Workout Wednesday: The Barre Method

The Barre Method is the hot new thing in fitness. You know, it was Tae-Bo, then Pilates, then Yoga, then Zumba, well now it's Barre Method.

Barre Method is a combination of ballet, Pilates/Yoga and aerobics. The idea is to tone and define your body to achieve a long, lean physique, like a dancer. It's a full body workout, but the legs/butt are definitely going to feel it the most. (My legs are already PISSED at me. Seriously, I'm so sore and so spent. This workout is for real.)

Barre studios are popping up all over the place, but a place like Pure Barre near where I live in Draper is kind of pricey unless you are super dedicated to the barre method. There are online and DVD options as well, but it seemed like the kind of thing that is more beneficial in a real studio. So when the Sandy Gold's Gym offered a Barre class, I jumped on it.

Since it's a Gold's Gym aerobics room, they didn't have the bar on the mirrored walls, so we used chairs, in addition to mats, squishy balls and light hand weights. We started off with a light aerobic warm up and then jumped into leg work with the chair. Basically it's moving your legs all different direction with fluid, controlled movement. We placed the squishy ball behind our knees to work the hamstring and calf during the reps.

Then we moved to the hand weights, coordinated with lunges and heel raisers. Even if your upper body is strong, opt for 1-3 pound weights. You'll be holding and moving them for 10 minutes, so they'll start to feel like 50 pounds.

Finally the class ends with a Pilates-based ab workout on the mat and some serious stretching.

What to Wear: Leggings or Yoga pants that will cling rather than hang loose. A yoga tank or somewhat tight shirt will stay out of your way during swing and crunch movements.

Other tips:

• Drink lots of water and make sure you eat something substantial a few hours before you go. I hadn't had enough water and only ate some yogurt with granola and started feeling light headed during the class.
• Go to a Barre class fresh. It's not like yoga or something gentle that you can just go to after your regular workout. It's a challenging, KILLER workout on its own. I was sore from a new lower body workout I tried on Monday, and it made me much less effective during class last night. 
• Stretch before, immediately after, and long after the class. You'll get super tight otherwise.
• If you have a background in dance, you'll have a slight advantage, but I don't and I survived.

My final word:

It was a crazy workout that I'll definitely see results from. However, I was expecting it to be more graceful and yoga-like, so when it turned out to be more "aerobics for former Drill Team members" I got a little bored and found myself watching the clock. They've only been doing this class at Gold's for a month and it's still in a "trial" phase, so maybe they'll tinker with it. Hopefully.

Also it didn't help that the girl next to me set her mat less than 12 inches from mine and thought she was auditioning for Step Up 7: Samba in Space. Really? No one is that impressed by you Miss "Never Gave Up My Dream."

I don't think I'll go to another class, just because it was a little too tedious for me. Everyone in the class seemed to be stretched a little thin as well, but a few people (Step Up girl) were loving it. If you are into dance/ballet/controlled leg movements/flexibility, then this might be the class for you. Give it a shot with this YouTube workout and see what you think!

Workout Wednesday: Yoga

I always thought Yoga was for Hindus, Californians and skinny girls who hated sports. Two of my good friends in high school, Danielle and Michelle, were super into yoga and were just so graceful and flexible as a result. So when I signed up for my Gold's Gym pass my freshman year, I thought maybe I'd mix up my weightlifting with some yoga. Unfortunately it took a whole year for me to actually try it out. And I've been hooked ever since. Especially when I can do Star Wars yoga.

Yoga is in essence a spiritual practice that links the mind and body in harmony. It releases tension, increases flexibility, realigns joints and strengthens core muscles. You really can vary your yoga practice to target whatever physical needs you are trying to meet.

Your basic yoga tends to be more strength, core, and flexibility building. I leave sweaty and I'm almost always a little sore (in a good way!) the next day.

More intense or intermediate yoga practice includes more balance poses and emphasis on vinyasa, or flow, which becomes a very mentally rigorous challenge. This yoga emphasis is especially great when I can't stop thinking or worrying about something, because it forces you to let it go and focus on not falling on your face. I've never tried bikram or any other intense forms, but I've heard great things. I'm still a noob, anyways.

Relaxation yoga is awesome. Most yoga classes end with some relaxation poses and nap meditation time. You release tension in your neck and shoulders that you didn't even know you were holding. You're breathing deep and free, your body feels like tingly jello and you don't walk - you glide.

A good yoga practice includes a little of all three. Every instructor is going to design their class differently, and it's just about finding what works for you.

Options for practicing yoga:

• On Netflix, I like 10 Minute Solution Yoga and Crunch: Candlelight Yoga.
• YouTube Yoga is pretty cool, actually. Check this tumblr for a list of YouTube videos that target anything you want. Perfect if you are stuck at home/too lazy to go anywhere. 
• The Everygirl just did an awesome feature for beginners, so check it!
• On your own! Once you have learned the basics, you can do it yourself! I sometimes do yoga on vacation or when I'm feeling really tight and inflexible, without a video or instructions. 
• I personally believe classes are the best, because they are different every time, they modify poses for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and you work harder when there are other people around you trying. 

What to Wear:

Tight/form-fitting clothes. You don't need to pour yourself into the thinnest spandex you can buy, just lose the baggy basketball shorts. When you lift your legs in the air or turn upside down you don't want to be tugging your shorts away from your bum and your high school choir t-shirt from suffocating your face.

Victoria's Secret yoga pants are my favorite. I like the capri, but I also have the ankle boot cut and the yoga booty short too. Leggings are also a great option.

A sports bra with a tank or slim v-neck or a racerback sports tank are my favorite top options. Athleta has some seriously cute stuff. Almost makes you WANT to work out. Almost...

Pull your hair into a top knot or Katniss-style side braid and use a headband to keep the hair out of your face when you are upside down and changing positions.

Other Tips:

If you love yoga, buy your own mat. There are always yoga mats in the back of the aerobics room, but having your own is way cleaner/better. I got one on Amazon with a bag for pretty cheap and I use it all the time.

Get to class early, find a spot near a mirror so you can check your form during poses, and stretch a bit before class starts.

Do yoga on an empty (but not rumbling stomach).

No one cares if you fall over or can't hold a stretch the whole time. Seriously. No one cares.

Tune in next week for a Workout Wednesday Guest Post by my good friend Tayler about why she runs like a crazy person!

Workout Wednesday: Rock Climbing with Katie Ashby

Hey there! I'm Katie from These Are The Days - my husband, Devin and I are here to talk to you today about one of our favorite things to do: Rock Climbing!

It may come as a surprise to some people that rock climbing is actually extremely beneficial for your health, on multiple levels - that is, if it's done correctly!

Boring stuff first: the absolute most important thing to remember is that rock climbing is a dangerous sport, so it is essential that you get proper training and practice safety as you climb! If you're local to Utah, we highly recommend climbing at Momentum Indoor Climbing Gym (in Sandy) seeing as how Devin works there and all! The staff is amazing, helpful, and new climbers are always welcome and encouraged! Momentum is an awesome place to learn how to climb if you don't already know someone with the experience to teach you.

Like I said before, rock climbing is a great way to get in shape, stay in shape, and what's more, it's an awesome social activity. For starters? Climbing is heart-healthy. And by that I mean, it helps improve your cardiovascular system by stressing your heart (in a good way!) - it gets the blood pumping, and makes your heart stronger!

Rock climbing can also contribute to healthy weight loss! I think I read somewhere once that 1 pound = 3500 calories (just double-checked. I read right.), which means to lose 1 pound a week, you need to eliminate 500 calories each day. And guess what? Climbing at a "moderate intensity" for about 1 hour, burns 400! That means you spend some time at the gym, skip your daily can of soda, and you're there!

The most obvious benefit of rock climbing, I think, is toning and muscle building. Rock climbing is a progressive sport, so the better you get, the stronger you get, and the harder stuff you can climb! Climbing at those harder levels, and even as you're working your way up, requires a lot of strength, and a lot of that strength comes from your fingers, but it also counts where your arms, legs, and core are concerned! Climbing targets all of those main muscle groups in one total body work out! (plus, if you're asking me, it's a lot more fun than running on a treadmill!)

More awesome things about rock climbing: what some people don't know about climbing is that it is actually a very technical sport. You aren't just pushing off rocks to get to the top of a wall, there is a sequence to follow - so rock climbing requires a lot of mental (and physical) focus. Now, this is important.  It's easy to "plateau" in rock climbing if you let the mental part of it get the best of you! But as long as you have the right mental control, it's an awesome way to involve your mind while you exercise, and it helps increase your hand-eye coordination. Rock climbing is a sport where you can constantly challenge yourself and improve.

Oh, don't worry, we're not even done. Rock climbing is one of the best ways to increase your endurance! Walls in a climbing gym are typically anywhere from 30-60 feet tall - which doesn't seem like much, but when you're spending every inch of those feet pushing yourself mentally, and physically, it can seem much longer! Building up endurance is probably one of the most immediate benefits you'll notice if you start climbing regularly, which doesn't just benefit your improvement in climbing, it can help you last longer in other exercises (that is, if you even care for them anymore, now that you've found your new love for climbing!)

Okay, okay I'm almost done. Mostly because I know I've already convinced you to give it a try. But there's even more good that can come from tying into a rope and climbing up a wall. Climbing increases your FLEXIBILITY, BALANCE and COORDINATION! Just think about it! Am I right? I am.

And lastly, rock climbing is awesome because it is a sport that you can do rain or shine, inside or outside. And there are even different kinds of climbing:

1. You can boulder, which is done on much shorter walls, without a harness.

2. You can top-rope, which is the normal kind that most people begin with - the kind you probably think of when you think of rock climbing.

3. And when you become more experienced, you can lead climb!

Climbing is a sport that anyone can do, at any age! If you have any questions, click here and ask us!

**Isn't she great? If you are interested in guest posting on YOUR area of fitness expertise shoot me a email!**