The Bar Method

Let me introduce you to my new obsession, The Bar Method! I first heard about this from my cousin, who attends classes on a weekly basis, as does Olivia Wilde, Anna Paquin, Denise Richards and Zoey Deshanel. So I thought why not give this a try? Inspired by ballet, the Bar Method combines barre work with yoga and pilates moves to achieve long and lean physiques. Each class is one hour long where interval training is integrated with muscle shaping isometrics to reshape your body. The class is broken up into different sections: a warm up, free-weight exercises, push-ups, intense leg and butt work at the bar, abdominal work at the bar, and finally, abdominal work on the mat. While doing these exercises you will notice that your muscles will shake. This is a good sign and means that you are working the deepest part of your muscles! Each group of exercises is followed by deep breathing and stretching that calms your body down and prepares it for the next section. If you're curious about what some of the exercises look like, click here for a quick glimpse. Don't be fooled by the small motions. I know they look easy, but they are extremely challenging! I have been doing the for about four months and can already see a major difference. I feel stronger and can see more definition in my muscles, particularly my thighs. At the moment, this is one of my favorite ways to exercise and I would recommend it to everyone! If you're brave enough you can sign up for a class, but if it's not in your budget you can order one of the DVDs. Either way, you'll get a great workout and see results fast.