Step Up to the Barre
To get a ballerina’s body, try a ballerina’s workout.
With long, defined muscles and perfect posture, who doesn’t admire a ballet dancer’s body?
That’s why ballet’s essential piece of equipment — the barre — is showing up more often in exercise routines. Using the barre can help isolate the smaller muscle groups that often get overlooked. The guiding principle: With the barre, you can focus on individual muscles, work them to fatigue and then stretch them deeply for increased strength and flexibility and a sculpted appearance. The barre also helps keep the body properly aligned during a workout.
The barre has a major role in an exercise method developed by, and named for, dancer Lotte Berk. One of her students brought the technique to the U.S. where it became popular and inspired other similar workouts. At Manhattan fitness studio Physique 57, a devoted following takes classes that are a modern spin on Lotte Berk’s techniques. “It has elements of yoga, Pilates and ballet, but it’s really its own program,” says Jennifer Maanavi, owner of the studio. “You do ballet exercises, but it’s not a dance class.” Half the class is spent at the barre. “You’re pulling it or pushing on it, so you’re using your own body’s resistance.” Reshaping the glutes gets special focus, and the barre is the most important tool for that.
Look for a ballet-inspired workout at your gym, or call local dance studios that mostly cater to the younger tutu set and check if they offer evening classes for adults. For those who want the benefits at home, portable barres are available for purchase online, as are Lotte Berk method instructional DVDs .
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