‘Girl, get ready to tuck!”
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
Back in the day, before kids, you wouldn’t have called me athletic. Even though I played softball for a season, did some tap and ballet to appease my mom, and even tried a hip-hop class ( that was a sight), nothing really stuck with me except Ice skating. I skated for about two years and decided that if I weren’t going to the Olympics, surely I’d be given the lead if there was ever an Ice Castles remake.
Thirty years later, my friend dragged me into a barre class — in this case, it’s called Bar or The Bar Method. My morning texts were often puzzled by the question, “You’re going to Bar Lisa? It’s 8:15 in the morning!.” Now, a decade later, my friends and Family know that I’m not on my way to Betty Ford but to my morning ritual of Bar class.
What is The Bar Method? To give you the elevator pitch, it is a full-body workout with high-repition, low-impact resistance training. Put it this way: If Yoga, Ballet, and Pilates had a kid, it would be Bar.
I’m not going to lie to you: Bar is not easy. The 2nd day after I finished my very first class, I couldn’t dress myself. I’m not kidding. I couldn’t even get my bra on. Every bone in my body and muscle took the day off, or in my case, about a week. I couldn’t move. I hope this doesn’t scare any of you, but remember, I wasn’t the fittest, and this was my first time using my body unless you count lifting Amazon boxes filled with obnoxious amounts of skincare as a workout.
So, after my body calmed down, I decided to do class again. I don’t know what happened, but it just clicked. Nothing usually clicks with me, as I get incredibly bored and restless with any new gym, fad workouts, or annoying Zumba classes. My coordination was off, I wasn’t a fan of the music, and my off-beat moves rivaled Elaine from Seinfeld at her best—no Bueno Zumba.
Ten years later, I have discovered so much about myself through Bar. First and foremost, I have never been stronger — this girl can squat! My thighs are made of steel. I put this to the test one year at Coachella when my quads held me up from the nasty toilets all night. I never felt so proud as I beamed from the restroom, feeling like Wonder Woman.
The Bar Method has also helped with my posture, and I’m sure I’ve grown an inch or two from all the releves. I’ve become more flexible, limber, and graceful. What’s unique about this regimen is that the bar method exercise is focused on every inch of your body. My balance is impeccable, and I will be one hot 90-year-old sans a walker.
Besides looking good in a bikini (ok, maybe before menopause), The Bar Method looks good on your mental health. No matter what age you are, girls. I know that new classes can seem daunting, but no one cares how you look. Bar hosts every age, from teens coming in with their moms, 8-month pregnant 30-somethings to women pushing eighty. It’s one of the things that I love most about the class. The variety of women all enjoying the same workout, unless it’s a chair /pretzel day.Ugh… chair….
You always have a warm, inviting group of women matched with exceptional, caring, and knowledgeable instructors. They have insane memories. They will know your name within seconds and remember it days later. I can’t even remember where I parked my car earlier.
“You won’t find Norm, but at The Bar Method, everybody knows your name.”
If you have a back, neck, or hamstring issue, they will help you modify a specific exercise. You will always feel like you’re in good hands. Class ends with a daily quote or verse that is as uplifting as my future ass hopes to be. I honestly can’t think of a better way to start my day. Okay, well, maybe coffee, but then Bar will follow it.
