Bethany fitness: Hit the barre, feel great
Lately, there have been a lot of people hitting the bar on Delmarva.
But they haven't been lifting shots or glasses of beer.
Rather, they've been lifting their derrieres, all thanks to barre — a hot new fitness craze.
Over the last decade, the class has morphed into a choice workout for fitness fiends everywhere and studios are springing up in droves.
Barre may look a lot like ballet, but don't be fooled by the plies and pirouettes. It is only ballet-inspired. Barre fitness is a full-body workout that mixes elements of Pilates, dance, yoga and functional training, to promote youthfulness, longevity, self awareness and long, lean muscles.
"It's an incredible workout," said Julie Wender, who recently opened Shore Barre, the first barre fitness studio in Bethany Beach.
Wender, a lifelong competitive athlete, first heard about barre while she was living in New York City. She has spent nearly the last decade perfecting her practice while learning from the masters.
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Through her training, Wender, who is barre certified by Exhale, has been able to develop a barre fitness program to incorporate exercise progressions that address muscle imbalances, to help prevent injury and improve movement patterns, muscular strength and endurance.
All of which though would not be possible, she said, without someone who once suffered from back pain.
History
Considering that the basic equipment (a ballet barre) and many of the moves are based on classic ballet positions, it’s no surprise barre was developed by a dancer.
In the 1960s, after injuring her back, Lotte Berk, a German dancer living in London, came up with the idea to combine her dance conditioning routine with her rehabilitative therapy. She found the program so fun and successful, she launched her own studio, Rehabilitative Exercise, on Manchester Street.
One of her students, Lydia Bach, brought the idea to America in 1971 when she opened her own studio, Lotte Berk Method, on 67th and Madison.
However, it was the dynamic-husband-and-wife-duo Elisabeth Halfpapp, a formally trained ballet teacher, and Fred DeVito, a physical education teacher and personal trainer, who really changed the game.
The couple worked with Bach for nearly 20 years, evolving the class to resemble more of what it looks like today. They made it more gender neutral, added a weight section, and incorporated all of the rehabilitative stretches to accompany the strengthening segments.
In 2002, they parted ways with Bach and opened Exhale Spa in New York City, debuting an entire fitness program called core fusion. It featured all of the key positions from the Lotte Berk Method, blending them with principles of Pilates, yoga and sports conditioning.
Every one of today’s well-known studios and methods, Wender said, have evolved the Halfpapps' program.
The workout
While barre has origins in dance, the rhythmically challenged shouldn’t worry — no tap shoes, leotards or fancy footwork required.
"You don't even need dance experience," Wender said.
Instead, most barre classes follow the same basic structure — a mat based warmup full of planks and pushups, a series of arm exercises, a lower body section to work the glutes and thighs, and finally, a sequence of core focused moves at the bar or on the mat.
As for gear, the moves are typically body weight only, but you can use light hand weights to up the resistance. For lower body work, a soft exercise ball is often used to help engage the muscles.
So what's the difference between barre and a typical strength training class?
Rather than larger, compound movements, such as squats and shoulder presses, you’ll perform tiny, one inch increments called isometric movements.
For someone who is used to workout programs like P90X or CrossFit, it may not seem hard enough. However, the one inch increments are enough to fire up the muscle and make it more elastic, but not too big to tear it.
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Benefits
Is it worth the hype? Sign up for a class and see.
If you find barre classes fun and motivating, there are class packages available. After all, individuals are more likely to stick with an exercise regimen if they enjoy it.
Those already doing a lot of strength training and spinning, Wender said, would benefit from incorporating the high reps, body weight only exercises of a barre class once a week.
"A combination of classes can help create a lean body," she said.
Many of her clients say they notice changes in their bodies after a few classes, including new strength, self awareness and toned hard-to-target muscles in the core, arms and legs.
While helping her clients reach optimal health, Wender herself has never felt better. She was featured in Spry Magazine's, "40 Hottest Trainers over 40" list.
"I am in the best shape of my life," she said. "And it's not just physical well-being. My mind is also healthy. This class is very uplifting because it lets you connect with yourself, fully."
The best part?
Anyone — no matter age, weight, or fitness level — can hit the bar and achieve similar results.
302-537-1881, ext. 207
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Shore Barre
Where: 32892 Coastal Hwy No. 3, Bethany Beach, located in The Studio at Mind, Body & Sole Wellness Center
Call: 240-507-8144
Visit: shorebarre.com/index.html