You already know that barre exercises are designed for dancers, but have you ever thought about the benefits barre exercises might have for other athletes? In big cities, barre classes for runners are popping up, but you don’t have to wait for a class to pop up in your town. You can order a portable ballet barre you can train with at home. Here are four good reasons you should consider barre exercises even if you are a runner:
1. Barre workouts slim down your legs while building muscle.
If you’ve ever seen a ballerina, you know that they tend to have long, lean legs. The truth is that ballet works out similar muscle groups to running, but it might be considered more efficient. Targeting muscles beyond the quadriceps and hamstrings will help you build strength while toning.
Barre workouts are efficient because they consist of just a few movements, including stretching and pulsing, and yet they create toned muscles that challenge leg, abdominal and back muscles.
2. Barre workouts help you build power.
While barre workouts are virtually no-impact, running can be very high-impact. The key is to use barre workouts to get a real boost that will reduce pressure on your body that you take on during your other workouts. The result is the ability to build power without taking on all that additional stress.
3. Barre workouts may prevent injury.
Flexibility is important for runners, especially because runners often skip stretching. Fortunately, building flexibility can prevent injury by targeting posture, balance and the core muscles. Pliés, lifting the legs to different positions and other barre exercises encourage proper form that will strengthen the body.
4. Barre workouts offer a real workout.
Don't be fooled by the grace and beauty of ballet. This is a real workout. The movements made in a barre workout consist of isometric contractions, which involve tensing muscles. These movements are effective for gaining strength, and those tiny pulses are actually quite intense. You will feel yourself trembling quite soon.
Having a portable barre set at home means that you do not have to attend a class to reap the benefits. You can perform the exercises right at home, adding them to your regular exercise routine. Contact us to learn more about your barre options, and we'd be happy to make some recommendations.
