43 Days of Pure Barre and I am still going

We are 43 Days into the 60 Day Challenge and so far I have made it to call everyday and one of those days included a 90 minute full body intensive class. So a few things I am learning.

During Warm-up, I mean like the first raise your knees to your chest your legs are going to hurt after the first lift. IT is going to happen after 43 days and no breaks.

When pumping your arms at the beginning your legs aren't going to go that far down. Some Days they will be lower than others.

Plank... 90 seconds that feels a lot longer than that.. I have yet to do the whole 90 seconds. Some days I try the first 30, some days I try the middle 30 and others the last 30. There are some days that no matter how much will power I have my Abs shake uncontrollably when I do the whole plank on my knees.. My shoulders burn and my Abs burn... So who cares if I am on my toes, it is still working.

Thigh work... The Place that they say sets the ton for the class. Well today I must have been totally our of it because after 2 thighs I was ready for a stretch and honestly thought we were done. We all have good days and bad days at the Barre. At 34 straight days it doesn't take long to feel the burn or get to the shake. Honestly though I don't know sometimes if the burn is my muscles changing or them screaming "Please take a day off!"

There are days that Thigh work was so killer that the stretch even burns..

Seat... Well depending on what we do this can be really taxing. I mean if your thighs are already toast and we do one of the lunge or waterski positions seat and be overly challenging. You really have to focus on what you are doing. You can tell when someone is new in class the most during seat. Why? Because it is about little movements. During your first time in class you honestly have no idea that you are only moving those little muscles around your hips. You see women swinging their legs like it is nothing and you can't help to giggle and think I was one so there.

Abs... Round back, Flat back and on the floor. For some crazy reason someone thought it would be a good idea to add a little weight work to the middle Abs.. be warned if you do this in class, a day or 2 later it is really going to catch up with you and you will have no idea what you did to yourself. I experience this on day 42.. I think on day 41 we used weights during abs.. might have been 40 and some day 42.. the littlest abs movements hurt.

About our wonderful Pure Barre instructors..
They are always so cheerful and preppy and sometimes you'd like to play a game of dodge ball with and that little red ball. Just when you think you form is great, they either lift your leg higher, push your shoulder down sinking you lower into thigh or lift your arms higher for tricep work. I apologize now if I have every screamed so loud in class that someone might have heard me.
I often wonder how many time in class they ether get frustrated because we aren't doing things correctly or how much they laugh to themselves when they know what is next and they know it is going to hurt.

I love Pure Barre... I am 17 classes away from hitting 60 classes in a row and I just hit my 250 class last week and All I can think about is... When will I hit 500!!

Join me at the Barre if you haven't already tried it!! #purebarrehuntsville #pureresolution #60daychallenge

31 Things I have Learned in 31 Days of Pure Barre

What have I learned after 31 classes in a row at Pure Barre:

1) Warm-up is probably the hardest thing mentally to get threw.  Especially when the instructors say to pick up the little red double tube... yeah I was cussing today before class even started because I knew what was coming.

2) Plank for 90 seconds is alot harder then it seems...

3) There is no such think as picking up your heavier set of weights. 2lbs seem like 100lbs and this is coming from a girl who can clean and press 85lbs+ and deadlift 200lbs!

4)  You'd think triceps dips on the floor wouldn't be that hard when you can do ring dips... Think again.. Especially when you are supposed to have your butt of the ground and well Back Got back with some short arms.

5) All the equipment is red.. I believe that these is a reason for this

6) you cringe when you hear take the double tube to the Barre... Not as bad as seeing the Velcro tube but you know what is coming...

7) For girls with No thigh gap the double tube exercises have 100x more resistance then those bird legs... Just imagine you don't even have to try to press out on the tube to have any kind of resistance..

8) After 31 days, 1 thigh exercise is more than enough to get your legs shaking.. If it starts with a chair, you are done put a fork in me

9) Down and inch up and inch is really just that.. and inch, if that. Sometimes you think you are moving but you're really not.

10) So if Shaking if Changing, What is burning? I mean that burn where you feel like you muscles are just about to rip off the bone because well they are rebelling, Where is my stretch?

11) Why are some of the little red balls not round? They are more of an egg shape. This is due to trying to fit that not so little ball between thighs with no thigh gap.. Just saying. One day I will pop that ball with or without a pin.

12) Stretching after thigh is a "reward" It is where you need to mentally prepare for seat and you are reminded that once upon a time you could do the splits.

13) There are days that seat work is just not going to happen. Today was that day

14)  Putting that little red ball between your hamstring and calf to hold it for seat is harder than it appears, even when the two aren't that far apart when at a 90 degree angel.

15) Seat... works the hamstring.. the deadlift muscle... however dealifting 200lbs seems easier than having a double tube around both ankles trying to lift one side.

16) When starting some seat exercises, you may start to automatically shake or lose control of your muscles. There is nothing that you can do about this. It just happens. Go with it.

17) Side seat works the muffin top area..  you know this is true when you side totally cramps up. It happens.. There is nothing that you can do to prevent it

18) Pretzel is not something that they are going to reward you will. Though chocolate ones would be nice. Looks will full you on this one... I often wonder if someone walked in a watched us doing this in class if they would think that we are actually doing anything.

19) Laying on the floor working seat is not a joke.. at least no one can see your face as your side hip cramps

20) They have this exercise for side seat that looks kind of like the fire hydrant. If you make it through that without putting your leg down you are a trooper.

21) When you see the Velcro tubes hanging on the Barre and you walk into class, you will automatically start singing.. I've got no strings to hold me down..

22) Abs at the Barre, they take totally concentration and are harder than they appear when you are doing them right. It is about Abs and not hip flexors.

23) 20 Minutes of Ab work is enough for anyone in one day!

24) Te instructors are always chipper and I am sure deep down laughing at some of the things we do during class.

25) No matter what, class becomes addicting.

26) Each and every day you will push yourself hard.. Today it is 90 seconds of plank on my knees, tomorrow I will do 80 seconds on my knees and 10 seconds on my toes, ect

27) No class is the same. Yes it is warm-up, thigh, stretch, seat, stretch, other seat, stretch, Abs but with all the different exercises and equipment is is never the same

28) You will see changes. You may feel them before you see them but you will see them.

29) Friendship will be made, you will laugh together, laugh at each other and shake together.. You will make jokes that only you and other Barre Addicts understands

30) You will become addicted.. It will happen..

31) Once you Finish class...You will be checking your schedule to see when you next class is and who the instructors is. There are just some instructors you don't want to take back to back

I found this online from when Pure Barre Huntsville Opened 4 years ago.. I am the one in the pink. Clink Link to watch

Pure Barre Huntsville

Ab Work on Day 24.....

I came to a few realizations yesterday while doing Abs work under the Barre yesterday.

Not only couldn't I do round back due to the difficulty of having my legs at table top, three quarters length and then full extented, Flat Back was just hard.

Now what do I mean by Round back... here is what it looks like sometimes

You are in a curved C shape and you are working your lower Abs. We move our legs but that is to come from the Abs moving and not the hip flexors... Well that is what the instructors say :)

I normally love Round back because we do use one leg at a time and it gives a really good stretch. This is the first place that I see my flexibility come back every time I come back to the Barre.

When we got to Flat back I came to this totally realization... My thighs are just too big at the top to hold my knees together.. Okay maybe it was because I was on day 24 but even trying ot hold me legs together killed my thighs, hip flexors and nothing to do with my Abs. Flat Back is all about pressing your back all the way to the wall and breathing, pulling your Abs closer and closer to the wall each time.

Pure Barre is a 55 minute class that by holding your hips tucked under the whole time you are literally working your Abs all the time.... 

If you haven't tried it you should, If you have let me know what you think..

Today is Day 25 of 60....

My Thoughts During Day 23 at the Barre

On Day 23 of the 60 Day Pure Barre Challenge I walk into class to see a friend from High School. I started to say old friend, but we are not old. She told me that all my post on facebook about what day I was on in the Challenge inspired here to come back... No Pressure to look like I am totally sore and can't move. 

So here we go.....

Warm-up begins and I am determined to not look like I haven't been doing this for the past 23 days straight :)

We get to that awful 90 second planks.. The one were we hold it FOREVER!!!! I am determined to hold it for at least 30 second at the beginning and not end.. Kay I made it maybe 15 seconds before going to my knees and the back up for the last 10 seconds. 

Here are the differences in the planks and the muscles you use, It seems that on your knees actually works alot more muscles!

Maybe I should try the not on my knees more often.

Time for Thighs.. Take you Ball to the Barre.. but we don't need it for the first Thigh exercise.. 

It was that dreading back to the Barre Chair position hold for a good 3 minutes.. It could be longer because it seemed like forever, but I made it almost all the way through.. Here is what I mean without the double tubes but sometimes we use them.

Thigh continued with 2 more thigh exercises. and by the third one my thighs were screaming.

A Short stretch and back for Seat. 

And this is where it got funny. Place the Ball high between your inner thighs.. Okay now I took measurements last night, Right Thigh 30inches, Left Thigh 29.50 inches which means that ball just doesn't fit unless my knees are a little farther apart then anyone else in class. This is what is was supposed to look like:

That didn't happen. I ended up putting down the ball so I could focus..

Thighs done Check

Seat done check

Abs.. Here we go Check

Class 23 in the books!! Day 24 is coming......

38 More days of the 60 Day Challenge and 15 until I hit 250!!!

22 Days into the 60 Day Challenge at Pure Barre Huntsville and I am feeling Stronger. Well that is are least until I get to class and the warm-up starts!!

I really wish I would have taken my measurements!! I mean really.. My stomach and hips seem so much smaller and flatter and my legs (thighs) are getting tighter.

 Day 22 (Monday Feb 2 2015) wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, but after Friday's Class with Shawna The last three days have seemed easier.. Maybe I needed that little kick in the butt. Not only did she pull out the Double tubes but the Velcro tubes were there and if I remember correctly we used them for EVERYTHING!!

What is a Velcro tube you ask??

It attaches to the Barre with a black piece of Velcro and has two red tubes on it with handles. Just imagine a Puppet on a string because that is what I feel like. Here are some photos of what we do with the contraption... Pictures were found on the web, They haven't asked for me to pose just yet :)

Here we have Velcro Thigh and Abs at the Barre.. Not only do you work your thighs and Abs but you are secretly working your arms.. Well at least I think you are, I know I am.

I can tell that I am getting stronger. I tried the last 10 seconds of plank work the other day (we do 90 and I am on my knees but it is still effective)  until my Abs were on fire.. Yeah you read that right, 10 seconds.... Try that after some 100s and other Ab work sometimes before or after pushups.

Only 38 more classes to go until I reach the 60th day.. 

If you haven't Tried Pure Barre you should.. you really don't know what you are missing!

After Day 15 of the Challenge

My Pure Barre Life over the last 2 weeks..
1) I wish I would have taken my measurements because to me my stomach feels so much flatter and my calves are getting way defined.

2) Double tubes are not made for girls with big thighs.. They will cut your blood circulation off if you double them up and they are new tubes. However in class if you can only do one that is what you do. I love that at Pure Barre we are all doing the same class but everyone at their own levels and no one makes you feel intimidated because you dropped your ball or your couldn't hold your chair.

3) Velcro tubes make you feel like a Puppet on a string.. lol

4) Double tubes wrapped around the bar with one leg hanging through it while working seat.. Yes this is a picture everyone needs to see... You can't put your leg down because it stuck in a tube and there is no way out of it smile emoticon

5) getting into the tubes is like trying to do an assisted pull up with bands.. If you haven't tried either you should

6) You may not want to be in class but once the warm up starts you are fired up and ready to go because of all the energy from everyone there

7) The little red ball... Once placed between big girl thighs you can not put those heels together.. smile emoticon it takes very little to squeeze on the ball

8) I got Ask today by Meredith.."Is this day 15? Aren't your sore?" Well I know I am I just don't feel it. M y muscle feel tight and I know when I take a rest day on day 61 I am going to hurt like crazy on day 62... Maybe I will just keep going

9) When you thighs are sore, tight and burning an inch is really just that.. Down a inch, up and inch.... okay it may be more like a centimeter, heck just holding my form on highest pair of heels, knees bent and toes together can be a Challenge

10) Flat back,, my favorite part, Stretch out your legs and work your abs util you realize that your double chin is pressing against your chest and you can't breathe.. lol

11) Flat back, do you really think that I can press my back flat up against the wall and keep my thighs close together.. hmm.... need to lose the stomach

12) Ab work on the mat, Where is my ball? When will it end

13) Cat/Sow stretch that is nice smile emoticon

14) What, Back dancing? you said when we were done with seat we were done with that and now you want me to leave anything I don't want me to take with me... This is going to hurt

15) You have earned your cool down.. Yeah I will just lay here, roll me out of class when it is over

16) Great Class!! What time am I scheduled tomorrow?

Yes it is addictive, Yes you will see changing, Yes you will be sore, Yes you will not understand everything in class until you have come a few times and then I suggest you take a Breaking down the Barre class..

45 More Days to Go!! ‪#‎purebarrehuntsville‬