What’s so special about barre?
I think of barre as a love letter to my body. As we get older our bodies need different things. My classes are designed to be nourishing and sustaining, and to leave you feeling energised. Don’t get me wrong - they’re challenging but they are NOT tough on your body. I still want to be doing these types of workouts in ten or even twenty years time.
My classes are low-impact, so don’t put as much strain on your joints as other workouts. They also involve a great deal of strength training, which is crucial for women as we age. The same goes for balance. If we don’t use it we will lose it. Barre builds stamina, strength and balance. Your flexibility will improve hugely.
But - and this is the big one for me - the focus is as much on mental health as physical gains. Barre rebalances, stabalises and restores. A kind of alchemy occurs in my barre classes: the combination of the music, the endorphins and the complexity of the moves (which force you out of your head and into the present) makes a heady combination that is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a kind of magic that leaves you feeling fantastic.
Do I need to have done ballet before?
Good lord, NO. I have never had a ballet lesson in my life. You empathically do NOT need to be a teeny-tiny ballerina, (although of course you are welcome so long as you aren’t too scathing of my technique). You can be the person who always went right in an aerobics class when you should have been going left, and if you are terrified by the thought of going to a Zumba class, well, join the club. That’s the beautiful thing about working out at home. Nobody is watching.
Ok, great, I’m in. Where do I start?
Please start with the Barre Basics course. It’s four weeks long, with four 30 minute classes each week. (You can worth your way through at your own pace though and do what suits you and when). The course focuses in on technique and alignment, both of which are crucial when exercising at home where I can’t see you. This course is suitable for all fitness levels, and in an ideal world, everyone, even barre aficionados would start here. The classes soon pick up pace and what you’ll pick up in terms of technique will be invaluable when you come to the ‘live’ classes. Bonus: You can try 7 days of full access to the digital studio- it's entirely free!
P.S. Newly post-natal ladies… please keep scrolling down to find a section in the digital studio just for you.
What equipment do I need?
You need a body and a willingness to try! Everyone feels a little bit like a baby giraffe learning to walk in their first few classes, but it gets easier. Please persevere - especially through the warm ups - and hopefully you’ll find the magic.
Equipment wise you need a pilates ball (I like the Bender Balls on Amazon), a set of 1kg weights, and a stabalising surface that is about hip height - this can be a high back-chair, an ironing board, or a kitchen island. If you are getting more serious you will want to consider investing in a set of 2.5kg/3kg weights, some resistance bands, yoga blocks and a decent mat.
I’m injured / returning from an injury. Can I do your classes?
It goes without saying that I would love to help but these are my limitations:
I am not medically trained and therefore I cannot diagnose or prescribe treatment.
Every body is different and unique, so the ‘same’ injury will manifest differently in another body.
Have you seen a doctor or a physio? If you have, or feel that you are ok to exercise then I ask you to trust your instincts. You know your body best. Do what you think is ok, and if that means skipping part of the class or modifying the workout then that is fine. You do you baby.
Finally, never work through the pain. Any movement that causes pain is to be avoided. Stop the exercise the moment you feel a shooting pain or even a twinge.. That’s an order! You can either end the workout there or wait for the next exercise depending on what your instincts are telling you is best for your body.
I’m pregnant. Can I do your classes?
First up, congratulations! Excellent news. Second up.. How are YOU feeling? If you’re feeling well and full of energy by all means exercise. If you are feeling knackered and your body is saying NO then please tune in and listen. Exercise will still be here when you’re feeling stronger. Your body is working very hard right now growing a whole new human and sometimes you won’t have enough in the tank. And that’s more than ok.
Barre and pregnancy are a good fit with 3 caveats:
You have a hormone called relaxin in your body when you are pregnant. This prepares you for childbirth and makes you more ‘bendy’ than normal. Don’t work to your full range of movement - exciting as it may be to suddenly be able to get into previously unattainable positions it’s not advisable.
The abs sections are not suitable past your first trimester. There are lots of abdominal exercises you can do when you are pregnant but you will not find them in my classes. You will have to skip these parts and substitute your own exercises here - think arms or seat work - but NO to twisting and NO to abdominal crunches and NO to lying flat on your back.
In some of my classes there is some jumping. IN THEORY these should be ok in your first and some of your second trimester. Again, you need to listen to your body and accept that as your baby grows jumping will put unnecessary force through your pelvic floor. This will weaken it. Take the no-impact option and your older self will thank you.
I’m post-natal. Can I do your classes?
The guidelines say once you’ve had your 6 week check up and have been given the all-clear then you are free to exercise. I say noooooooo. Think of your core as the foundations of your house. Rehab it properly and you will thank yourself for the rest of your life. I always recommend doing a program designed specifically for post-natal exercise. I did MUTU after my last 2 kids and it was excellent. Stick with it, despite it feeling very slow.
If you are breastfeeding - and for SIX MONTHS afterwards - you’ll have the hormone relaxin in your body. You will be bendier than normal so make sure you limit your range of movement. Don’t suddenly think you’ve become super human!
When you have done some core and pelvic floor rehab please come and meet me at the barre, but start with the Barre Basics course and take the adaptations that suits where your core is. Any heaviness or dragging in your pelvic floor is a red flag. Please see your doctor asap.
How do I buy or redeem a gift card for MYATB?
What a great idea - the gift of movement is one that keeps giving! Click here to buy a MYATB gift card
From there, you can buy a month or annual subscription and easily share this gift to your loved one in a comprehensive way!
Redeeming a gift card is just as easy, your recipient will receive an email with a code and all instructions to head to the digital studio, or they can simply click on redeem a MYATB gift card in the bottom/footer of the site and get started (while feeling FAB about taking this step in their health and wellness journey)!
How do I cancel my membership?
It's simple! Simply login to the digital studio. Then, click on Dashboard.
From the dashboard, click on the option Billing
Then scroll down, locate the Active Plan and click on Change Plan
Click Cancel Membership below your active plan.
When the pop-up appears, click on Yes, I'm sure. (This is important!)
Once you've completed these steps, the subscription will be officially canceled, and you will not be charged for the subscription in the future.
