As most of you know, last month I added in some Barre classes to my workout schedule. It was a completely different workout than my body was used to and I really enjoyed the change of pace.

There is a mind & body focus about the barre workout that connects you to each muscle you are working on. I could really feel my strength improving with each class that I took just from focusing on different muscles at a time.

Unfortunately I had to finish my 1 month of classes a week early due to a minor injury with my hip, but I was able to experience a lot!

With just recently having a baby, my core was definitely an area that needed to be strengthened. Each movement in the barre workout is based around your core and I loved that. It really helped me to tighten my lower abdominal region.

If you have never taken a Barre class before, here are a few things to help you get started:

Arrive to your first class a few minutes early… introduce yourself to the instructor and they can show you what equipment you will need. You can also let them know if you have any injuries so they can help you to modify movements.

Hydrate before class.. also bring a water! I am always thirsty and it helped to keep one handy.

Ease into your first workout… if you have never done a Barre, Pilates, or Ballet class before make sure to ease into the exercises and not to over stretch your muscles.

No sneakers & shoes allowed… you just wear your socks! I loved this, it is so fun to workout in your socks.

Get familiar with the moves & listen to the instructors tips.. I learned something new from each instructor that helped me improve all of my movements. Sure at first I was intimidated by some of the exercises, but as I gained strength and learned what I was doing it got easier!

For more information check out the Pure Barre website!

This past week was very crazy for me and my blog. I had some technical issues that took days to straighten out but I am happy to say that everything is fixed and I am back in action. If you ever encounter an issue where you cannot access a specific web page, let me know.. I just might be able to help!

The weather was beautiful this weekend and it has been so enjoyable to be outside. Saturday morning we went for our usual morning walk with Cooper and ran some much needed errands around town. In the afternoon we headed to a friends house for her son’s 1 year old birthday party. Ava partied for a little bit but then crashed!

It was so much fun to see some of my college friends, enjoy some good food and hang outside.

Ava even enjoyed herself!

My friend’s son Alan is going in for a big kiss!

Sunday morning I headed to Pure Barre for a morning workout. I had taken Friday/Saturday off from exercising due to some serious tightness in my right leg/hip. It was feeling much better by the time I went for the workout.

Who uses sundays for FOOD PREP??

Sundays have become prep days for food, shopping and getting things organized around the house (unless we have plans). We made Kabocha squash

grilled eggplant and asparagus,

BBQ grilled chicken

cut fruit

apple & fennel salad, hamburgers, which aren’t pictured! This makes for easy meal ideas during the week and leaves no excuse for eating healthy! I love a full fridge. Who doesn’t?

Mondays are busy days for me… so see-ya tomorrow!!

Today in class I loved the thigh work. We pressed the ball with our thighs while on our tippy toes and lightly holding the bar. I felt a lot stronger doing this movement this week  

Barre class has challenged my body in a totally different way and I like the results I am seeing. My core is tighter, my butt has a little more lift and my flexibility has improved! I love seeing improvement in my flexibility. I know that tight muscles don’t work to their full potential so stretching and having good flexibility is that much more important.

The challenge my muscles get from the Barre workout are more muscle endurance compared to muscle strength which I get from all of my other workouts. I push my body in a totally different way… “Go down an inch, up and inch” this is one of the instructors favorite phrases and that is how small the movements are… but believe me, that doesn’t mean it is easy. Try doing that for a minute straight and I’m sure your muscles will be screaming.

Pure Barre Greenwich is now offering a “Ying Yang” Package which allows people to take as many as 8 classes in a month for $110. It’s great for people who are busy during this time of year and people who love taking a variety of classes (crossfit, soul cycle, running). I dare you to try it!

For more information email greenwich@purebarre.com 

If you are looking for a deep muscle burn, her class will smoke your legs and keep them shaking throughout the 55-minute workout. I loved her style of teaching. Not only was her enthusiasm motivating me to dig deeper, but her constant encouragement during the workout kept me pushing my body to the limits. I learned more on technique during this class and I think my hip”TUCK” is finally improving. I can feel such a difference in my core strength in just 1 week of taking these classes.

I am still struggling a bit with my quads/hip flexors. They are extremely tight and I know it is from teaching tons of classes on top of taking Pure Barre. My rest days are seeming more and more important this week. So I have scheduled 2 off days from lifting/toning and I will be focusing on stretching and long walks on those 2 days off.

The variety of exercises in the classes are great, I really enjoy learning something new each time. Even the exercises that look easy or start off easy quickly change and I find myself questioning when it will be over! The burn is unlike a burn you get from lifting dumbbells… you will have to try it out to see what I’m talking about!!

My favorite exercise during Ashley’s class involved the tube band, you are lying face down on your stomach with the band around your ankles. We were working the glutes by extending the leg up and pulsing.. my butt cheeks were on fire and I actually walked out of there feeling a little more lift!

As I continue to take the Barre classes I am finding myself more and more focused on my form and posture. The class flies by because my mind if focusing on so many things at once…… keeping my back straight and removing the arch, tucking my hips, pressing my arms into the bar, keeping my neck straight, breathing, keeping my shoulders down, toes pointed, feet flexed… as you can see each movement requires perfection and I am definitely striving for perfection. It seems nearly impossible at times but I am doing my best!!

Barre class is so different then the workouts I normally do, it adds a great balance and compliments my training!