As a fitness professional, you may be looking for other ways to expand your repertoire to include new and more challenging techniques.

The movement of Barre is unlike any other exercise and learning about it means you’ll have a better understanding of anatomy, major muscle groups and how your body works in order for you to get the most out of the exercise. This will in turn positively affect the way you teach and make you a better practitioner overall.

What is Garuda Barre?

This contemporary barre workout incorporates elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates. It is a movement that exercises all muscle groups but has a special focus on developing the flexibility and agility of the body. Here balance and strength work side by side to create a sense of length and flow. 

Garuda Barre captures the physicality and grace of dance, where rhythm and flow are paramount. Adagio (slow but expressive movement) and allegro (fast-paced and bright movement) are the two aspects of movement quality that are constantly introduced throughout this exercise.

This movement incorporates the use of a stationary barre where movements are performed, but can also incorporate different strength bands to widen the repertoire and make the movements more versatile for the practitioner.

Benefits of Garuda Barre for your Clients

Fluid Movements

Barre’s likeliness to Ballet is apparent when your clients start performing the different movements. Unlike yoga or Pilates, Garuda Barre integrates aerobic movements into each workout to strengthen your cardiovascular system which actually helps you burn lots of calories. 

Barre’s ability to give you an intense cardio workout while remaining low-impact is a desirable benefit of the exercise.

Ideal for posture and core strength

Barre is an exercise that can work for all fitness levels, but it is probably much more suited for your clients who wish to improve their core strength and posture. 

A big part of the exercise is to always maintain a good posture whilst performing movements. One of the best tips to give to practitioners is to not arch your back, this will minimise any lower back pain or soreness.

Many of us have desk-bound jobs that require us to be sitting for 8 hours a day, which can cause our posture to become more arched.  Barre is a brilliant solution for this.

Full body workout

Garuda Barre is ideal for those clients who wish to work out their whole body every time they exercise.  

The isometric contractions that make up the bulk of a barre exercise occur when the muscle tenses without changing length. 

These movements are the opposite of typical strength training moves (or concentric and eccentric contractions), which occur when a muscle stretches then shortens (as in a biceps curl). Isometric exercise is a great way to build strength in your muscles.

Improves focus

With Barre being very similar to yoga and pilates, it carries a lot of the same benefits for the mind, which is an important aspect for many people when they exercise. 

Barre movements have to be very precise and a lot of concentration is required in order to be performed correctly and effectively. This means that you have to be constantly present in the moment and not think about anything else besides the moves.

Repeating this process over many Barre classes, as well as feeling more de-stressed, you are more likely to maintain your focus more easily when performing other activities.

Reduces stress

Most of us know that exercise can be used to reduce stress and barre is no exception from this.

As much as Barre is a physical exercise, it has also been described as more of a mental challenge where all movements have to take a level of endurance and focus to carry out, as we mentioned before.

The amount of focus you use throughout a Barre class is similar to many meditation methods where the mind is connected to the body. This will make you feel lifted and calm at the end of each session.

This will be a key benefit for your clients during a time where maintaining mental health is more important than ever. 

So what does a Garuda Barre class look like?

If you’re interested in learning more about Garuda Barre then discover our upcoming Barre courses, or if you need more information, feel free to contact us here