Connect
Deep Dive: The Science Behind barre3
If you’ve ever taken a barre3 class, then you’re familiar with our signature 3-step sequence: First, there’s an isometric hold. Next, we move small, layering on tiny 1-inch moves. Then we finish off by moving big.
That’s how barre3 works, and it delivers serious results. But today we’re turning to the experts to explain why barre3 works.
We spoke with specialists in the fields in fitness, anatomy, biomechanics, and sports medicine to help you understand the science that went into developing our powerful workout. Read on for a deep dive into the science behind barre3.
Isometrics 101
Isometric is basically a fancy word for staying in position without moving. The power of this hold is the way it makes your muscles fire. Even though you’re not moving, your muscles often fatigue more quickly than they would while jumping or running. We give ourselves space during the isometric hold to breathe and become mindful and align our body in a way that sets us up for optimal results. This is where body wisdom begins.
Research tells us these holds are worth every muscle-burning minute. According to a study by the Mayo Clinic, isometric moves are a great way to maintain muscle strength. There are three key reasons for this:
- Holding gives you time to connect your mind to your body.
- You are forced to engage both large and small stabilizer muscles.
- Because you’re not straining tendons or ligaments, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says there’s less risk of injury than traditional strength training.
Experts agree. “Isometric holds are fantastic because they work both sides of the joint to create incredible symmetry in the body,” says Oliver Leonetti, an advanced practitioner of Sports Medicine Acupuncture.
Plank pose is the perfect example of an isometric hold. As Chris Freytag, a certified trainer from the American Council on Exercise, explains, in plank “you’re not moving at all, but you’re strengthening your core muscles the entire time.”
As for the shakes and quakes that occur during isometric holds, Freytag says they’re a good thing. “Those shakes are just a sign that you’re working your muscles to the point of failure, which is where change starts to happen,” she explains. “Many people back off before they hit that point in their workout, but barre3 helps take you right to your edge, wherever that happens to be.”
The Power of Moving Small
Once your muscles are firing correctly in a Hold, we layer on one-inch movements. According to Mindy Caplan, a certified personal trainer from the American College of Sports Medicine, this is called Partial Range of Motion, and it’s a serious strength builder. “You see these pulsing moves a lot in Pilates,” she said. “They fatigue the muscle faster and really help to increase strength within that particular range of motion.”These tiny but powerful movements help you get an incredible deep-muscle burn, and they bring you to your edge, with no impact or negative pain in your joints. Freytag says these small moves lead to a big boost in your endurance. “All that repetition does great things for your muscles,” she explains. “By doing the same move over and over, you increase your ability to do it longer, whether you’re doing bicep curls or raking your lawn.”
The Big Finish
During the Hold and Move Small, we learn the incredible and often humbling power of being still and mindful in our movement. Next up is taking that mindfulness into how we move every day. This third step in our sequence gets us moving in a way that’s athletic and energetic, getting your heart pumping and boosting your endorphins. This is cardiovascular conditioning without the impact that hurts joints.These dynamic moves play an important role in the barre3 sequence, says Leonetti. “Not only does large range of motion send fresh oxygen to your muscles, it improves your joint health because you’re moving through the full range of your joint’s ability.”We love these moves because they reinforce your ability to move in a smart, functional way all day long. In real life, you move big, whether it’s lifting a car seat or grabbing something off the top shelf in your closet.
All Together Now
Each step in the barre3 sequence has great things going for it. But put them together, and that’s where the magic really happens. “It’s effective because it’s all encompassing,” says Freytag. “You’re building strength, you’re aligning your body, and you’re training your muscles to work in a more functional way.”And as Caplan points out, mixing things up yields better results. “People tend to get stuck in a fitness rut, only doing the exercises that are comfortable to them. That makes it harder to break plateaus,” she explains. “Barre3 incorporates strength, flexibility, and balance—plus it targets literally every muscle group.”The results are evident to Leonetti, who regularly performs functional assessments on his patients. “Several of them do barre3, and I can immediately tell,” he said. “They have such a refined squat that I can’t find any imbalances in them. They’re just nailing it!”
A Workout That Works For Everyone
All of our experts agree: barre3 is for everyone, whether you’re a hard-core athlete, an expecting mother, someone recovering from an injury, or simply someone easing back into fitness. How can it work for such a vast range of people? Modifications—the magic behind our workout. With every move, we encourage you to modify to meet your body’s needs. If, for example, doing Plank on the floor causes tension in your low-back or pain in your wrists, then you’ll lose engagement in your core and the posture will become ineffective. But if you modify the posture, coming down to your knees or doing Plank at the barre instead, you’ll allow your entire core to engage—all without any pain.
In short, modifying allows you to get the intended benefits of the posture without hurting your body. And as for the notion that it’s not a good workout unless you’re left gasping for breath in a puddle of sweat, well, Freytag says that’s just not true. “Your workout is not supposed to leave you feeling like you were beat up,” she says. “Because barre3 is low-impact, you’re not pounding yourself into the ground. Instead, you’re opening up through the upper body, using your legs and aligning your posture. You leave feeling taller, more energized, actually better than when you came in. Which is kind of the whole point.”
Ready to experience the magic of barre3 for yourself? Sign up for a studio class or press play to an online workout today.
If you’ve ever taken a barre3 class, then you’re familiar with our signature 3-step sequence: First, there’s an isometric hold. Next, we move small, layering on tiny 1-inch moves. Then we finish off by moving big.
That’s how barre3 works, and it delivers serious results. But today we’re turning to the experts to explain why barre3 works.
We spoke with specialists in the fields in fitness, anatomy, biomechanics, and sports medicine to help you understand the science that went into developing our powerful workout. Read on for a deep dive into the science behind barre3.
Isometrics 101
Isometric is basically a fancy word for staying in position without moving. The power of this hold is the way it makes your muscles fire. Even though you’re not moving, your muscles often fatigue more quickly than they would while jumping or running. We give ourselves space during the isometric hold to breathe and become mindful and align our body in a way that sets us up for optimal results. This is where body wisdom begins.
Research tells us these holds are worth every muscle-burning minute. According to a study by the Mayo Clinic, isometric moves are a great way to maintain muscle strength. There are three key reasons for this:
- Holding gives you time to connect your mind to your body.
- You are forced to engage both large and small stabilizer muscles.
- Because you’re not straining tendons or ligaments, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says there’s less risk of injury than traditional strength training.
Experts agree. “Isometric holds are fantastic because they work both sides of the joint to create incredible symmetry in the body,” says Oliver Leonetti, an advanced practitioner of Sports Medicine Acupuncture.
Plank pose is the perfect example of an isometric hold. As Chris Freytag, a certified trainer from the American Council on Exercise, explains, in plank “you’re not moving at all, but you’re strengthening your core muscles the entire time.”
As for the shakes and quakes that occur during isometric holds, Freytag says they’re a good thing. “Those shakes are just a sign that you’re working your muscles to the point of failure, which is where change starts to happen,” she explains. “Many people back off before they hit that point in their workout, but barre3 helps take you right to your edge, wherever that happens to be.”
The Power of Moving Small
Once your muscles are firing correctly in a Hold, we layer on one-inch movements. According to Mindy Caplan, a certified personal trainer from the American College of Sports Medicine, this is called Partial Range of Motion, and it’s a serious strength builder. “You see these pulsing moves a lot in Pilates,” she said. “They fatigue the muscle faster and really help to increase strength within that particular range of motion.”These tiny but powerful movements help you get an incredible deep-muscle burn, and they bring you to your edge, with no impact or negative pain in your joints. Freytag says these small moves lead to a big boost in your endurance. “All that repetition does great things for your muscles,” she explains. “By doing the same move over and over, you increase your ability to do it longer, whether you’re doing bicep curls or raking your lawn.”
The Big Finish
During the Hold and Move Small, we learn the incredible and often humbling power of being still and mindful in our movement. Next up is taking that mindfulness into how we move every day. This third step in our sequence gets us moving in a way that’s athletic and energetic, getting your heart pumping and boosting your endorphins. This is cardiovascular conditioning without the impact that hurts joints.These dynamic moves play an important role in the barre3 sequence, says Leonetti. “Not only does large range of motion send fresh oxygen to your muscles, it improves your joint health because you’re moving through the full range of your joint’s ability.”We love these moves because they reinforce your ability to move in a smart, functional way all day long. In real life, you move big, whether it’s lifting a car seat or grabbing something off the top shelf in your closet.
All Together Now
Each step in the barre3 sequence has great things going for it. But put them together, and that’s where the magic really happens. “It’s effective because it’s all encompassing,” says Freytag. “You’re building strength, you’re aligning your body, and you’re training your muscles to work in a more functional way.”And as Caplan points out, mixing things up yields better results. “People tend to get stuck in a fitness rut, only doing the exercises that are comfortable to them. That makes it harder to break plateaus,” she explains. “Barre3 incorporates strength, flexibility, and balance—plus it targets literally every muscle group.”The results are evident to Leonetti, who regularly performs functional assessments on his patients. “Several of them do barre3, and I can immediately tell,” he said. “They have such a refined squat that I can’t find any imbalances in them. They’re just nailing it!”
A Workout That Works For Everyone
All of our experts agree: barre3 is for everyone, whether you’re a hard-core athlete, an expecting mother, someone recovering from an injury, or simply someone easing back into fitness. How can it work for such a vast range of people? Modifications—the magic behind our workout. With every move, we encourage you to modify to meet your body’s needs. If, for example, doing Plank on the floor causes tension in your low-back or pain in your wrists, then you’ll lose engagement in your core and the posture will become ineffective. But if you modify the posture, coming down to your knees or doing Plank at the barre instead, you’ll allow your entire core to engage—all without any pain.
In short, modifying allows you to get the intended benefits of the posture without hurting your body. And as for the notion that it’s not a good workout unless you’re left gasping for breath in a puddle of sweat, well, Freytag says that’s just not true. “Your workout is not supposed to leave you feeling like you were beat up,” she says. “Because barre3 is low-impact, you’re not pounding yourself into the ground. Instead, you’re opening up through the upper body, using your legs and aligning your posture. You leave feeling taller, more energized, actually better than when you came in. Which is kind of the whole point.”
Ready to experience the magic of barre3 for yourself? Sign up for a studio class or press play to an online workout today.
