By Gabby Neal
@gabbyneal__
It’s the latest workout to hit the ground running. Incorporating elements of dance, yoga and Pilates, barre workouts are an easy, time efficient, sweat inducing activity to get you looking leaner than ever.
Basically it involves you, a ballet barre, an instructor and some pretty motivating music. Where you’ll find yourself doing a lot of small, repetitive movements over larger compound movements. So no heavy loaded squats or shoulder presses, rather various lightweight movements on repeat.
Considering it’s a workout championed by many of the industry’s top models; think Martha Hunt, Lily Aldrige and even our local girls Madi Edwards and Izi Simundic, we thought we’d give it a go ourselves.
Now, there is honestly an endless supply of barre classes available in whatever city you may be, but considering our AMFAMily friends have been routinely spotted at Lean Bean Fitness here in Sydney, this was our go-to.
Having two locations, one in Darlinghurst and one in Bondi, Lean Bean is an all women show. Meaning we’ll achieve optimum ‘leanness’ with instructors who understand our bodies and are all over the areas we want to target.
I mean, if high flying models like Alannah Walton, Madi Edwards & Lily Aldridge are doing it, it’s got to be good for us right?
‘Barre class is definitely a core part of my workout routine. It tones, sculpts and lifts your butt like nothing else. I love making it a regular part of my weekly routine as I always feel strong and elongated afterwards’
Says Alannah Walton.
In terms of weight loss, as the barre classes target some of the largest muscle groups in the body like your thighs and glutes, you’ll notice your body starting to firm up quite quickly. Lizzie, the founder of Lean Bean fitness recommends attending at least three times a week in order to see results, of course in conjunction with a healthy diet. So over the weeks, as you build more lean muscle, you’ll raise your metabolic rate which helps produce more energy and expend more calories.
Basically, the larger the muscle, the more calories burned.
We’ve been to a few classes and can honestly say they’re super fun and 100% results driven. It’s one of those workouts that doesn’t feel like a workout, with time flying by as the movements are continuously changing.
Definitely one we give the thumbs up too!
