For young dancers the ballet barre can be an unattractive place, without realising that it provides the basis for all their work as they become better dancers. The barre continues to support dancers even when their training or performing has become stilted, perhaps through injury, providing rehabilitation back into normal working practice. If you’re recovering from an injury, have an ongoing condition, or just want to add gentle, low-impact movements to your fitness regime, a ballet barre workout could be ideal.Barre work promotes core work as vital for any rehabilitation or fitness work; a strong core resonates positively throughout the rest of a recovering body, so most barre workouts employ significant abdominal work to boost rehabilitation. In addition to core work and gradually building strength and tone in muscles, the barre is also ideal for use as a stretching aid to elongate and soothe aching muscles, while using the barre for support.
The barre presents many different options in its endless sturdiness. From helping to treat bad backs through merging ballet barre training with rehabilitative therapy, to cardio muscle-sculpting and lengthening work without high impact activities, there are many different barre methods and workouts on offer, primarily initiated due to health concerns. Injuries and operations could have once spelled the end of a dancing career, however barre work now enables dancers to continue to be active without the consequences of high impact work.
Using ballet barres for rehabilitation means it is possible to get fitness levels back on track: with specific health concerns or particular recoveries from injuries it is important to check with your doctor or physical therapist first about any movements to avoid whilst using barre work. Despite this, barre workouts are endlessly changeable and are ideal for people with current physical limitations. It is completely possible to customise your barre workout to suit you, substituting different exercises if any cause problems.