Want lean muscles in just 8 classes? Try this cult New York barre workout

Reese Witherspoon follows it, social media badass Chrissy Teigen loves it and all of the Victoria’s Secret Angels swear by it. So, I decided to check it out and signed up for a trial at the newly opened cult New York fitness regime in Mumbai – Physique 57. The workout is done at the ballet bar and is inspired by ballet moves, but with added resistance from your own body weight.

For the past few years, barre workout has become extremely popular as it promises crazy results and lean body (no wonder it’s popular with the Hollywood crowd); Physique 57 claims to give you results in eight classes. That’s impressive right? But is it possible? We find out.

The session, the burn

Though I work out at least 5 days a week, my trainer Anisha Shah (who spent three months training in New York) suggested we opt for the fundamentals (the basic workout). A typical class lasts 57 minutes (thus the name) and works on arms, thighs, seat and the abs until they give up or you cry in pain.

After the session, and for the next two days, each and every muscle in your body (even the ones you didn’t know existed) will hurt. This only means they are working hard to become leaner, and stronger. So, that’s a yaay!

Things I learnt during the session

Less is more: Most of the exercises use bodyweight, though trainers may encourage adding a few light weights. And here’s where you might make the mistake of opting for the heavier weights. Physique 57 works on the principal of “interval overload”, which means repeated sets, even with lighter weights tend to give you the burn.

No plateau: One of the things most people struggle with different workouts is that it gets repetitive, which means you hit a plateau. Your muscles get used to working the same way, thus affecting the results. But a barre workout keeps different muscle groups engaged at different times, along with some cardio moves. This ensures that your body will keep burning till you workout, and beyond.

Low impact doesn’t mean slow results: Though it may seem very simple at the beginning, building up resistance through repetitions makes it intense. Here, your strength is measured by the number of repetitions you manage rather than the weights you manage to lift. I lost about 250 calories in 57 minutes by doing low-intensity workout.

Love your core: Like various functional training exercises, barre too focusses on strengthening your core. It works on abs, pelvis and glutes to give you a strong and steady core. So, hello ab lines.

Mind over body: There will be many times during the session when your body would want to give up; but that’s when your mind needs to take over and push you to go on. Since the workout depends on intricately timed moments, you need to be there, not just physically but also mentally.

Where: Physique 57, Four Seasons Hotel, Worli, Mumbai

Cost: ₹2000 per session

For more info: Check out Physique 57’s website

The writer tweets as @culturecola

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