When you attend barre classes at different studios, it is often a mystery how the course will be laid out. Some instructors love to use weights, whereas other classes might use props like balls or rings instead. You might wonder if weights are necessary to see real results with a barre.
If you do barre, whether at home with your own portable barre or in a studio, you are likely looking for a lean, ballerina-style look. For this reason, many people who do barre use extremely light weights whereas others rely merely on bodyweight.
The Benefits of Using Weights in Barre
Using even small weights will contribute to muscle definition more than if you were to simply use bodyweight in many of these exercises. The small isometric movements benefit from having a light weight, and you will feel your muscles tiring much faster even with one or two pounds in each arm.
Using light weights might help you focus on the right muscle groups more efficiently. Your focus on the weights could be the key to helping you keep your form in check. Light, rather than heavy, weights are best for ensuring that you work only the muscles that you need to.
Considerations for Using Weights in Barre
When you perform the exercises of barre, you should rarely use heavy weights. One to three pounds is typically sufficient for most barre practitioners. For instance, you do not want to use heavy weights with exercises that target the anterior deltoids. The impact of light weights is challenging enough for these muscles, whereas you can go heavier for exercises like bicep curls.
Additionally, using weights that are too heavy could bring too much momentum to your movements. When you are trying to keep your body in perfect alignment, light weights are the most helpful.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. You will see some change in tone if you do use weights, but as long as you use your portable barre, you are going to see results you love.
