Barre Training is the latest fitness trend spreading the globe, that has a celebrity following. Thanks to lifelong fitness guru and Pilates master, Emma Newham, this hot new workout training is now available worldwide.
What is BarreConcept?
This increasingly popular exercise regime incorporates the precision of Pilates with the positions, moves, grace and technique of ballet. Add to this the alignment of yoga and the strength from sports conditioning and you will have all of the aspects of a typical Barre workout. The combined elements of the different methods fuse to form a challenging and exciting workout, which stretches and sculpts the muscles, whilst burning fat. Balance, strength, stamina, power, flexibility and motor control all improve. This workout produces dramatic results that sculpt and redefine the entire body, without even being a dancer.
The low impact, total body workout lifts the butt, tones the thighs, flattens the abs and sculpts the arms, whilst protecting the joints. Small isometric contractions are performed and integrated with an interval training approach that burns fat and improves cardiovascular fitness. Posture, flexibility, stamina and core strength improve. The result is a body that is realigned, rebalanced and works harmoniously and efficiently. Stretches are performed after each strength section of the class to ensure the muscles are re-lengthened to create a body that is strong without the added bulk of other regimes. This workout is suitable for everybody as various adaptations are given throughout the class to suit the abilities of all students.
Background history
The origins of barre workouts have their roots in the Lotte Berk Method, a jewish ballet dancer who fled to London in the 30’s when she was banned from dancing on stage by the Nazis. Lotte became injured and used her dance training to help with her rehabilitation and hence the Lotte Berk Method was born. Celebrities such as Joan Collins, Barbara Streisand and Yasmin Le Bon have pursued the method since the opening of her studio in 1959. Britt Ekland introduced Lydia Bach to Lotte and, after training with her, she opened her first studio in Manhattan in 1971 and purchased the worldwide rights. Sadly, Lotte died in 2003 at the ripe old age of 90. Despite her method being over 40 years old, it has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity.
Founder of Pilates Union UK, Union Yoga UK and creator of the BarreConcept and BarreFloor methods, Emma Newham – has been in the fitness industry for almost three decades, teaching mind body holistic exercise.
Her companies specialise in Pilates, Barre and Yoga teacher training and her BarreConcept instructor certification course is the first in the world to gain international accreditation. Her BarreConcept Workout training manual – a world first, as well as here DVD, have been global best sellers worldwide.
From the age of 7, Emma started ballet and for the next decade, she practiced the method religiously. She is delighted that she is able to combine her old dance training with the alignment of yoga and the precision of Pilates all into one great workout.
Emma comments “Yoga can often lack the core strength of Pilates whereas Pilates is not as good as yoga for stretching and flexibility training. This method combines the best of both worlds and goes even further with the ballet element. It is a hardcore workout, which is why it gets results fast and is so popular. It has certainly started to change my own body”.
Emma is author to a dozen fitness training manuals and has produced her own Pilates and Barre DVD’s. She has a wealth of media experience, having written articles for national press and fitness magazines as well as hosting her own fitness show on live radio and presenting Pilates for QVC UK channel, teaching Pilates on live TV. Many top athletes, including footballers, cricketers and dancers have worked with Emma to enhance their career. Emma delivers in-person teacher training courses internationally as well as hosting her globally accredited online instructor training courses.
