With such a variety of workouts available today, it should come as no surprise to find a new type of exercise called ballet barre that is centered on the toning movements of ballet dancing.

The word “barre” is of French origin and is used to describe the horizontal bar used for balance and support by ballet dancers. In ballet barre, that same bar is used to perform isometric moves that help strengthen areas people often struggle with the most.

“Pure Barre is an intense 55-minute total body workout,” owner of Pure Barre in Solana Beach Lori Allen said. “It focuses on small isometric movements, toning different areas — your seat, thighs, a lot of core, sculpts and tones — burns fat and calories … results are seen very quickly.”

Because it requires no jumping, a person’s joints are protected throughout the exercise. Instead, the workout routine usually includes strength and stretching segments to create a long and lean muscle. For those who want to keep their figures, ballet barre is the way to go.

“It uses calculated isometric movements to work each muscle, then stretches the muscle back out to create long, lean lines — without the bulk,” CEO and founder of Pure Barre technique, Carrie Rezabek said.

Instead of the constant movement required when doing push-ups or crunches, a ballet barre routine pushes trainees to hold various positions for given amounts of time to strengthen target areas with increased pressure. This motion reflects a level of stamina similar to that required when holding a sit-up in the “up” position for a prolonged period of time.

Another advantage to this workout is the slight movement required when holding set positions. For this reason, ballet barre is perfect for people struggling with back problems, or for those in postnatal recovery. Although classes are mainly
taught in studios where a fee is required, college students on a tight budget should not avoid the idea of participating in ballet barre.

Equipment is not required and there are many discount coupons available online that can decrease studio fees. All exercisers need is a horizontal bar (provided by the studio), socks, their own body weight and the will to work it like a prima ballerina.