By: Nicole Nichols, SparkPeople Blogger
3/4/2011 6:00 AM   :  55 comments   :  31,809 Views

See More: fitness, DVD, home workouts, strength training, product review, barre workouts,

As a fan of both Pilates and dance workouts, I have been dying to try one of the latest fitness trends: barre workouts. Many celebs (including Kelly Ripa) are reported fans of these toning workouts that combine ballet, Pilates, calisthenics and yoga movements into one workout, usually using a ballet barre as a prop—or a chair if you're exercising at home. Some barre workouts use just your body weight, while others incorporate some props like light hand weights or bands. The premise behind these workouts is to trim and tone and achieve the long, lean body of a dancer. They heavily focus on the lower body with focused movements and high repetitions with little to no added weight (besides your own body).

At first glance, these may look or even sound easy, but everyone I know who has ever tried a barre workout has said the same thing: that they are very challenging.

I was ready for a new challenge! So when Tracey Mallett's Total New Body: The Booty Barre ($14.99) workout DVD landed on my desk, I was eager to try it.

This hour-long DVD can be broken up into five shorter segments (warm up, upper body, core, lower body, and stretching), but I did them all together. All you need is a sturdy chair, which you'll lean on for balance, and a set of light weights for the upper body segment (I used 6 pounds; the DVD suggested 3-5 pounds), and a mat for the core and stretching segments. Throughout the DVD, one of the exercisers shows modifications to make the exercises easier if needed.

Tracey Mallett is likeable—not cheesy or annoying the way some instructors can be. Her form is amazing and inspiring, and I felt like she was encouraging without being too pushy. I wish she would have explained a few moves in more detail, but overall, between her cues and the camera angles, I felt like I was doing the exercises correctly and safely. People who prefer more verbal instructions might find it harder to follow, however.

What I really loved about this DVD was the variety of new moves—things I have never done before. If you're accustomed to traditional strength training exercises, this workout will get your body moving in completely new ways. For me, that meant that the hour flew by and I was never bored, even though we did a lot of repetitions of each exercise. It also means that I was using my muscles in new and different ways that really challenged me. To get an idea of what I mean, check out this video preview:



I really felt my thighs, arms and abs burning at various points—so much that I had to stop and rest for a few repetitions and then resume again when I was ready. It was a good level of challenge that didn't make me feel defeated; rather, it kind of inspired me to keep going and try this DVD more until I get strong enough to do the full routine without needing to rest. As another bonus, this toning DVD got my heart rate up to a low aerobic range, too. Based on how I felt during this workout, I fully expected to be VERY sore the next day, but to my surprise, I did not have any post-workout soreness! Still, I felt like it was a great workout and I am eager to pop this DVD in again soon and keep working at it.

Anyone looking for a new and different workout challenge, especially if you want variety in your strength training program, would enjoy this DVD. This workout does require balance, some coordination, and a decent base level of fitness. For some people, the challenge may be too much, but I do believe that most exercisers could do most of these moves; the only difference is that some will have to modify them or do fewer repetitions until they're strong enough to finish the whole set.

Pick up The Booty Barre DVD at amazon.com or visit TheBootyBarre.com to learn more. This Huffington Post article reviews three more popular barre DVDs, too.

Have you ever tried a barre workout? Would you like to?