My 6 Week Journey At The Barre Code

I’ve been taking a lot of classes at The Barre Code recently! I’ve mentioned it plenty of times on instagram, but I wanted to share a bit more about it here, too.

A few years ago, a friend told me about her positive experience with barre classes. I put it on my bucket list to try, but never got around to it. Finally, this year, I decided to give it a try. Now I’m hooked!

I decided to take classes at the Barre Code after writing the The Ultimate Guide To Austin’s Best Barre Studios back in February. I tried nearly every barre studio in Austin, and The Barre Code is my favorite. I just love the instructors, the space, and way the class is organized. I’m also a fan of how they pack so much into a 50 minute class.

A few months ago, just after my wedding, I started to think about getting in shape for my honeymoon. I didn’t do anything special to get ready for my wedding day, other than maybe a weekly yoga class (if I could find the time). And I definitely resorted to stress eating in the weeks leading up. (The bachelorette trip to Italy to eat ALL THE PIZZA didn’t help, either, haha!) I wasn’t in my best shape. My wedding dress was very forgiving, so I didn’t worry about it too much.

But for our honeymoon to Spain, I knew I’d be on the beach all the time and wearing sundresses and shorts, and I wanted to look and feel my best for this trip! I committed to 6 weeks of barre, going 4X a week. Here are the changes I noticed:

I saw some definition in my abs for the first time in my LIFE!

I was a college swimmer, and before that I swam competitively for many years. I’ve run a marathon and half marathons, done triathlons, cycling… I’ve always enjoyed fitness. But NEVER EVER in my life have I had visible abs. I decided that is what it is: I’m just going to be the girl who always has a bit of a tummy.

But after just a few weeks of barre, I noticed that when I stood with my hands on my hips, my tummy felt tight and strong. Hmm, that’s new! After a few more weeks, I could actually see visible changes in my abs! Crazy!  There’s no denying that barre is a GREAT way to see results, fast!

After every class, I was sore (in a good way). 

Hear me out, because this isn’t a bad thing. We’re all busy. We have a million things going on, and another million things we want to be doing, but we don’t have the time.

Barre Code classes are only 50 minutes long. When I first heard this, I was disappointed. Seriously, just 50 minutes? What can I possibly accomplish in that short amount of time?

But it only took 1 class for me to realize that they pack a LOT into that 50 minute class! I was so sore after my first class, I could hardly walk for three days and it literally took me 20 seconds to lower myself into my car! Ha! But…

Once I finished my first two weeks of classes, I felt SO strong! 

And not just physically strong.. I could tell a different in my emotional stability, too. I recently wrote about  My Current Reasons For Working Out. It boils down to this: life is busier now than it’s ever been, and I need to work out to keep my mental health in check. If I don’t work out, I notice myself overreacting to things that really shouldn’t be such a big deal. I REALLY appreciate that the barre code is always checking in on the “mind-body connection.” We are emotional beings, and it’s silly to try to separate a physical workout from a mental one. I love that the barre code addresses both!

My posture is better…both in and out of class

The instructors talk about posture the whole class. “Tuck you tail” and “pull your belly button to your spine” are phrases that I hear in my sleep now, haha. But as I took more and more classes, I noticed that I was not only standing up taller in class; I was also more aware of my posture outside of class!

I played a concert with the Austin Symphony last week, which meant long hours of sitting in rehearsal until 10:00 every night. When my back started to feel sore, I thought of some of the adjustments I make in class, and I did them in rehearsal. Guess what? With my core engaged, I was able to sit up taller to prevent my back from getting as tired as it usually does in rehearsal. Sahweet!

I don’t mind the early morning workouts….quite as much. *wink

I’ve done my fair share of morning workouts from all the years of swimming, and I’ve NEVER liked waking up at 5:30. (There are few people who do… Are you one of them? If so, I’M JEALOUS!) But when I had a busy day with no other options, I would just do the 6 am barre class.

And even though an alarm at 5:30 am still isn’t fun, I don’t mind waking up early as much as I used to because I really, truly enjoy the workouts. I look forward to going! I no longer fall asleep the night before dreading the early morning wakeup call, because I know how much fun I’m going to have in class, and I know how strong I’ll feel afterward.

The lovely lady in the red in Cami, who is the lead instructor at the Barre Code in Austin. (She’s teaching me one of the moves from their new kickboxing class, “Brawl!”) She’s fierce and strong, but also one of the kindest people you’ll meet in fitness world.

She’s just one more reason why I chose The Barre Code as my barre studio. She cares about her clients’ success in class, but she’s always supportive and never judgmental.

Oh, that’s one more reason! I love love love that there’s absolutely no room for body shaming at The Barre Code. Every shape, size, and skill level is welcome. I felt that from the very first time I walked into the room and had literally NO idea how to do the moves correctly! The instructors are patient and provide endless feedback when you need it. Even though my posture isn’t perfect, I just work from where I am, and notice little changes along the way.

(^ case in point: my knees are supposed to be over my ankles. My form still has room for improvement, but it’s fun to notice the progress as I get stronger from every class.) 

Psst: the new client special is just $89 for your first month of unlimited classes! This is the best way to try various classes. It also gives you enough time to get over the learning curve and start noticing some changes!

The Barre Code

2300 S. Lamar Blvd, Austin TX

www.thebarrecode.com