7 Potential Health Benefits of Barre

You ll Strengthen Your Muscles

Alexander Higa, an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer with Tempo in San Francisco, says barre's ballet, Pilates, and yoga exercises strengthen the whole body, but they focus on the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and feet.

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You ll Build Muscular Endurance

Barre entails maintaining several poses at the ballet barre or yoga mat. Isometric exercises contract muscles without altering length or movement, according to the Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Your barre teacher may urge you to add pulses to your isometric holds.

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You ll Gain Flexibility

Healthy mobility requires flexibility, or the capacity of muscles, ligaments, and tendons to passively stretch, according to the International Sports Science Association. Soft tissues need flexibility to move properly, which helps you function better in daily life.

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You ll Have Better Balance

Balance and flexibility deteriorate with aging. Harvard Health Publishing describes balance as the capacity to distribute weight without tipping over. It helps avoid injury and enhance everyday chores and sports performance. According to the National Institute on Aging, older persons need balance to avoid falls and injury.

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Your Posture Will Improve

Barre may improve your posture if you're anxious. Dara Driessea, an ASFA-certified personal trainer and barre teacher with FlexIt in Barnegat, New Jersey, says class will concentrate on appropriate alignment by elongating your spine and pushing your shoulders down and back. 

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You ll Have Better Coordination and a Fitter Brain (Maybe)

Barre sessions use music and dance to improve coordination. More coordinated people are less likely to hurt themselves. Coordination becomes more important as you age to help with balance, explains Higa. The movements will challenge not only your body but also your brain, explains Higa.

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You ll Get a Mental Health Boost

Barre may boost mood since exercise is the greatest way to regulate mood, according to a research. Joyful movement like what you'll do in barre celebrates what the human body can do, says Ginger Garner, DPT, founder and CEO of Living Well, a lifestyle medicine center in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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