How Barre Workouts Help Change Your Body

Which changes your body more: HIIT sessions done multiple times per week, weightlifting with progressively heavy weights, or barre work with light weights (or none at all) and strategic movements?

That’s a trick question.

All three will give you physical changes, but many people think strength training and intense cardio are the only routes to transformation.

In fact, barre can change your body, and if you’ve never done a workout like it, you might also see great results — since it’s challenging you in a new way.

“As a society, we’re trained to think you have to do aggressively high-impact cardio for at least an hour a day to see results, and that’s false,” says Andrea Rogers, founder of Xtend Barre, a dynamic mix of cardio, Pilates, and ballet barre.

“By performing consistent workouts and form-focused movements with a mind-body connection, you can see results.”

How Does Barre Change the Body?

Traditional barre workouts focus on small, precise movements with isometric holds to build strength and mobility, and Xtend Barre kicks that up a notch with dynamic, full range of motion movements.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll see as a result:

1. Sculpted legs, arms, and core

Because barre targets muscles so effectively, it leads to muscle fatigue quickly — that’s part of why people tend to “shake” during a barre workout.

They’re getting deep into muscle fibers and building muscular endurance, Rogers says.

2. Better posture

Every movement in a class like Xtend Barre involves the core, which provides support for the spine and pelvis, and balances the body when it’s upright.

Not only does that significantly lower your risk of back pain, but it also helps you stand straighter and taller.

3. Perky glutes

There’s a phenomenon known as “barre butt” that comes from the frequent contraction of the glutes and hip muscles, Rogers says.

Xtend Barre works all of the glute muscles, including the smaller ones, giving you the appearance of a stronger, rounder, more lifted butt.

Why You Might Not Be Seeing Results from Barre

Let’s say you’ve been doing a class like Xtend Barre for a few weeks, and it seems like you’re the same as when you started.

Or maybe you began to see changes and then hit a plateau.

Rogers suggests two reasons you’re not getting the results you want:

1. You’re zoning out

Barre is all about forging a mind-body connection, Rogers says, so if you’re doing reps in a mindless way, you’re likely not using your muscles as intended.

Instead, momentum might be taking you through the motions.

She suggests concentrating more intently on your reps, even if that means slowing it down to focus on form and avoid mistakes.

2. The consistency isn’t there

Fitting in a workout whenever you have time tends to mean exercise gets pushed to the bottom of your to-do list. Make barre a priority instead and put it in your calendar.

Fortunately, Xtend Barre is just 30 minutes per class at most, and you can stream it at home — or anywhere, thanks to the BODi app.

Consistency is your friend when it comes to results. (Get more of Rogers’ secrets to making barre workouts better.)

Eat Right to Boost Results

Once you’re doing Xtend Barre on a regular basis, consider one more way to change your body: Make sure you’re eating in a way that fuels results.

Consider some meal planning, which can take the guesswork out of healthy eating and makes it easier to reach goals like weight loss and more energy.

By staying consistent in what you eat and how you do barre work, you can make the most of Xtend Barre to change your body in meaningful ways.