I swapped weightlifting for a barre class and the results were surprising

Just like Pilates, barre is having a bit of a moment. Blending the elegance and precision of ballet with strength training, barre can build a strong physique, improve your flexibility and mobility, as well as boost your balance.

“It was originally developed by an ex-ballerina who came up with the idea to combine her dance conditioning routine with her rehabilitative therapy in order to create a fitness class,” explains Barre Instructor, Lotty Campbell, Founder of the Collective Fitness Studio.

“It can help you to create strong, lean muscles and tone those ‘hard to reach places’. The movements in class are designed to target very small, specific muscle groups with a focus on working the core, arms, glutes, thighs and abdominals.”

Intrigued to try it myself and step away from my regular strength training routine of front squats and curling dumbbells, I headed down to the Collective Fitness Studio in the Cotswolds.

As I stepped into the beautiful stone-walled studio at Berry Farm, the atmosphere felt rather relaxed; there was a candle burning in the corner and music gently hummed in the background. It may have felt like we were about to do a gentle wind down for the evening, but I knew this was far from the truth and I wasn’t wrong. Here’s what I learned from my 45-minute class...

1. It hurt in a whole new way

As someone who’s used to lifting weights four times a week, I thought I’d find the class a doddle. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

It’s not that the exercises were hard per say— although there was one crazy move where we had to lie on the floor with our legs in the air and tap them forwards and backwards off a chair— it was how long we had to repeat them for which was the real challenge.

“Traditional resistance training exercises, such as squats, push-ups and hamstring curls, move your joints through a full range of motion but, in a barre class, you focus on tiny isometric contractions, in which there is no movement to the angle of the joint, creating a static contraction of the muscle,” explains Lotty.

To put it bluntly, my muscle endurance sucked. I tried my best to smile through the pain, but performing tiny pulsing lunges for 30 seconds on each leg was a new kind of torture. I’d still do it again though.

2. The exercises were easier than expected

While executing the exercises was difficult, thanks to the massive amount of lactate it builds up in your muscles, the actual movements themselves were easy.

I have previous ballet experience, but I’m talking more than 10 years ago, so I was slightly apprehensive about how much of a challenge the exercises would be. I had nothing to fear though, as they were very low-skill (think curtsey lunges, leg raises and planks), and also very scalable.

“The low-impact nature of the movements in barre makes it suitable for all ages, genders, body shapes and fitness abilities," says Lotty.

Apart from that torturous abdominal exercise I mentioned above, all the moves were relatively easy, so you don’t have to be a prima ballerina to give it a go.

3. It can easily be done at home

The beauty of barre, similar to mat Pilates, is that you need minimal to no equipment. As soon as I stepped foot into the studio the only bits of equipment for the class were a chair, a light loop resistance band, and a small ball.

“You mostly use your own body weight as resistance in barre, however, the use of props can help add resistance and make the workout more challenging," says Lotty. "You also don't have to have a barre to do barre, you could use a chair, kitchen countertop or a wall in place of this, making it a great option for working out at home.”

Even if you did buy props, it would cost significantly less than kitting yourself out with a fully fledged home gym, so it’s a great option for those looking to get fit and strong in a cheap, cheerful way.

Would I go again?

Without a doubt. In fact, I think barre would be an excellent type of exercise to complement my weight training. It would boost my muscle endurance, strengthen those stabilising muscles (which can often get neglected) and increase my core strength, all of which would contribute to a better squat, deadlift and bench press.

I like it more than Pilates too because, although you do work your core muscles, I like that there’s a wider focus on your entire body as a whole. Intrigued to give it a go yourself? Check out Lotty's video below!

Barre workout to try at home

This short 8-minute lower-body barre workout will target the glutes and thighs. Make sure you're wearing grippy socks to ensure you don't slip and have your gym water bottle nearby, this one's going to burn!