Are you planning on setting a fitness-related resolution this year? You’re not alone. In fact, about 95% of New Year’s resolutions are fitness-related.

Only 10% of people think their resolutions will last, though. In fact, about 43% of people give up their New Year’s resolutions by February. 

Instead of giving up on your resolutions in 2022, consider trying something new! For example, you can give Barre Fusion classes a try this year.

What exactly is Barre Fusion? How can it help you accomplish your fitness goals? Keep reading to find out!

After reading this guide, you can determine if this is the fitness class for you. Then, you can set a new resolution to work up a sweat! Read on to learn everything you need to know about Barre group classes today. 

What is Barre?

First, let’s answer the question that likely brought you here: what is Barre Fusion?

These low-impact strength workouts can boost your:

• Muscle tone
• Posture
• Flexibility

When you look good, you’ll feel good, too! Taking these group glasses could boost your overall wellness and self-confidence as a result.

Barre uses a combination of dance, ballet, functional strength, and mind-body-inspired movements. The exercises require concentration and precision to ensure you experience optimal results. During a class, you can modify each movement to suit your strength or skill levels.

You can find group classes for different expertise levels, too.

A typical class is completed at the ballet barre. Exercises can get your heart pumping to boost your cardiovascular strength. At the same time, you’ll sculpt, tone, and lengthen your muscles.

Before signing up for a course, consider your specific fitness goals. Barre is ideal if you want to improve your flexibility, strength, and posture. 

If you already focus on strength training, a class could help you strengthen and lengthen those muscles. 

Barre will also help improve your mobility and core strength. Though it’s a low-impact class, it’s also fast-paced. It’s ideal for all ages and fitness levels.

Though Barre is ballet-inspired, you won’t need to have experience as a ballerina to perform these exercises. Barre is safe, fun, and effective as well.

Some classes involve mat-based warm-ups and core-focused sessions as well. You’ll complete lower body isometric exercises at the bar, too. 

Repeating the same small movements over time will help you build your endurance. You can strengthen muscles without the risk of ligament or tendon strains. 

What Are the Benefits?

Remember, Barre Fusion classes can help sculpt, tone, and lengthen your muscles. It can also get your heart pumping to improve your cardiovascular strength. Other benefits include:

• Improving your fitness level
• Improving your posture
• Burning calories
• Reducing stress levels
• Improving your flexibility

Flexibility can decrease as you get older. These classes could help.

In some classes, you’ll use a barre and your body weight for each rep. These exercises will help improve your muscle endurance. 

Other exercises incorporate additional tools, including:

• Sliders
• Ankle weights
• Free weights
• Resistance bands
• Exercise balls

Workouts are broken into different sections, allowing you to focus on different major muscle groups. These group classes can strengthen your arms, glutes, legs, and core.

The muscles within these core groups are fatigued through small, targeted movements. A higher number of repetitions with light resistance can strengthen each area.

Despite the lighter weights, you will feel your muscles burning after a session.

Parts of each class are also paired with stretching. These stretches can further improve your overall strength.

If you’re searching for group classes that can improve your flexibility, consider giving Barre Fusion a try. 

Most classes keep the movements slow and steady. However, there are different types of “fusion” sessions available. Each group class can accomplish different goals.

For example, some classes combine traditional barre moves with interval training. You could boost your heart rate to get in a cardio session.

Some classes incorporate weights and resistance tools. These group classes are ideal for improving your overall strength.

You’ll also improve your endurance, balance, range of motion, and posture. In fact, these classes can even support weight management. You can sculpt a stronger, more defined core at the same time, too!

Tips Before Class

Barre classes are beginner-friendly. They’re also easily adaptable for different skill sets and ability levels. However, it’s important to note that classes move quickly.

Some first-timers also find sessions challenging.

With that in mind, consider talking to an instructor before class. They could provide you with helpful tips before your first Barre session.

You’ll likely use muscles you never knew you had, too! Don’t worry; you should get the hang of it after three or four classes. Stick with it.

You’ll likely experience results in eight to 10 sessions.

Don’t feel intimidated when trying Barre for the first time. As with any group class, it requires a high level of physical fitness. Stick with it to watch your performance improve over time.

Consider wearing leggings or capris that you’re comfortable in. Pair it with a workout tank or T-shirt. Wearing close-fitting clothing will help your instructor get a better view of your form.

They’ll help by offering advice, allowing you to make the necessary adjustments.

Consider sticky socks to avoid sliding during group classes, too.

Talk to an instructor about the lingo you might hear during a session as well. For example, they might say, “Tuck your tailbone.” If you hear that phrase, draw your abs inward.

Then, roll your hips under slightly, creating a neutral spine. This position can help engage your core.

You might hear “pulse,” too. This phrase means you should move about an inch up and down. These small, controlled movements will ensure your range of motion is more precise.

You’ll have an easier time contracting targeted muscles as a result.

What is Barre Fusion?: Your Guide to Toning Up

To recap, what is Barre Fusion? It’s a fun, low-impact fitness class you can use to tone your body. With multiple sessions, your flexibility, posture, and muscle strength will improve, too.

Consider giving Barre a chance as you set your fitness goals for the year!

Want to give it a try? You’ve come to the right place.

Explore our class schedule today to get started.

On some level, all of us want to invest in the improvement of our physical and mental health. Adopting a regular exercise routine is a great way to accomplish both, but it’s not always easy to find a safe and effective form of exercise for our bodies and goals.

Working with a personal trainer has many proven benefits, including increased motivation and lowered safety risks. However, that doesn’t mean that every personal trainer offers a one-size-fits-all approach.

Choosing a personal trainer is a lot like choosing a diet or choosing a therapist. You want to ensure that the one you’re working with is right for you and your needs.

How can you approach this choice? Read on for eight factors to consider when finding the perfect personal trainer for you.

1. Location

Some of the first few factors we’ll discuss are quite practical and easy to gauge. The first is location. 

Where do you want to perform your workouts? Are you looking for a gym you can go to right after work or a gym located closer to your home? Do you want to go to a gym at all or would you prefer working with someone who meets you in your own specified locations?

Our personal trainers will work with you at one of our two facilities, both located in Cambridge, MA.

2. Availability

Once again, here is a practical consideration. There are a few steps that you can take to form a new habit, and one of them is setting realistic intentions. Sure, you might want to start waking up an hour earlier to get your workout in, but is that something you can really see yourself doing?

Find a personal trainer who is available at a time when you are most likely to exercise. Of course, you will want to select a time when you aren’t fulfilling other obligations. However, you will also want to pick a time that you tend to have a decent amount of energy and motivation. 

3. Cost

Make sure that you review the costs associated with different personal training sessions. For example, we offer 12 sessions over the course of three months for $319, 24 sessions over the course of three months for $619, and so forth. It’s important that your personal trainer’s rates fit your budget–even if that means making a few changes to your spending habits.

4. Qualifications

One of the biggest benefits of hiring a personal trainer is that you’re working with someone who has extensive knowledge of safe and effective practices. There’s no point in hiring a personal trainer that isn’t qualified in tangible and specific ways.

Make sure that your personal trainer has received both educational and practical fitness training. All of our personal trainers are either exercise physiologists or certified personal trainers. They all hold nationally accredited certifications combined with extensive experience providing hands-on assistance and guidance to clients.

5. Expertise

Here’s where your own preferences and needs really come into play. You may have a general idea of your fitness goals or you may have a very specific plan for what you want to achieve and how you want to achieve it. Take some time to brainstorm or write down your goals and the types of exercise (ie a cardio-heavy routine vs a larger focus on weight lifting) you want to try. 

This makes it easier to find the right personal trainer for you. While any good personal trainer has a generalized knowledge of all things fitness-related, they tend to also have a specific area of expertise. This expertise is usually informed by their training as well as their personal training experience, both things you should feel welcome to inquire about.

6. Personality

When reviewing their options for trainers, people tend to underestimate the importance of personality. Admittedly, you may not get a good sense of your personal trainer’s personality until you have your first session with them. Still, you should feel comfortable making a change if your trainer’s personality doesn’t mesh with yours.

Ultimately, a good personal trainer is going to push you out of your comfort zone. However, how they go about doing it and the attitude they have during your workout matters. Some people prefer a heavy dose of positive support while others prefer a tough-love approach and it’s all about knowing what works for you.

7. Exercise Philosophy

Expertise, personality, and exercise philosophy all go hand in hand. It’s easy to confuse exercise philosophy with personality, but they’re not quite the same thing. By reading online reviews and asking different personal trainers questions before signing up, you can start to learn more about their exercise philosophy.

Do they prefer to have their clients focus on one specific thing until it’s mastered? Do they prefer to change things up throughout the month to keep things fresh and exciting? What do they hope to teach their clients and how do they intend to pass on that knowledge?

8. Risk Assessment

One of the biggest jobs a personal trainer has is keeping clients safe. They can only do this by learning more about each client’s health history, potential risk factors, and physical needs.

If you find that your personal trainer is taking a one-size-fits-all approach and pushing you to perform tasks that aren’t safe for your body, it’s time to stop. Talk to us, instead, and find a personal trainer that will always take risk assessment into consideration.

Be Selective When Choosing a Personal Trainer

People often assume that any personal trainer can help them achieve their health and fitness goals. The truth is that you want to approach choosing a personal trainer with several considerations in mind. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or do a little digging to find out if a personal trainer checks your boxes.

Want to know more about one of our personal trainers? Have you found a match and want to get started? Contact us today.

Getting into great shape comes with a large number of benefits. Not only will you establish a healthier lifestyle, but there’s also psychological proof that looking good improves your mental state. When beginning your fitness journey, it can be difficult to choose between personal training and group classes. The good news, though, is that it’s not as difficult as you might think.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know.

Personal Training

Working with a personal trainer is relatively commonplace. For some reason, however, can also be intimidating for many people.

Regardless, there are certain attributes that you should consider before deciding whether or not it’s right for you. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable benefits and drawbacks.

Pros

One of the primary pros of working with a personal trainer is the fact that you will be able to have all of the attention focused on you. As you might guess, this can help prevent mistakes, optimize your training progress, etc.

Those who have special training requirements (such as training around old injuries) will also have the benefit from working with a personal trainer.

Since your trainer will guide you through your journey, you can also decide how quickly you would like to scale your progress. Not everybody has the time or mental energy to give 100% in the gym during each session.

Some people simply want to slowly lose weight or build muscle over time. This allows for much greater flexibility in terms of how they manage the rest of their lifestyle.

Something else to consider is the fact that a trainer will help you target weaknesses that you may have.

Most people have certain muscle groups that grow faster than others. In context, this means that it might be relatively easy for you to build up your arms but your legs may take a bit more work.

Your trainer will immediately recognize problem areas and come up with a plan to help you fix them.

It’s also worth acknowledging that you will be able to develop an ongoing relationship with your trainer. As you get more comfortable, you might even find that your training sessions become therapeutic.

If you find that you need help with recovery, they could also help you implement mobility routines or recommend a massage therapist.

Cons

There aren’t too many drawbacks to working with a personal trainer. The primary one that most people are deterred by is the price.

Depending on who you work with and what gym you train at, personal training costs can quickly add up. The good news is that it’s possible to find high-quality personal trainers at a reasonable price.

Some people are also intimidated by the fact that all of the pressure is put on them. If they don’t perform as intended, or if they aren’t making progress quickly enough, they may begin to feel guilty.

For those who enjoy working out with their friends, personal training prevents you from doing so under most circumstances. So, there’s a chance that you may not find training as enjoyable as you could.

Group Classes

Group classes are fairly diverse and aren’t limited to a certain demographic. In fact, there are group classes available for virtually everyone.

Let’s explore what you need to know about them.

Pros

Most people are drawn to group classes due to the fun, energetic environment. It’s not hard to see why this form of training is often more enjoyable than working out by yourself.

It’s also very music-centric. You will likely be working out to high-energy, upbeat tracks that help keep you focused and motivated.

For those who have a love for music (especially while working out), you’re more likely to feel like you’re on a playground than in a gym.

Classes are also great ways to meet people.

For example, let’s assume that you just moved to a new city. Outside of work, it can be difficult to develop new contacts.

Since group classes are such a social environment, many people go there with the intent to make friends.

As you might guess, group classes are also ideal for corporate wellness sessions.

Above all else, group classes are a great way that you can help relieve stress. So, consider them as a way to unwind after a hard day/week at work

Cons

Since the progression of the group classes will depend on the group as a whole, you may find that you aren’t moving at the ideal speed. So, you may begin to feel as though you are falling short of your goals.

In contrast, you may even feel that the class is progressing too quickly.

Those who are less experienced with their training also run the risk of developing bad habits. This is simply due to the fact that the class instructor may not always be able to discern improper form.

Finally, participants who are not mentally primed to take a group class may not be able to keep up. This is especially true for advanced classes, which can be notably strenuous.

Which Fitness Path Is Right for You?

For those who would like to optimize their progress or are unfamiliar with fitness routines, personal training is the route you should take. For those who enjoy the company of others or would prefer to perform aerobics-based workouts, group training is best.

The above information will help ensure that you choose the ideal option for your situation. From here, you’ll be able to optimize the progress you make.

Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to get in touch with us today and see how we can help.