If you watch a barre class from afar... some of the movements seem so small... you wonder how the participants could consider these tiny wiggles and raises 'exercise.' But if you are the one taking the class... you know that the small, intentional movements start to B-U-R-N quite quickly! Often your legs, arms, abs, or buns are screaming the next day! At least mine are! 

 Barre classes promise to give dedicated students a high and tight booty, whittled waist, and overall toned appearance. While living in New York City I spent a lot of time trying barre classes at different boutique fitness studios... on the hunt for the cream of the crop! One of my favorites is Exhale Spa. I took Core Fusion classes at the Central Park South (particularly posh!) and SoHo locations... and Core Extreme (added cardio component and more intense) classes at their Flatiron location. A lot of the movements are bodyweight only... others require small pieces of fitness equipment like bands, balls, and light weights. The facilities have a serene, uplifting, and trendy vibe.

The barre class craze is not consolidated to the concrete jungle of New York City. They are becoming all the rage all over the map. They are also popular in Sydney, Australia where I am currently living. But because my first experience with the bun burning barre classes was at Exhale Spa... and they are one of the best in the game... I decided to interview one of their top instructors, Fred DeVito.

1.       Why are folks who have never considered themselves group fitness attendees getting in on the action?

Because group fitness has become the “go to event” for socializing with friends as well as work related meet ups.  When you recommend that a friend or colleague join you for a  class, it shows that you are health and wellness savvy and your heathy suggestions are better choices for them rather than just always doing cocktails and dinners.

2.       Why are ballet barre classes becoming so popular?

Take out the word “ballet” and now you are talking about the gender neutral barre classes which are all the rage these days!  These classes provide a safe, body transforming workout that is challenging for both women and men of all ages and levels of fitness.

3.       How many calories can you burn in each class?

That will depend on how hard you work and how much the teacher pushes you but the answer would be between 400-600 calories in a class.

4.       What makes Exhale a class people don't get sick of doing?

Exhale barre classes are endlessly challenging, no matter how good you get at the positions.  There is always a higher level of challenge to attain as well as a variety of exercises and props.  This formula is a recipe for rapid changes in your body in a short period of time.

5.       How can people stick to fitness goals/resolutions?  

You can stick to your fitness goals by : 1- set a realistic time table for attending classes.  2- once you decide how many classes per week is realistic, then committing to your fitness schedule as the most important appointment on your calendar.  3- work as hard as you can every time you take a class.  4- remember the feeling of accomplishment after each class and make that feeling the thing you miss the most when you fall off the wagon, because everyone does………..the trick is to be proud of the feeling of accomplishment and make that feeling something that you can’t live without!

Fred DeVito is member of the founding exhale team and co-creator of the company’s highly publicized Core Fusion program, Fred is EVP of Mind Body Fitness Programs. He is responsible for recruiting and training the teachers for the proprietary Core Fusion programs, directing the Core Fusion teacher training curriculum, program quality, and safety. As a lead trainer and fitness expert in the barre and wellbeing industry, Fred has been featured in The New York Times, Fitness Magazine, New York Magazine and Shape Magazine. Along with his wife, Elisabeth, Fred has created, choreographed, and starred in 11 Core Fusion DVDs and have contributed to many online classes on Yogavibes.com.

P.S.... Fred is sharing a few songs from his recent class playlist. ;-) Thanks Fred!