How Barre Class Changed My Life
Last winter, I was in a lot of pain. I mean A LOT. I'd been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, and the two herniated discs I'd suffered led to a lot of daily problems. I couldn't feel my arm. I couldn't feel my leg. My head hurt constantly, and I could barely turn my neck. I tried not to talk about it too much, but my daily life was becoming severely limited. I couldn't sit through meetings, I could barely sit at the computer long enough to answer an email, and I didn't know whether the pain would ever go away. I was terrified that this pain was irreversible; words can't appropriately convey what it's like to face these fears around your 39th birthday. Let's just say that I hope none of y'all ever have to go through it.
I knew that an intensive exercise program was the key to improving my health. When my doctor suggested core strengthening through physical therapy, I decided to try barre exercise classes. On a whim, I contacted B.You Fitness owners Stephanie Bristow and Rashna Carmicle about trying their studio. I had no idea that I was changing my entire life with a simple email.
Now, I'm not going to lie, the first class was one of the biggest challenges I've undertaken in a long, long time. I immediately texted my fiance "I didn't die!" after the first class, and I felt like that was a huge success. Barre class is a well-choreographed sequence of stretches, lifts, and steps; it took me a little while to get the hang of it. But I saw the results quickly. I was soon able to move with less pain. The numbness in my arm went away, and the numbness in my leg subsided a great deal. I was encouraged by both the amazing fitness program at B.You and the wonderful attitude of the instructors and my classmates.
I just have to share some exciting news with y'all. At my last visit to my neurosurgeon, he released me from “every 6 weeks” follow up visits and said that I have absolutely no need for additional spinal surgery. He said he’d never heard of barre classes being used for rehab, but I walked him through the core strengthening process and told him how much the classes had changed my life. He specifically asked about the B.You program, and followed up his questions with a cheerful “Whatever you’re doing, keep on, because it’s clearly working!”
Clearly, this is a lifelong journey to good health. I'm not going to stop attending barre classes just because I'm not writing about them every week. I know that degenerative disc disease brings flare-ups and that I have no guarantees that I won't have further pain, but I fully credit B.You with putting me on the road to recovery!
I hope to see y'all at the Barre soon!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness. Please note that I am speaking only from my personal experience. I am neither a medical professional nor a barre instructor. I was advised by my physician to work on core strengthening to relieve a lumbar spine injury.}
Be You at B.You!
I like a lot of things about B.Barre Fitness at B.You. I love the workout. I love that the studio is close to my house, so I don't waste all day driving to and from the gym. I love the fabulous turquoise and chartreuse decor of the studio. But, most of all, I love that B.You encourages me to take the workout at my own pace.
I'm a really competitive person by nature; I tend to benchmark my own performance against others'. For years, I'd push my yoga poses or bootcamp moves farther to mimic or surpass my classmates'. A little push is good, you know. It encourages you to push your muscles a little harder and to get a little more out of the workout. I'm not exactly in a place to push myself too hard these days, though. Part of it is the diagnosis of degenerative disc disease that I received last year, with the accompanying surgeries and treatments. Part of it is the somewhat painful fact that the birthday I celebrated earlier this year is the last one that will begin with a 3. And, a not insignificant part of it is the fact that I've spent a lot of time over the past year "medicating" my back injury with red velvet cake and Netflix binges. (It made sense at the time that Scandal was more therapeutic than Lortab...) Needless to say, I don't have a lot of "personal bests" in me right now.
The great thing about classes at B.You is that, well, they actually encourage you to be you. You'll often hear "Focus on doing your best, not your neighbor's best!" or "Think about your reason for being here today!" as you hold a difficult pose. You'll hear a lot of suggestions for modifications,with the assurance that even with modifications you can attain the muscle shake that comes along with strengthening and sculpting. You'll often feel the instructor's gentle nudge to correct your form, but it's always discreet and encouraging. (Once, in a big-box-gym yoga class, an instructor told me, "Oh, don't even bother. Let me tell you, it was the Least. Namaste. Moment. Ever.)
I love a lot of things about B. You, but what I love most of all is that it's a friendly, inclusive studio that focuses on each participant setting and achieving her personal goals. In just a few short weeks, I've felt myself become so much stronger and I've lessened the pain and numbness that resulted from my two herniated discs. I've had to go at my own pace, and make a lot of modifications, and that was just fine.
{This post was brought to you by B.You. All opinions are my own. I am neither a medical professional nor a fitness instructor; please consult professionals before attempting to rehab an injury.}
Yes You Can: Barre Fitness at B.You
At least once, during every barre class at B.You Fitness, the instructor encourages you to push just a little harder -- to take a pose one inch deeper or raise your arms one inch higher -- with a gentle, yet emphatic "Yes, You Can!"
Over the past few weeks, as I've worked on rehabbing my back injuries in barre classes at B.You, I've come to associate that very phrase -- Yes, You Can! -- with B.You classes. After only a few weeks of stretching, strengthening, and toning in barre classes, I find myself believing that I can do more.
Last week, as Louisville was covered in more snow than anyone cared to measure, I realized that the first anniversary of my back surgery had arrived. I didn't think a whole lot about it, because I was actually shoveling snow off my back deck that day. I was (mostly) pain-free. Of course, the groundwork had been established by a great surgeon, determined physical therapists, and a supportive network of wonderful friends and relatives. But, the "I Can" portion? That was all thanks to B.You!
Please join me throughout as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}
{Please note that I am speaking only from my personal experience. I am neither a medical professional nor a barre instructor. I was advised by my physician to work on core strengthening.}
So, What Do You Wear to a Barre Class?
Finding the perfect outfit to maximize barre fitness class results!
It's B.Fit February here at HerKentucky. I'm rehabbing a back injury with lots of help from the amazing team at B.You Fitness. I've also teamed up with B.You to let y'all know a little more about barre fitness classes and their amazing results. Last week, we did a basic rundown of the exercises you could expect to do in a barre class. Today, we'll discuss what to wear.
So, here's the biggest difference between barre class and any other class you've attended: you'll need special socks. Of course, you wear trainers to most "traditional" fitness classes and bare feet to yoga or Pilates. The poses you'll do in barre class require special, non-skid socks which are available for purchase at the studio. It works well to wear slip-on shoes (Ugg-style boots work well!) to make things easier.
As for clothing, you'll want to go with leggings, tank tops, or other close-fitting exercise garments. These allow a free range of movement and give your instructors a better idea of your form so they can easily make arrangements. B.You has a wide selection of clothing available for sale in each of their studios, and they can help you find a great workout outfit!
Of course, don't forget that you'll be inverted at times and moving around a lot, so you'll probably want to grab a hairband or ponytail holder to keep your hair pulled back.
Finally, remember to hydrate! Bring a water bottle with you to class; I promise you'll need it!!
Please join me throughout as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}
So, What Do You Do in a Barre Class?
What to expect in a barre fitness class.
Before my first b.barre class at b.you last week, I have to say that I was a little intimidated. I'd heard friends and acquaintances describe barre fitness as "life-changing" and "revolutionary", but I didn't exactly know what went on. There were some noncommittal references to yoga, Pilates, and dance, but never anything concrete. And certainly nothing to silence my fear that I'd fall flat on my face.
It turns out that most of barre class comes down to a series of fluid, controlled movements that seek to lengthen and work arm and leg muscles while maintaining an engaged core and neutral spine. There are, indeed, some positions that you'll recognize from yoga (planks and extended child's pose spring to mind) and Pilates (several variants of the 100s). And, even if you're like me and know nothing about dance, you will recognize positions like plié.
The class will start with some very focused arm exercises, using 2 or 3 pound weights (or, if you're on modifications for back injury, as I am, with no weights at all.) You'll work biceps, triceps, and shoulders. The motions are controlled and smooth, and believe me when I say that you can tell the difference even without the use of weights. You'll then move on to a series of leg exercises -- again, smooth and controlled is the key. You're seeking to engage your glutes while keeping your core strong. Your final exercises will include planks and floor work for your abs. It's a full-body workout; don't be surprised to wake up with sore muscles the next day!
I can already tell that b.you's b.barre classes are an excellent aid in rehabbing my back. After only a few visits, I'm already walking with less pain. The emphasis on core strength is literally just what the (Neurosurgeon) doctor ordered to strengthen my back and help to offset the injury to my discs.
Please join me throughout as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}
B.Fit with HerKentucky + B.You!
HerKentucky Writer Heather C. Watson gets fit with Louisville fitness studio b.you!
So, last year, I had some back trouble.
Two discs, conveniently located at either end of my spine, were wreaking major havoc with nerve endings. It wasn't very fun, and it was even less fun to treat. After extensive physical therapy, steroid treatment, and a surgery, the proverbial ball is in my court. I've been treated, I've experienced a lot of relief, and now it's time to work on strengthening my spine. It's going to take a lot of hard work, but that's a small price to pay to reduce the risk of further disc degeneration.
As I was searching for a fitness facility to help me on this journey, I kept hearing great things about b.you Fitness. I reached out to b.you's co-founders, Stephanie Bristow and Rashna Carmicle, to see if their fitness program would be a good fit as I worked to alleviate some of the residual pain from my injuries and sought to prevent further degeneration. I am so, so glad I contacted them, y'all!
Image courtesy b.you.
B.you is unlike any other gym or fitness studio I've ever attended. The classes are a mix of barre, Pilates, yoga, dance, and orthopedic stretching. The more advanced classes even include aerial fitness: you're actually suspended from an aerial silk hammock for the duration of the class!
Image courtesy b.you.
What I was most excited about, though, was the personal attention I received in my consultation with Rashna and Stephanie. I met with their staff Physical Therapist to discuss how my fitness regimen should be modified to accommodate my injuries. Unlike a lot of gyms, where the mentality tends to revolve around "How much can I deadlift?" or "How far can I run?", the emphasis at b.you is on maintaining correct form and ensuring the correct movement.
Please join me this month as I embark on a journey of fitness at b.you. I'll be posting every Monday to let you know how the classes are going, and you can keep up along the way on HerKentucky's Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow b.you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well!
I hope to see y'all at b.you soon! They have two convenient locations here in Louisville: one in St. Matthews and one in Springhurst!
{This post is brought to you by b.you Fitness!}