There was once a time when for many, ‘working out’ meant getting in and out of the gym for a cardio session as quickly as possible. But in 2018, we know that taking care of yourself means far more than just running on a treadmill for an hour.
In recent years, many of our fitness regimes become far more complex. There are cardio sessions for heart health and cardiovascular fitness, resistance training for strength and toning, stretching for flexibility and mobility and mindfulness for mental health. As great as it is that we’re now taking a more holistic approach to health, the only problem is finding the time to fit it all in!
That’s exactly what makes Elements, a new fitness concept from Barre Body, so genius. The first of its kind in the world, the one hour class is designed to give participants an immersive mind, body and spirit experience.
“It’s a class that has been designed to help our clients achieve their fitness goals, experience a physical transformation in their body, and provide them with a moment for their mental health via meditation and mindfulness,” explains Barre Body founder, Emma Seibold. “Elements delivers all of the essentials that women want and need in their everyday lives, but are rarely able to create time for. Rather than carving out a separate meditation practice, cardio workouts, strength regimes and at-home stretches, this can now all be found in one class, in one-hour, at Barre Body.”
The class fuses the ‘working-body-parts-you-didn’t-even-know-you-had’ benefits of barre with the concept of mindful movement “We spend so much time doing and thinking that we neglect the beautiful space of just being. Mindful Movement is the embodiment of “being” during movement. Being truly present to embody the physical experience without thinking and judging,” says Emma Seibold. “Without looking around the room to compare yourself, without thinking about what you might have for dinner, without judging yourself for being better or worse than anyone else in the class–it is about letting go, being conscious and enjoying the experience. Breath is a beautiful vehicle to connect to the body and to movement that largely guides the practice of mindful movement.”
The class is broken down into three distinct sections:
Fluid cardio
“The first section incorporates the warm up and several creative and flowing exercises that are layered in intensity and complexity. Heart rates will rise, fitness levels will soar, and there won’t be a single jumping jack in sight.”
Slow strength
“A complete contrast from the flowing cardio, slow strength is Low-Intensity Interval Training (LIIT) at its very best. The movements are fluid, graceful and flowing, lending that true Barre Body signature to the style and results in a slow, strong burn, with Barre Body’s renowned toning. This element introduces to new pieces of equipment to Barre Body, including gliders and a circular stretch band, designed to strengthen the entire body.”
Mindful movement and meditation
“This element of the class is a beautiful space to slow down and really focus on the movements and how it feels to do them. It ends with a with a guided meditation, which is unique to each class.”
Much like your usual barre sessions, Elements is set to music—with a new playlist created each month to keep things fresh. Barre Body Elements is now available at all Barre Body studios and Barre Body Online Studio. You can learn more here.
