Barre Beyond combines barre, Pilates, and dance-inspired cardio moves for a completely one-of-a-kind class.
Barre and Pilates are both notorious for fatiguing muscles to the point where they start quivering. Focusing on exhausting often overlooked small, supporting muscles can make a big physical difference when you’re consistent. Barre and Pilates classes are tough, but you don’t typically walk out the Club door sweaty. While there may be moments during class where your heart rate increases, the majority of the time, you aren’t exactly breathless.
That isn’t the case with Equinox’s new class, Barre Beyond. Barre Beyond is anchored in barre moments that incorporate small, pulsing movements and core engagement, but is a departure from your typical barre class in that the overall canvas is cardio through expressive and expansive movements. The combination amplifies the results.
What Is Barre Beyond?
Equinox Group Fitness Manager Karla Beltchenko, PT, who is a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and yoga instructor and who began her career as a professional dancer, explains that Barre Beyond combines barre, Pilates, and dance-inspired movements. “While traditional barre classes focus on low-impact movements to strengthen and tone the body, Barre Beyond takes things to the next level by incorporating intense cardio elements that are still low-impact,” she says.
Beltchenko says that what sets Barre Beyond apart from other barre classes is the blend of cardio bursts and balanced stillness. “You'll even use Bala Bangles around your wrists and ankles to add extra resistance and difficulty to both cardio and traditional barre movements,” she says.
Unlike some workout classes where part of the class is devoted to cardio (such as on a treadmill) and then alternated with strength training or another modality, there’s no big “switch” during Barre Beyond. Instead, Beltchenko says that cardio is woven seamlessly into the class.
“Barre Beyond is a one-stop shop for a complete workout,” Beltchenko says. This means anyone can benefit from taking it. If you like barre or Pilates classes but feel the need to hop on the treadmill afterwards, you’ll especially like Barre Beyond. “This class format offers an intense sense of exertion while still incorporating all the sculpting moments you love in a barre class,” Beltchenko says. “Plus, you don't have to pack your running shoes because this class is entirely low-impact and can be done barefoot. The class will challenge your entire body and leave you feeling stronger and more energized.”
How You Can Expect To Benefit From the Class
There are several major ways you can expect to benefit from regularly taking Barre Beyond. One is muscular endurance. Just like in other barre and Pilates classes, high repetitions are a hallmark of Barre Beyond and Beltchenko says that this increases endurance while also building muscular definition. But the benefits of repetitive movements also go deeper. “One aspect of high-repetition exercises is the ability to delve deeper into focus and concentration. As the movement is repeated over and over again, it almost becomes trance-like,” Beltchenko says. “This allows for less attention on the complexity of the exercise and more attention on being present in the moment.”
Taking Barre Beyond regularly will also strengthen your core. Core-centric moves are a cornerstone of the class, used for stability and balance. “What I adore about this class is that it is a ‘center floor’ barre class, meaning that there is no wall-mounted barre to hold onto,” Beltchenko says, highlighting yet another way it differs from a traditional barre class.
You can also expect your posture to improve and to walk out of class feeling more aligned. Beltchenko says that the moves done throughout class are strategically designed to work together in synergy, resulting in a functional alignment that you can take with you beyond the class and into everyday life.
The cardio elements woven into the class also benefit cardiovascular health. Beltchenko says that the repetitive movements done during class are done at a quick pace, making the experience more intense than a traditional barre class. Get ready to see the heart rate number on your wearable increase. “The combination of muscle fatigue and cardiovascular exercise creates a challenging workout that is incredibly effective in building strength, endurance, and burning calories,” Beltchenko says.
Just as important to the ways the class impacts physical health are the mental health benefits. Simply put, it’s fun! Moving your body to the beat of the music and feeling your heart rate increase helps relieve stress. The time in the studio is yours. “It allows you to move big and release stress in a supportive community,” Beltchenko says. Sometimes, there’s nothing like the pure joy of dancing it out and leaving class sweaty and with a smile.