I have been doing Pilates workouts for almost a year now and have found it to be a great way to build strength while improving posture and coordination.
That’s why I was intrigued by barre, a similar style of movement that takes inspiration from ballet training, with small, controlled movements. Like Pilates, it focuses on increasing strength, but light weights are often added.
trainer Brittany Williams I recently shared a barre routine that was designed to target your entire body.
Most of my Pilates routines don’t involve any equipment, but this barre workout required two dumbbells. I decided to compare barre and Pilates to increase strength.
How Brittany Williams does barre training
This workout only requires two dumbbells, as the movements target smaller muscles so you can feel your muscles working without the need for heavy dumbbells. I used 2kg dumbbells.
To complete the workout, perform each exercise for 30 seconds (on each side, if applicable) with no rest in between. Perform 2-3 rounds, resting 30-60 seconds between rounds.
My experience trying Brittany Williams’ barre training
The first few exercises in this routine focus on strengthening your lower body. Movements like the Shiva Squat and Step Out Squat Pulse effectively work your quads and glutes. I felt the burn after just a few repetitions.
This highlighted the benefits of volleyball for me. I enjoy Pilates to strengthen my core and upper body, but I feel it doesn’t work as well for my lower body as weight training does.
This workout also requires proper posture and coordination and has similar benefits to Pilates. By the end, my heart rate was up and my muscles were burning, so I’m going to look into barre again to build strength and improve my fitness.
If I want a more intense workout, I might choose barre over Pilates, but on days when I want low-impact, effective moves, I still turn to Pilates.
