In this series of posts, our Southern US Editor Jennifer Mathieu Henshall shares her POV while on her journey to getting certified by theLONDONmethod in the original Lotte Berk Technique.
Like many other noteworthy days in my life, I remember the first time I took a barre class. It was on a cold winter morning in my basement gym. I was training for the 2016 Boston Marathon, logging more miles on my legs than ever before, while also trying to find time to incorporate some all-important resistance and flexibility work into my routine. Running 40-plus miles per week doesn’t allow for a lot of extra exercise time, so I was in pursuit of a workout that would provide me with the strength and stretching I was seeking. And, that’s when I found it – barre. With about four months left of my marathon training, I built a couple of barre DVD workouts into my weekly routine and found that the micromovements, ballet- and Pilates-inspired exercises and yoga poses were the perfect complements to my cardio-heavy plan. When I crossed the finish line in Boston that Marathon Monday, I was injury-free, smiling from ear-to-ear and wondering how to integrate barre into my life on a full-time basis.
My name is Jennifer Mathieu Henshall and I’m a full-fledged barre addict. My obsession began purely out of necessity and has since become my preferred method of exercise. I’ve been a certified barre instructor for four years and have been trained in several different barre modalities, including the American Barre Technique’s Pre & Postnatal Barre, H.I. (High Intensity) Barre, Barre-Less Barre Ballet Aerobics and Barre Stretch, BOSU Barre Strong and BarreAmped Bounce. I taught barre classes at a local studio for a couple of years and then from my home studio for the last few years, as well.
Taking my love of barre to the next level
As much as I love teaching barre, I am also a lifetime learner at-heart and always seeking out new techniques to incorporate into my classes, as well as my own workouts. Because of my background in research (I became a college professor after graduate school), I have a strong desire to swan dive into the history of all of my passions. In the summer of 2019, I wanted to know more about the roots of barre, so I began a search to learn about its origins. My quest led me to Kelly Wackerman and Pam Kennedy of The London Method, the first studio in the United States to teach and train in the ORIGINAL Lotte Berk Technique. Although I wasn’t able to travel to California for the in-person training at the time (I am the primary caregiver for my two daughters – ages 8 and 10), as luck would have it, The London Method has since developed an online training course in the ORIGINAL technique, which I will be taking for three consecutive weekends in September.
Before my certification journey begins, let me introduce myself
Before I begin my training and subsequent comprehensive, in-depth review of the virtual course for this blog, I wanted to provide a bit more of an introduction of myself and my “why.” As someone who needs to know all of the nitty-gritty details herself, I figured that a few more facts about my background – aside from my intro on this site – and excitement for barre and its amazing benefits would provide a bit of a warm-up before I Pluto Snuffles (this will make more sense in due time) into my virtual training experience with The London Method. So, without further ado, below are some ORIGINAL facts about me:
- O: I am a former communication professor and professional and currently working on building The Barre Library – an online education center for all barre enthusiasts.
- R: I reside just outside of Washington, DC, but was born and raised in Rhode Island, with my husband and two daughters.
- I: I am constantly getting certified in different barre and exercise techniques as a way to further hone my skills as both a teacher and student. In addition to my various barre accreditations, I currently hold certifications in PiYo, CIZE, TurboKick and Core De Force. I am also a Pre & Postnatal Fitness Specialist for Moms Into Fitness, Inc.
- G: Since having benefited from the extreme generosity of others (both of my pregnancies with my daughters were affected by a rare blood disease that required numerous platelet transfusions and blood plasma treatments), I have made it my mission to give back whatever and whenever I can to others. Through my writing and instructing, I hope to guide others as they learn to harness their own mind-body connections so that they can live more fulfilling lives.
- I: I am a former marathoner and bodybuilder who used to thrive on high-intensity workouts until they became too much for my body to handle.
- N: I am in my early 40s and currently a stay-at-home-mom, barre instructor, NASM certified personal trainer, certified aromatherapist and freelance writer. I joined The Barre Blog as the Southern US Editor in March of 2020.
- A: Over the past 20 years, I have suffered from several ailments, including melanoma skin cancer, two pregnancy losses, two high-risk pregnancies and several autoimmune diseases.
- L: I love to bake healthy treats, craft with my daughters, take frequent trips to the barre and read. Cozy culinary mysteries, cookbooks about baking and reality baking shows are my guilty pleasures!
As this series – My Journey to Getting Certified in the ORIGINAL Lotte Berk Technique – unfolds, many of my ORIGINAL facts will begin to take shape. Through my own one-inch ups and downs, I’ve learned that movement has the dual-power of helping or healing. And as someone who has learned – the hard way – that exercise doesn’t have to be punishing in order to be effective and enjoyable, it is my hope to bring this awareness to those who have already taken their place at the barre or aspire to one day. Discover more about my “Why,” in Part 2 of How I Found My Way to the Barre.
See you at the barre!
About the Author
Jennifer is a barre instructor, personal trainer, clinical aromatherapist and author who discovered barre — her soul-mate workout — while training for the 2016 Boston Marathon. As a long-time runner, former bodybuilder and melanoma skin cancer survivor, Jennifer’s recent battle with autoimmune disease has changed her fitness focus to one that incorporates more mindful, purposeful and low-impact movements.
A former communication professor and mother of two daughters, Jennifer is excited to share her thoughts and experiences on ways to create and maintain a strong connection between the mind and body through barre.
