instructors are good, there are a few who will quite literally kick your ass. And they come in all shapes and sizes, just like the clients (although the most challenging teachers tend to be in the best shape IMO). But you will see women of all ages and shapes and sizes and it’s a very body positive place.

They think it’s easy because they’re not activating the tiny muscles yet because they can’t and they’re not holding the perfect form, because they can’t. I will maintain forever Barre is harder when you’re good at it because you actually can activate and use the muscles and form that make it so challenging.

NP - barre is not easy on an absolute scale, but it’s easier than, say, solidcore. The same is true there: the more experienced you are, the harder the classes, at least if you choose to make them hard.

All that said, yes, most people at barre who “look like they work out” are doing other things and/or genetically gifted and/or eating very little.

Define easier? I disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of you saying Barre is easy have never been to Barre3 and taken a really good instructor’s class. I go to the bethesda studio regularly and while all of the Instructors are good, there are a few who will quite literally kick your ass. And they come in all shapes and sizes, just like the clients (although the most challenging teachers tend to be in the best shape IMO). But you will see women of all ages and shapes and sizes and it’s a very body positive place.

They think it’s easy because they’re not activating the tiny muscles yet because they can’t and they’re not holding the perfect form, because they can’t. I will maintain forever Barre is harder when you’re good at it because you actually can activate and use the muscles and form that make it so challenging.

NP - barre is not easy on an absolute scale, but it’s easier than, say, solidcore. The same is true there: the more experienced you are, the harder the classes, at least if you choose to make them hard.

All that said, yes, most people at barre who “look like they work out” are doing other things and/or genetically gifted and/or eating very little.

Define easier? I disagree with you.

Easier in the sense that what the instructor tells you to do feels doable. Like, I can do it and not think WTF, how I can possibly do what s/he is asking. I’ve thought the latter in almost every solidcore class I’ve taken. The barre classes I’ve taken, every time I start to think, this is getting hard, we move on to something else. Yes, I’m doing it right. It’s not *that* complicated. (Neither is solidcore, FWIW)

Again, I’m not saying it’s easy. But I’ve never gotten nervous before barre, and I have plenty before solidcore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Purebarre is bull.

Real dancers do real barre. They look a bit different than the women in Purebarre classes

Exactly!

[Anonymous]

This is why I would never go to an exercise class. B/c my fellow female classmates re judging my body and putting me into some weird category.

Women are so petty and competitive about this stuff -- I mean one of the PP wants to kick the butts of other women because they are thin?

No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Purebarre is bull.

Real dancers do real barre. They look a bit different than the women in Purebarre classes

Exactly!

I don’t go to barre to pretend I’m a professional ballerina. I grew up in a dance family, was very serious in ballet in my younger years and have a sibling who was in a dance company for years. No one is saying it’s ballet, so just lighten up. If done correctly, and with the right instructor, it is an excellent workout.