Barre is impossible

[Anonymous]

I have gone a few times and am always frustrated after at my lack of soreness. The moves they do are impossible for me to hold for more than 3 seconds so I find that I don't really get a good workout because I literally cannot do it. I am a runner and consider myself to be in decent shape so I am puzzled.

Anyone else??

[Anonymous]

Which barre workout did you try? I found pure barre exactly like you described. Couldnt hold the positions, felt bored too. Then I tried xtend barre and loved it. Lots of cardio, less holding positions. After a year I got bored, but for that one year I loved it and it's the only exercise I have consistently done.

[Anonymous]

My gym recently added a new style of barre class that I love, as a runner. It's a mix of core, balance, and some upper body strength work. It was hard at first but the more I go, the better it is. It's not an amazing workout like some others, but I find it sort of helps fill a void of where I could use some improvement.

[Anonymous]

I've done Pure Barre also and felt the same way. It was so difficult I felt like I did not get much out of it because I just couldn't do a whole lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have gone a few times and am always frustrated after at my lack of soreness. The moves they do are impossible for me to hold for more than 3 seconds so I find that I don't really get a good workout because I literally cannot do it. I am a runner and consider myself to be in decent shape so I am puzzled.

Anyone else??

Sounds like a good challenge!

[Anonymous]

I've never tried Barre but I've found some of the moves in SolidCore to be incredibly difficult to hold as well (but yet I keep going). Maybe give that a try? Expensive, but for the most part I like it.

[Anonymous]

I started Xtend Barre about a year ago after a long period of doing nothing other than an occasional yoga class and it was hard, but it gets better. I have stuck with it, which I can't say about anything else I've tried before!

I tried Pure Barre as well and hated it. The moves weren't challenging and there's no cardio. So you may want to try a few other styles. I've tried Lava Barre in Arlington and liked that a lot, it's just not convenient for me to go regularly.

If you want a major challenge (and major soreness), SolidCore is the hardest thing I've ever done!

[Anonymous]

I take barre at my gym and find it the best workout I've ever done - holding the poses is really challenging but has built strength and toned my lower body better than ANYTHING I've ever done before. It took a while to be able to hold the poses because despite running frequently and being fit, I had no lower body strength. You have to build that. I'd say stick with it.

[Anonymous]

You need to modify the moves. It may sound counterintuitive, but do less! When a position is introduced, don't try and copy the more advanced people, find the spot that engages your body. I am a dancer and a runner. The two activities demand completely different types of muscular
Engagement and training. Just because you can do one doesn't mean you can do the other. I run a lot and I'm fast,
But a barre class always kicks my butt. If you aren't able to find the position, find the muscle Engagement in poses, then you aren't doing it correctly. You also need to find a better teacher.

[Anonymous]

I do Pure Barre and find it has really improved my muscle strength and tone. It does not have cardio (although now they are starting a class that has more cardio) so if cardio is what you are looking for, it's not that. It is hard at first to hold the positions, but I found that you improve pretty quickly if you stick with it. When I started I could never do the plank for the 90 seconds at all and now do it all the way through every time. It's not the right class for everyone (what is?) but if the concern is that you can't do the moves I would try to stick with it for a few classes and see if it works better for you over time.

[Anonymous]

Can you do a barre-type workout if you are very inflexible? I find I can do pilates ok with a lot of modifications, but my ability to do yoga moves is pretty laughable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you do a barre-type workout if you are very inflexible? I find I can do pilates ok with a lot of modifications, but my ability to do yoga moves is pretty laughable.

I also am really bad at yoga (no flexibility or balance) but love barre just as I loved Pilates. I do barre3. I agree with the PP who said that you should no necessarily try to do the advanced variations right away - doing the basic movement correctly may be a better workout. I love barre and think it has really helped target the areas that are starting to sag as 40 approaches.

[Anonymous]

Any more feedback on Barre 3? I see they are opening a new studio near me in Bethesda and I don't know the first thing about the classes.

[Anonymous]

I love Barre3. There are a lot of squatting and lunging type moves, along with floor work and work at the barre. Compared to other barre classes I've tried, it's somewhat more aerobic/fast-paced and a little less focused on technique. I've been to Union Station, Georgetown, and 14th Street and while the teachers and sequences vary, the above has held true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have gone a few times and am always frustrated after at my lack of soreness. The moves they do are impossible for me to hold for more than 3 seconds so I find that I don't really get a good workout because I literally cannot do it. I am a runner and consider myself to be in decent shape so I am puzzled.

Anyone else??

How many times have you taken a class? And also, you realize that you may be getting benefits even if you’re not sore.