- Finding Balance & Forever Wellness with @NourishedbyNutrition - December 29, 2020
- The Benefits of Taking Barre and Pilates - September 19, 2019
- 20 Minutes with Eat Pray Barre - August 28, 2019
When it comes to getting fit, there are so many choices. Where is someone to begin? It’s no surprise that many people pair a high-intensity workout with a low-impact class to cover all their bases….but what are the benefits of doing 2 low-impact exercises? Low-impact classes in particular – pilates and barre – can improve many components to our physical fitness, including flexibility, strength, balance, body composition, and relieve stress! Here we speak with @coffeeandbarre a trainer of both barre and pilates to discover more benefits to pairing these low-impact exercises together.
As a barre and pilates trainer, what are the most frequently asked modifications asked by clients with injuries and how do you go about solving them?
The most frequent modifications I get asked about are for their backs, shoulders, knees, and postnatal recovery. The modifications I offer for postnatal recovery is offering a wedge when we are doing exercises on our back and avoid laying on the stomach until further along in their recovery. For shoulder/knee/back injuries: Making sure their form is correct 100% of the time ( I will let them know I’ll be watching for that). A lot of the time, back injuries are caused by weak abdominals so teaching clients how to properly engage their core can help improve back injuries. My common rule for all injuries and offering modifications is to take it at your own pace…you might look different than your neighbor and that’s ok.
Do you have any tips on staying focused on the right muscles? Wandering minds would like to know!
FORM. Form is everything. If you do not know if you’re doing it correctly, ask! Instructors are there to help guide save movement. Also, Squeeze that muscle as you work it. Engage it the entire time, this will help make sure you are focused on that target area.
What are some benefits of doing pilates and barre?
How long can this be? Haha! Anytime I get to share how beneficial it has been for me incorporating these two movements in my life I start to geek out.
Barre can be more of a “targeted muscle group” workout. The benefits of adding barre into your practice are that you are getting in cardio and strength training without bulking up…plus it’s fun! Barre is amazing for increasing bone density with its small isometric muscle movements.
Pilates is an incredible workout that challenges every single muscle in your body. It is the only workout (in my opinion) that can do that and not only works all those tiny muscles but improves posture, form, and prevents future potential injuries. It creates a mind-body connection that is so important for body awareness.
Having both of these incredible exercises in your workout routine is one of the best combinations you could have. I personally love taking a barre class then pilates immediately after.
How would you plan your workout schedule to maximize the best of both worlds without overtraining?
If you want to see continuous results I recommend practicing Pilates 3x a week and Barre 2-3x a week. I always recommend at least 1 rest day per week.
Which type are you? Coffee before or coffee after a workout?
Both? Definitely both.
Great article! The benefits of both are so huge! Thanks for sharing!