Just when you think Bangkok has already taken up every new exercise method imaginable, here comes another one you've probably never heard of. Barre exercise, wildly popular in New York, has come to town.
Physique 57's barre-based workouts blend ballet, Pilates, strength training and cardio in one-hour classes broken into 10 minute intervals.
Barre-based workouts blend ballet, Pilates, strength training and cardio to effectively sculpt your arms, thighs, abs and hips to build firm, long, lean muscles. What's more, it's fun. If you like pushing your body to the limit and enjoy burning muscles, that is.
Physique 57 opened in New York City in 2006 and sparked a barre studio craze, with several celebrity clients. The challenging one-hour class is broken into 10 minute intervals to exercise various muscle groups. Interval training provides a great stimulus to the muscles, so they change faster with fewer reps.
The barre method is now available at Physique 57 Bangkok, its second international branch after successfully opening in Dubai two years ago.
Julie Cobble, an instructor at the newly-launched Physique 57 in Bangkok, said that the thing she loves most about barre exercise is that it has increased her metabolism.
"First off, I love food. As a dancer, I always had to watch what I ate. Being here, my metabolism changed. Because I developed more lean muscles, I could eat twice as much as I used to eat. It's amazing because you're only doing this an hour a day," said Cobble, who has been doing barre classes for three years.
Despite the intensity of the workout, Cobble said you will not get bulky. Rather, you will develop long, lean muscles that make your body look firmer.
"As women, we don't have enough testosterone in our bodies. This method is not going to bulk anything up — it's just going to tone the muscles you already have and shrink the fat. Everything gets firmer," she said.
The session is fast, fun, and friendly — you don't feel the pressure to keep up with everyone if your body is not ready. There are easier options for first-timers, and advanced options for those who are more experienced. You will notice that your heart is pounding after just a few minutes. One thing is guaranteed — you will leave the room with a soaked T-shirt.
Another beauty of this method, since it involves so few tools, is that you can try it at home. Most of the movements do not require anything at all. The risk of injury is minimal. Cobble explained that barre methods are safe because the movements are slow, controlled, and low-impact, which means you build muscles and work your heart without tormenting your joints.
What keeps it fun and challenging is the fact that movements are changed in every class. The tools might be the same but the movements change from class to class.
"Every time, there is something different to keep the body guessing. You never plateau — you always have something to try and shock the muscles," said Cobble.
After the session, you will feel that satisfying burn in your muscles, and a powerful afterburn that makes you float on an exercise high for hours. Some soreness can be expected the next day, but that only means that it worked.
Physique 57 is located on the 4th floor of Erawan Bangkok, Ploenchit Road. For details, visit www.physique57bangkok.com.
