id169465610234936

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file nameFI1302-FI0213p134.jpg

titleBarre Pilates

subject date16-03-2021

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captionAS TOLD TO RIKKI HODGE PHOTOGRAPHY YIANNI ASPRADAKIS WOMEN’S FITNESS ROAD TEST Barre Pilates is a ballet-based workout that fuses Pilates and yoga into a toning, strengthening and fl exibility session for your entire body. For a full hour, you’re holding weights while you go through the ballet arm positions, gripping a ball between your thighs as you plié (bend), and holding your core as you fl ex and stretch on the ballet barre. The movements are isolated with a lot of repetitions to really hone in and work on each muscle.“It’s kind of like Pilates – you are just standing up!” says Xtend Barre Sydney instructor and former pro dancer Shay Sta ord. And you don’t have to have a background in dance to enjoy the benefi ts. “People who’ve done Pilates, yoga or dance before tend to be more aware of their bodies, and that is helpful in this. But you can come in having done nothing at all. We cater to all experience levels,” says Sta ord.The sessions are run by an array of instructors from various backgrounds (personal trainers, Pilates experts and former ballerinas), so the classes have all bases – and body parts – covered. Who knows? You could fi nd a new calling centrestage. INTERESTED? So, you’re ready to don your best ballerina bun and get working on your leg extensions? Head to xten dbarreaustralia.com.au to fi nd a class near you. COST: It depends on your needs, but class packages vary from $49-$440; casual classes are about $29 (not including socks). WHAT IS IT? 134womensfitnessmagazine.com.au womensfitnessaustralia womensfitnessmag WF ambassador and former Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney channels her inner prima ballerina and fi nds that it’s just an extension of herself Barre Pilates Her verdic t “It’s a lot of fun once the music gets going. You sweat a bit, but you feel ver y fl uid and beautiful. Plus, I love the cute, grippy socks!” Giaan liked the feel of airconditioning on her hand FI0213_ Sport fit - Giann Roadtestp134.pd

id169465610234937

supplier accountmagazinefeatures

file nameFI1302-FI0213p135.jpg

titleBarre Pilates

subject date16-03-2021

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captionAS TOLD TO RIKKI HODGE PHOTOGRAPHY YIANNI ASPRADAKIS Sport t Targeting all major muscle groups, Barre Pilates burns between 1,600 and 3,000 kilojoules per session. Feeling hardcore? Add resistance bands to up the intensity. Giaan says I’VE NEVER danced before. Well, not since I was four, anyway. In fact, I’m what I like to call a gumby dancer – a very lanky beginner! I was pretty excited to try this out, because almost every little girl dreams of being a ballerina. It’s so feminine, fl owing and graceful, and I’ve never had a chance to be like that in real life.As I was being shown the moves and stretches on the barre and how to use the ball, I noticed how much I needed to focus on my posture. I do Pilates and yoga, but you’re so aware of every part of your body in this class that I soon realised I’m not doing them as regularly as I should. Shoulders back, chest out, chin in… this is the kind of thing I have to correct in myself every day, and Barre Pilates requires you to do it for a whole hour or else you won’t get the right workout. You can feel it tone straight away. Because of the fusion of Pilates, yoga and dance, you’re focusing so much on getting your technique right that you kind of forget you’re exercising. My heart rate defi nitely lifted, too, especially as the  Next-day pain  Social side  Heart-pumping workout  Good for the soul  Beginner-friendly  Fun factor        135 womensfitnessaustralia womensfitnessmag womensfitnessmagazine.com.au tempo of the music amped up. But for me, it mostly worked my muscles – particularly the glutes, quads and hamstrings. They were burning pretty much from the start! I even had the shakes a few times – these ballerinas don’t get their amazing bodies from sitting around, let me tell you. I like the fact that your spine feels really stacked and long. When we fi nished, I was thinking, ‘Ooo, I feel a bit taller!’ And I won’t lie, I started walking around a bit