Barre fitness vs ballet: what’s the difference?

A lot of people have heard of barre fitness and assume that it’s very similar to ballet. For that reason, you might have avoided looking into this form of fitness any further under the assumption that you need to have formal ballet skills to be able to participate. The truth is that although barre fitness draws some of its inspiration from ballet, there are a lot of differences between the two.

If you’ve been avoiding barre classes because it sounds a little intimidating, we’ll be looking at exactly what a barre fitness class entails so you know what to expect.

The inspiration behind barre fitness

With the use of the ballet barre and terminology in your barre fitness class, you won’t be surprised to learn that barre fitness was originally inspired by ballet and was developed by a ballerina in 1959. Barre method has evolved significantly from its early days and over the past ten years, this form of fitness has increased in popularity. Genuine barre method these days takes inspiration from a number of sources and uses concepts from classical ballet, Pilates and functional movement.

So while it’s true that some barre method concepts come from classical ballet, you don’t need to worry about special shoes, leotards or perfect form to come along to a class — no dance experience or coordination required!

The barre fitness workout

Barre fitness focuses on strengthening and toning your entire body by using tiny, isometric movements to target your major and minor muscle groups. Barre fitness generally means small movements but a high number of reps — and you’ll certainly feel it! For stability, many of the moves are carried out while holding on to a ballet barre or other prop such as a chair. While you often rely on only your own bodyweight during class, sometimes light hand weights or resistance bands can also be incorporated to add the workout. You can also expect some targeted core work to challenge your stabilising muscles.

The benefits of barre fitness

After you’ve been doing your barre classes for a while, you can expect to see a number of benefits including improved posture, increased flexibility, and better muscle strength and definition. Due to barre being low impact, it’s also a great option if you’re pregnant. Barre fitness provides a full body workout which targets multiple muscle groups at once so you walk out knowing that all parts of your body have been challenged.

If you’re looking for fitness centres in Melbourne, discover what KĀYA Health Clubs have to offer. We provide Barre fitness classes using the genuine method and our passionate, highly experienced instructors will work with you to sculpt and tone your body. All of our barre classes are carried out in the calming environment of our state of the art studios.

For fitness clubs in Melbourne who provide barre classes, contact KĀYA today on (03) 9090 1000.