As a barre enthusiast, you may fall into one of a few troupes – those that wake up early to jeté to their studio’s 6 am Barre Body class, those that awaken at 6 am and promenade their way into their home barre spaces or those that piqué their pointed toes into both troupes and find that their happy place is a combination of both in-person and at-home workouts.
If you belong to the latter two troupes, you may sometimes find it difficult to exercise from the comforts of home. As a die-hard home workout fanatic (I’ve been working out from home for most of my life), I know the perils and pleasures of the convenience of doing my favorite barre workouts from my own space. And to limit those times when thoughts of staying in bed or savoring my morning coffee just a bit longer are more appealing than countless pulses and tucks, I’ve learned a few tricks to ensure that I don’t get sidetracked from my morning barre bliss.
Set Up Your Schedule
As a mom of two daughters, I’ve realized that if I don’t schedule my workout into my day, I won’t get to it. Over time, I’ve had to adapt my work out schedule, but as long as I make it part of my daily routine, it will get done.
When my girls were babies, I would exercise while they napped. And as they got older and went off to school, I found that setting an early alarm and getting my sweat session in before they wake up enables me to start my day off on an endorphin-approved note. So, whether you prefer to get your workout done before breakfast, during your lunch hour or following your afternoon coffee break, as long as it’s on the calendar, it’s harder to skip over.
Set Up Your Physical Space
We all love plié-ing in a beautiful barre boutique surrounded by soothing colors, carefully curated décor and spa-like amenities. The good news is that you can replicate these feelings at home with just a tiny pulse of creativity and ingenuity.
I practice barre in my home studio (i.e. the extra bedroom in my basement) on a daily basis. In order to make the space more inviting and reminiscent of a barre studio, I made and installed my own double barres, store my props (weights, balls, resistance bands, mats, etc.) in decorative wicker baskets, and attached several framed floor mirrors to the wall behind the barres using sticky strips.
I’ve also hung up barre-inspired prints and quotes all around the room. Recently, I added to the room’s ambiance with a white rose table lamp and upped the temperature with a space heater for a greater barre burn. As time goes on, I’m sure I’ll find other barre artifacts to add to my makeshift studio, but in the meantime, I look forward to exercising in my own unique space.
Set Up Your Emotional Space
Not only is it important for you to enjoy being in your physical space, but part of what I also love about taking barre classes is the strong mind-body connection that I feel during every workout.
To enhance this experience, as well as my mood, I diffuse my favorite essential oils (lemon, lavender, orange, and lime) while slowly breathing through some back dancing. For an added mood booster, I sometimes sashay my way across the room to the beats of a barre-specific playlist. And, when the time comes to cool down, I’ll turn off the overhead lights and stretch out under the soft glow of my white rose table lamp.
Set Up Your Accountability Group
If you need that extra push to get you to the barre, you may want to consider putting together an accountability group with your favorite barre buddies. Applications like Zoom, Facebook, Instagram Live or even a simple text message may be enough to ensure that you make it to the mat that day.
Exercising from home has been and continues to be my personal preference for so many reasons. And just as I’ve discovered the types of workouts that work best for me, I’ve also realized that my surroundings matter just as much as the quality of the movements. I’m more motivated to contort my body into Pretzel or test out my Teaser in a space that looks, feels and smells inviting.
So, during those times when you have trouble pulling yourself out from under those comfy covers, yanking yourself from your computer screen or dragging yourself away from binge-watching another Netflix series, remember that your own barre oasis can be just a few jetés away.
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.
