New fitness rage captures attention of gym fanatics

Walking into our first barre cardio class in Eagle Rock, my sister definitely didn’t know what was to come her way. Watching her struggle as she tested her flexibility to the max was enough to make me die of laughter, and the fast paced music in the background added onto the hilarious memory. Taking a barre cardio class let me experience first hand the activity’s fun and friendly atmosphere, and made me understand why it is so popular.

According to Athletic Business, almost 20 percent of the American population has a fitness membership, most of which are for boutique fitness studios. A boutique fitness studio is a smaller gym which works with small groups and focuses on one or a few types of fitness.

One new type of boutique fitness class that has been catching the eyes of many is barre cardio, and according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, between the years 2013 and 2014, the number of people interested in barre classes rose by 10 percent. Barre cardio is a fitness based class that incorporates ballet, cardio and weightlifting.

As a fitness geek and a lover of ballet, I decided to attend a class myself.

While browsing through different classes and locations, I became intrigued by the place known as Cardio Barre, which is located on Colorado Blvd. With that studio in particular being extremely popular and having an abundance of different locations to chose from, I knew that it was the right pick for me.

Along with my older sister, Tanya, I attended an hour long beginner class on March 19. Although the classes are generally very expensive and can range up to hundreds of dollars per month, we were able to get a single class for only $14 each. As soon as I had stepped foot into the building I knew from the atmosphere that it was a very professional yet fun studio. All the employees were very passionate about fitness.

The owner, Leana Rudish, is a former dancer, and she believes that barre cardio helps her maintain her form. “I think that barre cardio is so popular, because people want to have a dancer’s body, but they want to achieve that without having to endure the excruciating pain that comes with actual dance classes,” Rudish said. “Also, our group atmosphere here is very encouraging.”

When I first walked into the building I was greeted by the employees at the front desk who advised me to leave my shoes and other belongings inside the cubbies and to take a seat until the class that was taking place before mine was over. The studio itself wasn’t huge, but it was very spacious with high ceilings and mirrors all around the interior. The mirrors also had ballet barres attached to them, which were used throughout the class. The flooring was carpet, which made it easier to grip your feet while working out. On the right side of the studio there were floor length windows that showcased a nice view of the busy city streets, and a door that led outside.

Upbeat music played from the moment I stepped into to the class until the second I left.

The beginning of the class felt much like how any beginner ballet class would start, with simple and a bit slow-paced, plies, relevé stretches, and the essential ballet routine at the barre. Next, we stretched out our arms and legs, which was very painful for all the

non-dancers. My sister, who is a non-dancer, predicted correctly that her muscles would be very sore the following day. “My body isn’t used to this type of exercise, but I’m still really enjoying this throughout all the pain.”

I, however, was feeling fine up until the cardio and weightlifting. It started off easy, but ten minutes into the routine, I began to feel the aching in my legs and abdomen. We were required  to do push ups against the ballet barre and body twists with the heavy weights in our hands. Although I was beginning to feel tired, I still managed to push through it all.

I was also encouraged by an older woman, Tina Poulsen, who was working out next to me. She was incredibly fit for her age and she admitted that the class was only her warm up before she attended her regular dance classes of the day. Once we were done with the weights, our instructor, Giggi Yazicioglu, allowed us to take a short break which required us to lay on our backs and listen to the soothing music. When we had all regained some of our energy back we continued on to more intense stretching that was designed to help with flexibility and balance. We also did a series of sit ups and exercised our backs and abdomens.

Once the class was over almost everyone was exhausted, including me, but it was definitely a good feeling at the same time.  When speaking to my instructor she explained to me that she too was a professional dancer and that barre cardio helps her gain more strength and keep her form intact. She also said that lots of people underestimate the difficulty of taking a fitness class. “A lot of people think that working out is only a physical thing, but it’s not. It’s also a mental thing,” Yazicioglu said. Lots of students who attended the class were  dancers, but many were also not.  Veronica Sovakian was a non-dancer and she too was attending her first class.  “I’m usually used to taking slow paced classes like yoga which are very calming but this barre cardio class really tested my abilities in strength,” Sovakian said.

Clark junior Parely Tatevosian is a fitness guru and after attending a barre cardio class in February she has claimed that to be her favorite style of fitness. Tatevosian has had a gym membership for a while now, but she was never able to get as much out of it as she would have liked to. “I started to try out different kinds of boutique fitness classes like  indoor cycling and crossfit, but once I started to take barre cardio classes I knew that I had finally found my match,” she said. The smaller group experience made her feel more involved and motivated. Also a Clark junior, Urielle Corcuera attended a barre cardio class during the summer going into her sophomore year. She attends her local gym regularly, but she wanted to try a new type of fitness for a change. “My cousin had a membership to a barre cardio class, so I decided to take one with her,” Corcuera said. “It wasn’t my absolute favorite style, and although I still prefer going to a regular gym I have to admit that it was fun and a good experience.”