Barre3 for beginners

MANILA, Philippines - About the same time that Black Swan’s smoky-eyed, tattooed dancer Lily assured us that ballet can be cool, Barre3, the fitness program that combines the use of the ballet barre exercises with yoga and Pilates training, was also starting to gain a lot of attention. I know a lot of girls who signed up for a class or two after watching the movie, hoping to channel their inner Swan Queens and get in lithe ballerina shape while they’re at it. To get in the right mindset before my very first Barre3 class a few weeks ago, I watched Selina Kyle mount and dismount the Batcycle, backflip out a window, and walk –– nay, sashay –– down the aisles of Gotham International Airport in an impossibly tight pencil skirt. I was in high spirits coming to my Barre3 class the following day, but you know what they say about the mind being willing but the flesh being flabby and without muscle tone.

Good thing I wasn’t the only first-timer in the group (though I was the only one who hadn’t had any form of formal exercise since 2010), and of course, being a professional exercise studio, we were assigned an instructor, Joie Viado, who had 20 years of experience and was as patient as she was firm. We were told she is the master trainer, the Yoda of Barre3 in the Philippines –– and no one doubted it. Her posture, even during casual conversation, was perfect, elongating her petite frame. Plus, she had muscles on her back, the kind that rippled when we did bends and stretching. I remembered the lily tattoo on Lily’s back and thought, “I will get that tattoo if I ever get my back that ripped.”

Barre3 was introduced in the Philippines by The Spa wellness director Tanya Tan, after she fell in love with the practice. The appeal of Barre3 is that it’s never boring. The mind, body, and yes, the spirit, will be at work during the 60-minute class, where you reap the benefits of Pilates, yoga and ballet barre from a head-to-toe work out that lengthens and lifts the whole body. Because of this three-fold foundation, many students have seen their bodies transform into one with the length of a dancer and the strength of an athlete. Barre3 has advanced, foundations and open-level classes to cater to different fitness levels.

I asked Joie if it would’ve made a difference if I had been doing other forms of exercise, and she said the class is equally challenging to beginners and fitness buffs alike. Because it offers a completely different routine, it challenges a different set of muscle groups. True enough, while I struggled during the ballet barre exercises, which involved repetitive presses on the barre, I had a better time during the core and leg work. This is encouraging news for anyone who may have heard about how Barre3 can be “grueling” or “too intense.” Everyone has different fitness level and problem areas; with Barre3, being a comprehensive exercise, you get to identify your strengths and improve with every class. Joie and the other fitness instructors are also there to correct your posture and arm and leg positions, as well as encourage you to push when you feel like stopping or tell you to rest when your grimace starts to look too painful.

During my first open-level class, I’ve learned some techniques that would help me in succeeding classes. Here are some of them:

At the Barre3 studio, it helps to be vain. The mirrors are there for a reason. Focus on yourself and pay attention to your form and posture. Throughout the class you will be told to always keep your spine aligned –– correct yourself when you feel like you’re arching too much (this puts strain on your back) or slouching, which does nothing for your core.

All about balance: Straps anchored around the barre supports your body so you can have more balance as you do some exercises.

Tensing your shoulders will tire you out faster. Keep your shoulders relaxed. During one exercise, we had to stand a foot away from the barre and do push-ups, while keeping our bodies in a straight, acute angle from the floor. It helps keep your elbows from pointing outward and avoid putting pressure on your shoulders.

Don’t bounce; press your navel in. Barre3’s version of squats and push-ups are different because they as much about grace as they are about power. So when doing them, avoid bouncing just to get them over it. You will benefit most from them if you draw strength from your core, which is around the abdominal area.

Trust the ball and you won’t shimmy. Barre3 makes use of props like two-pound dumbbells, a long strap for support, and a fit ball. One floor work exercise will require you to prop your feet up on the ball and balance on it with your hips lifted from the floor. “This will make you shimmy,” said Joie. And it did. And it was funny. But if you just breathe, plant your feet firmly on the ball and be the boss of it, you’d be able to balance without doing the Conga.

When all else fails, breathe. Actually, breath and you won’t fail. It’s easy to forget to exhale when you’re so focused on the exercise. If you find yourself having a difficult time doing the reps, concentrate on your breathing instead of on the burning feeling in your calves. Breathing centers the body and allows it to function better –– practice, breathe easy, and Barre3 will be a breeze.

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For beginners who would like a Barre3 trial run, first-timer trial classes (three classes in two weeks) are offered at P1,500. Single classes are offered at P700; 10 classes valid for two months at P5,500; 30 classes valid for six months at P15,000; and monthly unlimited at P5,500. One-on-one and exclusive classes, as well as annual and semi-annual memberships are also available.

Barre3 is studios are located at The Spa at The Fort, Alabang, Eastwood, Rockwell and TriNoma. For more information, visit Facebook.com/barre3philippines or follow @barre3ph via Twitter.