Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Getting Fit: Barre3 Style

Being married to a competitive cyclist has it's pros and cons:

Pro:  He's really fit
Con:  He's really fit

Yup.  They are one in the same.  Sparky is always on the move and him and fitness are somewhat synonymous.  Me?  Well.  Not so much.

So, since Sparky is quite the site to look at due to his fitness (in my personal opinion), I GUESS it's only fair that I at least try to be fit as well.  AND because health it kind of important to life and one cannot be healthy without working out to some degree.

The problem I have with fitness is that I get bored very quickly.  I have tried all kinds of activities to get in shape and also to stay in shape.  I get bored and give up quickly.  My list of activities goes on and on:

rock climbing
cycling
running
yoga
Insanity DVDs
P90X
Month health club memberships
personal trainers
blah blee blah blah

Sparky says I just need to find an activity that I LOVE.  I enjoy all the above mentioned activities and dabble here and there when I'm in the mood for it, but none are really my go-to activity to get me energized and feeling incredibly amazing about myself. 

Last month I discovered Barre3.  I had read an article in the OKC Gazette about it prior to its opening and then my lovely neighbor mentioned last month that she was "obsessed"with it.  DING!  Light bulb!  My new fitness experiment was born.  February 28th was my first class at Barre3 OKC and, now, I too am OBSESSED and L.O.V.E Barre3.  In the short month, I have already started to notice a difference in my abs, thighs, booty and calves...which are the areas that normally never transform!  I always show in my arms, back, and shoulders as soon as I begin any type of workout program so those have definitely started to shape up nicely.

From the Barre3 main website:

Where ballet barre meets yoga and pilates.
Develop the length of a dancer and the strength of an athlete with our highly effective 60-minute workouts. Each class follows a thoughtful sequence for fast body shaping results and long term postural benefits.

From the Barre3 OKC site:

The 3 in barre3 symbolizes balance, a core value of our business, practice and life. Our classes are designed to transform the body to one of equal balance, strength and flexibility. The company we are building is based on the notion that work is a balanced and integrated part of life.


I love Barre3 because although it is incredibly challenging, it's also low impact and almost anyone can do it!  The instructors at Barre3 OKC make themselves aware of each individual and if anyone has specific injuries or areas that may be bothersome.  Throughout the workout, the instructors will give options for each position for comfort in case of injuries and they are also so incredibly encouraging. 
 
The biggest bonus is that I feel very comfortable at Barre3 OKC and the 60 minute workout doesn't drag out at all...it actually goes by fairly quickly!  I think the music helps a lot to make it fun.  I always find myself either bouncing a little to the music (which I probably shouldn't do!  whoops!) or singing along (which I probably should do either! haha!) 
 
Anyway, Sparky recently said, "I'm so glad you found something you love".  And so am I.
 
One of my favorite songs I've heard throughout the workout is Alicia Keys' "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart"....  Enjoy!
 

 
Keep on Keepin on.

3 comments:

jennyjenny82 said...

I have been curious about this myself. It might be something I should look in to after the baby is born.

Unknown said...

Awesome post Deb! I am borderline obsessed with barre3 too. I always hated lifting weights and stretching before, and barre3 is the first thing I've truly loved. It's given me muscles!! I'm Kait, and I work for barre3 in Portland. I came across your post googling barre3. I'd love to connect with you. My email is kait.hurley@barre3.com. I hope to one day make it down to Oklahoma City to check out the studio. I love Andrea Mason, and I want to support her. Take care!

Deb said...

Kait - Thank you so much for the comment! You are so right...barre3 does give muscles! I'm starting to see muscles in my legs where I haven't had muscle definition before. Andrea is amazing. I love taking her class! I've never been to Portland but it is on my list of places to visit. Hopefully you will get your chance to make it to OKC! Talk soon and take care as well!