Xtend Barre

On a Sunday morning in Oregon, when it is grey outside and raining, there is nothing better than staying snuggled in my blankets watching Netflix with a cup of tea. But I have found something that is equally great, if not better than that! this is something that I will recommend to everyone I know because it has seriously changed the way I look at working out. Xtend Barre is different from other Barre classes because it incorporates more dance-like movements that include faster pace movements. This works particularly well for me because I do better with a faster pace workout, as opposed to something slower like yoga. There is a studio down the street from where I live, so it was perfect for me to try out. Below I will have a link to their website.

Having done a little bit of ballet when I was little, some of the key formations were familiar to me, but if someone was completely new to the class, it would not be difficult to jump right on in. At the beginning of the class, there was written on the mirror what things we needed to grab for that class. For the class I was taking, all that was needed was; weights, ball, and a resistance band, which are all provided by the studio. What I found interesting was that the weights they had were one one pound and two pound weights, since you are mostly using your own strength during the workout instead of relying on weights to help your workout. The first about 10-15 minutes of the class were warmup, which definitely warmed me up. I was already sweating after just the warmup, which was a good sign since that's my indication that I am getting a good workout. The music that accompanied the class was upbeat, and honestly not the music I would have expected to hear during a barre class, which is not a bad thing at all. It was a great mix of classic Lady Gaga and Ke$ha throughout the class. After the warmup, it was time to jump right into the class, and start learning what this workout was all about. As the class continues on, the instructor would make sure everyone knew the ballet moves that were incorporated, and that everyone's formation was correct, so that they would not injury themselves. I personally find this very helpful and a benefit of taking a class, because at the gym, there really is not anyone there to tell you if you are doing something wrong, which is why it is not uncommon to hear of people injuring themselves at the gym or tweaking something. I have been to workout class before, where if I was doing the movements wrong, the teacher made me feel like the odd man out, but this instructor was very caring about it and made sure you did not feel like you were an outsider. Halfway through the class, I already felt where I was going to be sore the next day, but I love feeling sore after a workout. By the end of the class, I knew for a fact that a good majority of my body would be sore, since you are using muscles that you didn't even realize you had. This is also coming from someone that works out about 5 times a week. I would highly recommend this workout class and studio to anyone looking to tone up their body, but have fun while doing it. My workout goal is to tone up everything, instead of gaining lots of muscle or focus on losing weight. i used to focus on the number a lot, but realized that for me that is not healthy because I become obsessed with the numbers. That is also why I cannot get caught up in counting calories. This studio promotes a positive body image and is all about empowerment of women. For anyone able to find a studio near them to take a class at, I would suggest to try it. It is also the most adorable little studio, so just being there makes you feel great!