What Is Barre? 6 Benefits of a Barre Workout

Barre is a form of exercise that employs movements commonly found in [ballet](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/basic-ballet-exercises-to-practice-at-home), pilates, and yoga. Many barre moves involve classic ballet techniques such as [plié and relevé](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-basic-ballet-dictionary) to work out your entire body, often with the aid of a ballet barre. These high-intensity, low-impact movements target muscle groups with small bursts of intense, isometric movements and dynamic stretching. In addition to the barre, these workouts will usually involve a mat and sometimes an exercise ball. Some barre classes may include the use of resistance bands, hand weights, or other equipment. Barre is a type of low-impact, high-intensity fusion exercise that can offer many of the benefits of the exercises that inspired it. Here are some of the potential benefits of incorporating barre into your workout routine. 1. __Improved flexibility__: A full-body barre workout helps keep your joints warm and mobile, increasing your range of motion and flexibility. 2. __Improved balance__: Using a ballet barre during your exercises can help you find your center of gravity, improve your posture, and straighten your lower back. It also helps you make easy adjustments to your form and improve your balance. 3. __Building strength__: Barre workouts involve resistance exercises that use your own body weight to increase your muscle definition and overall strength, which can further increase your muscle endurance the more you work out. 4. __Low-impact endurance__: Barre workouts fall more into the category of strength training than high-impact cardio. At the same time, barre is easier on the body than strength training with free weights. This makes this form of working out especially useful for those who suffer from chronic pain or injuries that may reduce their range of motion or stability. It also makes barre a great [cross-training](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/cross-training-exercises-explained) activity for runners on their rest days. 5. __Targeted muscle groups__: Barre exercises can sculpt specific areas of the upper body, lower body, and core. It works your triceps and shoulders simultaneously as your hamstrings, glutes, calves, and abs. 6. __Improved focus__: Barre workouts require specific attention to particular movementsand hold positions, requiring more concentration and focus on your body and its form. Both barre and [pilates](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/pilates-vs-yoga-guide) are whole body, low-impact exercise regimens that focus on various muscle groups for toning, core strength, good posture, and sometimes even cardio workouts. However, there are a few differences between these two types of training. - __The intensity__: Barre workouts will help you break more of a sweat than with regular pilates (though this can also depend on the level of the workouts or your general fitness level). - __Results time frame__: It may take months to start seeing a difference in your body from pilates, but barre’s high-intensity movements can start sculpting your body and potentially lead to weight loss in less time, giving you results sooner. - __The structure__: While pilates has its own set of dedicated movements, barre fitness is a hybrid form of both yoga and pilates, combining these movements into isometric exercises that can target specific muscles or build more lean muscle. Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. Adding a ballet-inspired barre workout to your wellness routine can help you improve your balance, sculpt your body, and improve your overall strength.