Something NEW : BARREWORKS !

Hey all!

As you know I am all about FITNESS, and although I LOVE being in the gym & grinding it out with the weights & plyometrics, I'm always open to trying out new & different ways to get my calorie burn.  How else can I recommend (or warn against) my clients/friends/family trying stuff?

This week I tried out a BARREWORKS class with my ACES & my sister (*see her thoughts on the class HERE) at BarreWorks Toronto.

Walking into the studio you're greeted by smiling faces, bright high-ceiling spacious rooms and a gentle calm, while they ask that you remove your shoes. As the classes are done in bare feet (*or grip socks), it's nice to keep clean floors. Another nice plus, they sell their own snack bars, and they have the most amazing & Uber-green water filter unit, that shows you the number of plastic bottles they've conserved since Opening, which kinda makes you feel GOOD while you Hydrate. *smile*

Let me preface my review with the fact that based on the name & the picture on the card, I was REALLY expecting it to be dance based, more like standing Yoga. Slow & graceful, which I typically do NOT prescribe to where MY fitness is concerned, as I bore easily.

That being said, the class was AMAZING! We did the beginner class, and we were sweating up a STORM! Not only because the room was (comfortably) warm, and the class was full (about 15 girls) BUT because it was more like a Ballet-infused BOOTCAMP, than a "dance class".

Resistance bands, and weighted hand-balls gave us the restistance element, and the barre and a mat gave us options on the moves, using a LOT of core strength to hold the levels while doing the moves. You definitely get a GREAT burn through the legs, but with the Push-Ups and bands thrown in, even your arms & upper body get ROCKED!

Our instructor, Lina, was a spicy little Brasilian with a TON of energy! She made sure nobody stopped moving, and came around to make sure our form was on point. (*does that count as a pun, if I don't type it as "en pointe"? I digress...)

What I appreciated was the variations in pace & the ability to modify, up or down, for ANY fitness level.  Lina showed the class options on how to take moves from the standard to a little easier, if needed, the bands and balls had 3 weight options (*by color) and for those in the class a little stronger (*ok, just me... but I'm more jacked than the average yoga/ballet/pilates-er) we were able to double up the bands or weighted-balls to up the challenge.

Here in Toronto (*follow them on Twitter), they're located at Queen Street W, just west of Bathurst. near the Teaopia. Newbies can try it for the super sweet price of $10 for the first class.

I definitely recommend it! See if it's in your city and TRY IT OUT!