Barre Fitness, everything you need to know.

It's no secret that to achieve the long, lean, legs, defined core and elegant posture of a ballerina, you need to workout like one. Thankfully, there is a fun and effective way of doing this thanks to the growing popularity of barre classes.

This popular dancer workout has sparked a number of studio and online barre fitness regimes, so if you want that distinctive ballet body look, consider trying a barre class and join people all over the world who are getting the amazing physical and mental benefits for themselves.

This article aims to answer all your questions about barre fitness so that you can learn about all the benefits, the range of exercises and how to get started.

What is barre fitness?

Barre Fitness is a fusion of ballet, pilates, yoga and fitness techniques, all combined with mobility and strength training.

At Sleek Ballet Fitness, our barre workouts are designed to have a higher content of authentic ballet barre moves, to ensure each barre fitness class is a challenging, fun and highly effective full ballet body workout, suitable for all levels and abilities. This is because barre fitness workouts based around classical ballet give you the dual benefits of ballet positions and ballet moves. These dancer approved, low impact exercises, sculpt and tone the body to improve balance, core strength, prevent injury and help you stay flexible, all while getting you that recognisable ballerina posture.

At Sleek Ballet Fitness, we have created a world class barre fitness regime combined with proven fitness exercises for a full body workout that is accessible for anybody to do. Our barre fitness method has been designed to create the long, lean, body sculpture of a dancer but is accessible for anyone to do.

Is there a way to try Barre at home?

Barre Fitness is for everyone and no previous dance experience should be required for you to take part and try out some ballet fitness workouts for yourself. Most barre fitness classes will have a beginner barre workout program to help you feel familiar with the ballet terms, ballet positions and ballet moves that are used during each class and build your muscular endurance, flexibility and co-ordination at an achievable rate. You can find a studio class near you to attend or you can search for online barre fitness methods or try a barre DVD and start your journey from home.

At Sleek Ballet Fitness, we suggest everyone who tries out our online ballet barre workouts starts with our Sleek Starter 28 Day Program. This is a fusion of all levels and beginner ballet barre workouts, fully programmed for you to follow along with over a period of 28 days with the added bonus of ballet fitness workouts too. It has an accompanying PDF which you can choose to download and includes a detailed breakdown of your ballet fitness workouts and ballerina diet recipes, as well as additional ballet tips too. We know that this will start you off on a body sculpture journey that will see you achieve all the benefits that ballet fitness has to give.

What is a Barre Fitness class?

Barre fitness classes are low-impact workouts that are also intensely focused on strengthening the muscles in the lower body and core for defined, lean legs and a strong core. Most Barre fitness classes focus on performing small, isometric movements and lunges which give you a burn and even a shake as you move through each target area. These barre moves are challenging and increase muscular endurance but do not include cardiovascular work or use big ranges of motion and they do not mimic the authentic ballet positions found in adult ballet classes and ballet fitness workouts.

Barre fitness classes with Sleek Ballet fitness are based around the specific ballet barre moves that dancers do daily to sculpt and tone their dancer bodies. This type of barre class allows the body to move with greater mobility and range of motion. During a Sleek Barre Fitness class, the lower and upper body are worked simultaneously, raising the heart rate, for an all encompassing full body workout.

Barre fitness classes include the use of a piece of equipment called a ballet barre. Dancers use a ballet barre for support as they work through ballet positions and ballet exercises. In a barre fitness class, the ballet barre is also used to support you as you sculpt and tone your body, achieve ballerina posture and become flexible, like a dancer.

There is minimal equipment required for a barre fitness class. Unlike many fitness methods, no weights are required during a ballet barre workout as natural body resistance is used to create refined, ballerina posture. A yoga mat is suggested to make the mat work and stretching sequences that help us become flexible more comfortable when on the floor.

A barre fitness class is challenging, packed with ballet positions and barre moves that have multiple physical and mental benefits. Barre Fitness is not meant to be effortless but it is suitable for all ages and you don't have to have any ballet or barre fitness experience to take part. There is also more opportunity than ever to try out a barre fitness class thanks to online ballet barre methods as well as in studio barre classes.

Online Barre Fitness

At Sleek Ballet Fitness we are one of the leading ballet barre fitness companies with 10 years of experience in the ballet fitness world and an extensive streaming library of barre videos. Our Online Barre Fitness classes follow the same ballet moves and ballet poses as an adult ballet class because they were authentically created and devised by two professional dancers. You will work through the ballet positions of the feet and also the arms for a full body workout that will increase stamina and flexibility while strengthening and defining the big muscle groups in the lower body: the quads, hamstrings and glutes.

In studio Barre Fitness

If you prefer to go to an in studio barre fitness class, ballet barres will be provided. You may have some hands on corrections and tips from your instructor who will help guide you in the right direction with your ballet technique. 

Whichever barre fitness option you choose, make sure that it includes a comprehensive barre routine for best results and make sure you are being taught by experienced dancers to get the full benefits of ballet barre fitness and ballet techniques.

What is a Ballet Barre?

A ballet barre is a piece of equipment dancers use to support them with one or both hands as they work through the ballet positions that train their strong, lean bodies. These same ballet moves will be included in an authentic ballet barre class.

Although barre fitness classes require a ballet barre, a professional barre is not necessary. A chair, shelf or even ironing board is just as suitable, as long as it sits no higher than your shoulder. If you find you are regularly taking part in online barre fitness workouts you may wish to purchase a portable ballet barre to use at home. This is usually a simple 3 part piece of equipment that you can easily and quickly put up and take down to suit your space. A ballet barre does not need to be heavy because you should not be putting a lot of weight on it while you practice your barre moves.

At Sleek we use a portable barre for both our streaming barre videos and our live online barre workouts. However, if you have a dedicated workout space, you may also prefer to attach a barre to a wall for greater barre stability during your barre routine.

What is Ballet Fitness?

Ballet fitness is a total body fusion of ballet poses, barre moves and dance and fitness techniques. At Sleek Ballet Fitness, we have created an artistic fusion of authentic ballet positions and proven fitness exercises for a full body workout that is accessible for anybody to do. Our ballet fitness method has been designed to create the long, lean body sculpture of a dancer, without the need for any previous ballet or barre experience.

As well as a barre routine, ballet fitness also includes mat work, centre practice and intermittent stretching so you feel like you are actually dancing as you become flexible, sculpt and tone a ballerina posture, improve balance and co-ordination and increase muscular and cardiovascular endurance.

You can try Sleek out in one of our online two way interactive ballet fitness classes and rapidly feel the benefits of ballet fitness for yourself. At Sleek Ballet Fitness, we have daily, two way interactive live classes that anyone can join. You receive all the sculpt and tone, ballet body sculpture benefits of a ballet fitness video, only with the added motivation of a welcoming, knowledgable and fun, ballet fitness trainer to help guide you through your class. It is the best of both worlds and ensures you get the most from each of your training sessions with Sleek Ballet Fitness.

What are some of the key barre exercises?

A good barre class will use the correct names of ballet positions included throughout the class. They describe some of the key barre moves found in a ballet barre routine. The most effective and widely practiced barre exercises in a barre fitness class are below. These exercises are :

• Plié – (to bend) bending and straightening the legs in the 5 different ballet positions of the feet
• Tendu – (to stretch) extending the leg along the floor until the toe is pointed
• Fondu – (to melt) bending of one leg while the other is lifted or extended
• Battement – throwing the leg with control into the air and lowering back into position
• Port de Bras – (movement of the arms) moving the arms from one ballet position to another

At Sleek Ballet Fitness, we suggest everyone who tries our online ballet barre workouts starts with our Sleek Body Starter Program. You will become confident and familiar with all the above ballet terms and more throughout this ballet body program. It is a fusion of all levels and beginner ballet barre workouts, fully programmed for you to follow along with over a period of 28 days. It has an accompanying PDF which you can choose to download and includes a detailed breakdown of your ballet fitness workouts and ballerina diet recipes, as well as additional ballet tips too. We know that this will start you off on a body sculpture journey that will see you achieve all the benefits that ballet fitness has to give.

How many times per week should I practise Barre?

To get the benefits of barre fitness, practice two or three times a week. To achieve greater physical and mental benefits for your body, combine barre with another exercise method like ballet fitness and aim to workout three to six times a week for stunning results. Remember, as with any exercise method to take 1 -2 rest days per week.

Is Barre good for weight loss?

Practiced on its own, without cardiovascular training and muscular conditioning, a barre fitness class is not likely to help with weight loss. However, adding your barre workouts alongside weekly ballet fitness workouts including Sleek's most popular, at home, weight loss workouts – Sleek Ballet Bootcamp TM and Cardio Ballet Blast can significantly help with weight loss. This is because these ballet fitness workouts also include exercises with small and big ranges of motion, designed to lift the heart rate, burn fat, all while building and strengthening the muscles in a highly effective, dancer-like way.