Everything you need to know about Barre Yoga

By now, you have probably heard about Barre Yoga or walked past a studio that offers this fairly new fitness trend.

It’s no wonder, considering that Barre Yoga has exploded in popularity in the last few years.

Pilates? Yoga? Barre? Read on to find out more

Barre yoga is a fairly accessible and super fun workout that offers plenty of benefits, so it is easy to see why many people decided to jump on this trend.

If you’re keen to learn more about this strengthening workout, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here is all you need to know about the new trend of barre yoga before heading to the studio!

What is Barre Yoga?

Barre yoga is a form of physical exercise typically conducted in groups in studios or classes.

It is similar to yoga, but not exactly the same. Barre yoga is a low-impact workout that combines slow movements with high-intensity interval workouts for the entire body.

Barre yoga implements elements from yoga and pilates with movements derived from ballet.

It typically focuses on small, pulsing movements and puts great emphasis on form, alignment and core engagement.

Who should try Barre Yoga?

Even though barre yoga is designed for everyone, and anyone can find it useful and enjoy it, beginners should be aware that it is much more challenging than a typical yoga class.

In fact, it will challenge even the fittest athletes.

That’s because a barre yoga workout can be rather rigorous and it includes various movements.

The class and programme will differ from studio to studio as the focus of the class may be different, but typically it is fun and challenging.

You need to try it out before committing to one class in particular!

How can Barre Yoga help you?

Barre yoga is intended to help you improve your overall fitness capabilities and performance.

Even though it can be more intensive, it is still a very beginner-friendly activity. It is easily adaptable to different skill sets and ability levels.

With barre yoga exercises, you get a chance to build long, lean muscle mass, while also working on your core strength, stability, balance and general proprioception.

The specific benefits of barre yoga include:

Improves posture and balance
Strengthens your muscles
Tones your muscle without increasing bulk
Helps to burn calories
Gentle on the joints, as it is low-impact
Increases cardiovascular endurance and metabolism
Increases bone density
Builds overall body strength and improves endurance
Great pre-work for cross-training or when preparing for a race
Reduces stress
Lower impact gluteus maximus exercises - keep working the butt without the heavy weights!

What equipment do you need?

The equipment you will need for your barre yoga class will vary depending on the activities planned for the class.

Some studios may require you to bring your own gear (like a mat) while others may provide it for you, and will require only your presence and appropriate clothes.

Here we will take a closer look at possible equipment you may use during your barre yoga class, as well as the necessary wardrobe and equipment that you might use.

Clothes and accessories

Needless to say, comfortable, breathable, not-too-tight clothes that allow you to move freely are the first must-have for any yoga class, including barre yoga.

Specifically, you will need:

Preferably high-waisted leggings
A top or bodysuit. If you’re wearing a long sleeve top, make sure it’s easily removable and you have a short-sleeve top under so that you can easily remove it in case you get too hot
A pair of good-quality, grippy barre socks

Additionally, a nice bottle, a cloth to use when you sweat and a personal mat are helpful for your barre yoga class.

Barre yoga equipment

In your barre yoga class, you may use certain types of equipment, including:

Yoga mat
Small or large stability balls
Bands
Chair or stepper
Weighted bar or swiffer
Gliders
Weights
Sliders
Loop band

What to expect in your Barre Yoga class?

Of course, no two classes are the same, and you should expect the exact exercises to slightly vary from studio to studio.

In general, barre yoga classes tend to follow a general pattern:

Start with a warm-up

To stretch and get warmed up, you may start bare or use small weights.

These are simple exercises that are meant to warm up your muscles and increase your heart rate and blood flow.

This will enable more oxygen to reach your muscles and activate the connections between your nerves and muscles which will improve the efficiency of your movements.

Also, warming up can help reduce possible muscle soreness and lessen your risk of injury, so don’t skip them!

Demonstration and movement

The warm-up is followed by a demonstration of the movements by the teacher and you are encouraged to try the movements for yourself.

As a beginner, expect to make possible mistakes and get corrections suggested by the teacher to get the most out of every move in the exercise.

This will make sure you are doing all the exercises correctly, targeting the right muscles, and not putting yourself up for possible injury.

You may use a bar, chair or stool

Barre yoga uses movements from ballet as well as yoga and pilates, so it is common for bar or chair/stool to be used throughout the class.

This will help you with the leg- and glute-focused exercises.

You may head to a mat or other equipment

The class may continue by heading towards a mat for targeted core work or other equipment such as weights and blocks.

This can help you add an additional level of strengthening and toning.

Class tends to end with stretches

Stretchy yoga-inspired cool-down poses and exercises tend to be left for the end of the class to help your body get back to a relaxed state.

During barre yoga classes you should expect to break a sweat, increase your heart rate and have lots of fun!

Some classes may use music to help you with relaxation and motivation.

Yoga vs Barre Yoga – what’s the difference?

Yoga’s main focus is on breathing and slow movement, but barre yoga is more intensive.

In yoga, the movements are supposed to slow down the heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Barre yoga is much more fast-paced, putting emphasis on apace movements that are supposed to burn calories and strengthen the cardiovascular system.

Yoga has a more meditative feeling attached to it, compared to barre yoga which will get you more pumped up and sweating.

Yoga is used for stretching, and also to help with flexibility and balance, while the main goal of barre yoga is strengthening the core and building on muscles.

These muscles are usually in the lower body (legs and butt), the core and sometimes the arms.

Yoga focuses on stretching your muscles, while barre yoga tones those muscles.

In general, as a workout, barre yoga has more apace movements than yoga as it incorporates aerobics movements that are supposed to be more rhythmic and increase your overall activity level.

You may wonder, which one is better?

The answer is, both are great, it just depends on what you are looking for as well as your current fitness level and what you enjoy. You need to ask yourself, what are your needs?

Do you need to stretch your muscles and improve flexibility while lowering your heart rate and stress?
Or do you want an activity that is more focused on defining and toning your muscles with a high-intensity cardio exercise that has a low impact?

If you prefer the first, you should look for yoga classes. If you prefer the latter, barre yoga is a great choice for you!

Barre Yoga and weight loss

Choosing the right workout truly depends on your current fitness level and individual goals.

If you’re looking for weight loss, barre yoga can be slightly more helpful than regular yoga as it focuses more on burning calories.

Nonetheless, bear in mind that on its own, barre yoga will not give a “magical” result overnight.

It is best to combine it with a weight loss programme that considers all aspects of your lifestyle and helps you with your diet, stress management and exercise.

Barre yoga as a workout can help you improve the core strength in your glutes, thighs, back muscles and arms, toning these muscles and burning calories.

Combined with proper regiment and diet, barre yoga can help you get in better shape and lose weight.

How to prepare for your Barre Yoga class? Tips for beginners!

At first as a beginner, barre yoga may seem intimidating to you if you don’t have previous experience in yoga or fitness for that matter.

However, you should know that barre yoga can be adjusted for different needs, and it is a great thing that you are willing to try it out!

Here are our additional tips that can help you when preparing for your first barre yoga class.

Invest in adequate equipment

A nice pair of socks and appropriate clothes can help you focus your attention on the exercises entirely and you won’t have to endure any discomfort.

If you are trying barre yoga at home, for classes that require a steady surface, you can replace the ballet barre with counter, wall, chair or stool.

Don’t worry about your flexibility

You don’t necessarily need to be flexible to start barre yoga.

As you progress in your training, you will notice your flexibility improve as a consequence.

Don’t rush in

It’s important to avoid rushing in and biting off more than you can chew. Instead, acknowledge what you are doing and the effort you are putting in.

Remember that a 15 minute workout is still better than none.

Pace yourself

You should pace yourself and adjust your tempo according to your needs.

If you feel it is going too fast for your body, trust your instincts and slow down the pace for yourself. You can also increase the intensity gradually.

Forget about the weights

You don’t need to use weights from the very start.

You can opt to use your own body weight or swap for a household substitute (like a smaller bottle of water) if you don’t own a set of weights or find it too hard to use them.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Your barre yoga teacher or other people in your class can help you out if you are not entirely sure what to do.

The teacher is also there to make sure you avoid injury and work your muscles.

Good luck, we believe in you!

Barre Yoga: All You Need to Know About Barre Yoga