our health: FITNESS
Raising the
Barre
Kerry Tate
The Beyond Barre fitness class at Tate’s Total Training is bringing more and more
women into the studio looking to achieve quicker results.
BY JESSICA HARMS
SEPTEMBER 2015
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
When 28-year-old Kaci Salmons says, “Let’s go to the bar,”
she’s not readying her company to sip martinis or belly up
to a side of nachos. In fact, her invitation is quite the opposite.
The bar, or barre rather, that Salmons is referring to is
one of two mounted to the light purple walls in the group
fitness room of Tate’s Total Training in Weatherford where
Salmons teaches the Beyond Barre fitness class. The barre
is an essential component of a popular fitness class that accommodates the ballet-inspired fitness craze that has been
popping up in studios nationwide over the past few years.
The barre is a prop used to balance while executing exercises that focus on small muscles movements, or isometric
strength training.
“We stretch each muscle to help create that long, lean
look,” she said. “Because of this, Beyond Barre also helps
to improve balance and flexibility.”
Upon completion of the glide board and stretching,
the class will move to the barre where they will complete
three different segments: high barre, mid barre and seated
barre. These will also be followed by the stretching of the
muscles utilized in each movement.
Each portion of the barre works a different area of
muscles, focusing on the legs and seat. Following the
seated barre portion, the class will move to a short ab
workout and conclude with a final stretch. A Beyond Barre
class lasts for 55 minutes, which Salmons said is one of the
many advantages.
“It’s an all over body workout in one class. It’s fun,
upbeat and it goes by fast,” she said. Beyond Barre also
What is Beyond Barre?
appeals to a wide variety of fitness levels.
While there is a ballet barre and it’s not uncommon for
“We’ve had teenagers. I’ve had an 82-year-old
attendants to wear ballet slippers, barre class is not a dance woman. Pregnant women can do it. It fits all fitness levels
class. The similarity is the exercise movements used in the
because every movement can be modified to fit your body
class are similar to those that ballet dancers incorporate to
style. And again, it’s very low impact, so you don’t put
help them to achieve long, lean, toned muscles.
your joints at risk.”
“Beyond Barre is a unique body transforming workout
Many barre enthusiasts report seeing results faster than
that combines small muscle movements that are FW6