Benefits of barre workouts

One of the hottest exercise trends around is ballet-inspired fitness classes known as “barre” workouts.  The word “barre” is a French term referring to the rail used in ballet classes.  Their rise in popularity most likely has been fueled by us wanting to achieve the look of a dancer’s body - super long, lean, and strong, just like a ballerina.  Last year in 2016, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association stated that more than 700,000 people regularly participated in barre programs in the U.S. 

Many individuals may hesitate or be intimidated to try a barre workout especially if they never have taken a dance class in their life.  But that should not stop anyone.  There is no fancy footwork required and no one is wearing leotards or ballet shoes – going barefoot is the norm.  Besides using a barre, the classes also incorporate other dance techniques such as yoga, Pilates, aerobic moves, jumping activities and the use of elastic resistance bands, fitness balls and light hand weights. 

 A typical class will consist of doing a variety of postures and positions targeting specific muscles.  The barre work itself generally focuses on the lower body, especially the thighs, glutes, and calves. 

So what makes working out at a “barre” so effective?  The typical response from those who have gone to barre classes state they love the positive feelings afterwards plus the results they get in improvements in their body.  Even if you never perform on stage as a professional ballerina, anyone can and will see the benefits of barre extend out into other areas of their life.  Here’s why:

·      Endurance

Many different types of movement using isometric contractions and small isotonic movements are included in each barre class.  These small but subtle movements may not seem that effective but whenever you are tightening or contracting muscles holding them in that position for a certain length of time, good things are happening.  Just like when you do a plank pose where you hold completely still but your body begins to quiver and shake – that’s a good thing as those contractions are engaging slow-twitch muscle fibers increasing stamina and improving your endurance.

·      Strength and definition

A barre workout will certainly make you strong and defined.  From your thighs, butt, abdominals, arms and back, each muscle group is thoroughly addressed helping to strengthen and tone muscles that are often underused and underdeveloped.

·      Posture

Have you ever seen a ballerina with poor posture?  Neither have I.  One set of muscles to help achieve great posture are the core muscles.  Engaging core muscles throughout the workout helps strengthen this part of your body that often becomes weak from hours spent sitting at a computer.  Strong muscles mean you will sit and stand taller with less stress and tension on your lower back all day.

·      Flexibility

Being naturally flexible is not required when starting a barre class but over the weeks and months of training, you will find your overall range of motion improving while reducing your risk of injury.  Stretching out muscles is perfect for relieving stress while decreasing tension and tightness that can lead to back pain and poor posture.  As you gradually become a little more flexible, suddenly small things like bending over to tie your shoes has become much easier.

·      Mind-body connection

Practicing movements in a barre class force you to focus your thoughts on performing the motions of the workout. This provides a perfect opportunity to keep your mind from straying thinking of your to-do list and instead makes you more aware of the challenge of having that mind-body connection of really being present in the moment. 

How Meditation Reverses DNA Reactions

Meditation in its many forms – tai chi, yoga, TM, zazen, etc. – has been ascribed dozens of physical and mental benefits, from regulating your menstrual cycles to enhancing your creativity. The latest research indicates that these mind-body interventions (MBI) may be triggering quite a bit more than a mere squirt of serotonin or a lower pulse rate.

An analysis of over a decade's worth of studies – featuring 846 participants over 11 years – concludes that MBIs can actually 'reverse' the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression. The review revealed a pattern in the molecular changes which happen to the body as a result of various methods of meditation, and made clear just how those changes benefit our mental and physical health. In short, MBIs affect gene expression – the way that genes activate to produce proteins which influence your overall biological make-up.

Under normal circumstances, and absent any regular practice of mindfulness, people exposed to stressful events have their sympathetic nervous systems triggered. (Back in school your teachers referred to this as your “fight or flight” mechanism.) This in turn increases production of a molecule called NF-kB, which regulates how our genes are expressed. This reaction produces inflammation-causing cytokines – proteins good to have in a fight or flight situation, but responsible for accelerated aging, depression and a greater risk of cancer in the long term.

But just the opposite occurs in the systems of people who practice MBIs, according to the study. Their production of NF-kB and cytokines decreases, and that leads to a reversal of the pro-inflammatory gene expression pattern and a reduction in the risk of inflammation-related diseases and conditions.

"Millions of people around the world already enjoy the health benefits of mind-body interventions like yoga or meditation, but what they perhaps don't realize is that these benefits begin at a molecular level and can change the way our genetic code goes about its business,” said lead investigator Ivana Buric from the Brain, Belief and Behavior Lab in Coventry University's Center for Psychology, Behavior and Achievement.

"These activities are leaving what we call a molecular signature in our cells, which reverses the effect that stress or anxiety would have on the body by changing how our genes are expressed. Put simply, MBIs cause the brain to steer our DNA processes along a path which improves our wellbeing.”

Next steps? More research is needed to understand these effects in greater depth, and calculatehow they compare with other healthy interventions like exercise or nutrition.

The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Health risks of using bodybuilding supplements

As tempting as it may be, using bodybuilding supplements to achieve the look of a muscular physique is being discouraged by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  A recent consumer safety release by the FDA found that bodybuilding supplements containing steroids or steroid-like substances have been linked to severe health risks, including injury to the liver.

Bodybuilding products are sold both in retail stores and also online.  Many of them are labeled as “dietary supplements” when in fact most are not a dietary supplement at all.  In reality, they have been illegally marketed without the approval of the FDA which has not reviewed these products for their safety, effectiveness, or quality.   

These products capture consumer’s interest by promising boosting of muscle mass as an alternative to anabolic steroids.  The advertisers promoting these products make claims that the bodybuilding supplements contain active ingredients that will enhance or diminish androgen, estrogen, or progestin-like effects in the body.  In actuality, they do contain anabolic steroids or steroid-like substances, or synthetic hormones related to the male hormone, testosterone. 

The FDA reviewed hundreds of adverse event reports made to the FDA from July 2009 through December 2016.  Thirty-five reports showed serious liver damage had occurred. Besides damage to the liver, other serious reactions included development of severe acne, hair loss, altered mood, irritability, increased aggression, and depression.  In addition, life-threatening conditions have also been associated with these supplements which include kidney damage, heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), and deep vein thrombosis (blood clots occurring in veins deep in the body).

As a result of these bodybuilding products containing potentially harmful ingredients, the companies selling them are breaking the law by exploiting these products to consumers.  Consumers who do not understand the risks are being put in harm’s way by using these dangerous substances believing them to have a miraculous effect on their body.  Some users of these products may use multiple products including stimulants or products providing false assurances that the live will not be harmed, to see better results.  All this does is further put consumers at an even greater risk for serious and life-threatening reactions.

What should consumers do?

There are several steps a consumer can do who may currently be using a body building supplement:

·      Anyone using bodybuilding products claiming to contain steroids or steroid-like substances should stop taking them immediately.  There can lead to potentially serious health risks by continuing to do so.

·      If you are not certain about the ingredients in a product, consult with your health care provider about any bodybuilding product or ingredients they contain.

·      If you are experiencing symptoms possibly associated with these products, talk to your health care provider right away.  These symptoms include nausea, weakness or fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, jaundice or brown or discolored urine.