RAISING THE BARRE

The woman behind LES MILLS BARRE™ discusses the early releases and how the program is already evolving.

Now that some of you have experienced the first two releases of LES MILLS BARRE, I’d love to provide some insight as to where it’s headed, and to reiterate some key points that may have got lost along the way.

LES MILLS BARRE was designed to utilize the remarkable benefits of balletic training in a group fitness setting. LES MILLS BARRE can be life changing. My goal was to challenge and strengthen your whole body, even the parts you didn’t know you wanted to strengthen. For example, LES MILLS BARRE makes your feet so much stronger. I know. Weird benefit? It has honestly made such a difference to my other athletic endeavors! Glute and quad strength – same story. My posture is better, core so much stronger, my body feels like it never even had babies in it.

I would love for as many people as possible to experience the dramatic change to their body that I have, simply from balletic training. So, hopefully we can get as many people teaching this with as much passion for it as I have, and heal some bodies! And you don't need to be a dancer to teach, or participate in, this class. It’s all about alignment – so much more mathematical than any other dance! Simple movements, each that activates certain muscle groups, and when you feel it in the right spot, you know you’re doing it right. So don't be afraid to give it a try. I promise, it’s not BODYJAM or SH’BAM.

That said, just about anyone can benefit from this type of training. So don’t limit your recruitment to young women with a history of ballet – challenge the guys, the pumpers, anyone, to give it a try. Most likely they will be pleasantly challenged and surprised, especially those of an older demographic.

So if you’re considering it, here is a link to the technique videos. And once you’ve taken a swing at them, here is where you can get certified.

And if you’ve already signed up, here is what’s coming:

  • LES MILLS BARRE 3 maintains the same format as 1 and 2, but the pirouette track has been replaced as an echappe/changement track – truly a challenging peak! There is also a stretch track in the bonus section, as well as a pirouette bonus if you just can’t get enough of spotting.
  • LES MILLS BARRE 4 is different again in the track 7 spot – this time we work on the ever-burning chasse in the main 30-minute class, and the bonuses hold a challenging tournee track, a rond de jamb explosion, and a track designed for you to use if you want to work on technique with your participants – several options of this track will be given for you to use!

But most importantly for future releases, let me know what’s working and what isn’t for your classes. As you can tell, I am trying to give you options to play with, so we can build the perfect class – I look forward to receiving your feedback!