21 March 2023
For Mother's Day 2023 we spoke to two of our lovely Barrecore instructors who are also mums to find out more about why Barrecore is so great for mums and mums to be.
Michelle Stark - Barrecore Teacher
Barre is one of the most effective, safest and most adaptable forms of exercise suitable for all ages and people with injuries. It is especially the safest and most effective forms of exercise for pre and post natal women because it is a low impact form of cardio, focuses on improving functional core strength and improves your posture as your baby grows. The intensity of the workout is easily controlled and customisable with the use of a bar (or chair and wall) which provides additional assistance with stability and balance for prenatal women. Barre is a great form of strength training, helping you maintain strength and muscle tone throughout your body in your arms, thighs and seat - much needed when you are carrying a human! It also really focuses on strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, improving pelvic stability and staying connected to your transverse abdominals - which will really help prepare the body with giving birth and also reduce recovery time. Barrecore offers pre modification sessions for pregnant women showing them exercises they can do in class in the most effective and safest way for them. There are also prenatal classes, a uniquely tailored class for mothers to be. Barrecore also offers exercises tailored for postnatal women too, showing them the safest way of exercising after having a baby. Barre is said to be also effective for postnatal women because it improves posture and muscle definition, aids weight loss, improves fitness levels, increasing flexibility and reducing stress. We talk a lot about how barre is effective physically but I just wanted to touch on how mentally it helps people especially women who are pre/post natal and also older women who are experiencing perimenopause or menopause which I find this subject so important. I have a lot of clients coming to me before and after class expressing how much it helps them mentally coming to Barrecore, helping them reduce stress and anxiety. They also say they look forward to coming to class as it’s a big part of their day, not only challenging their body but also it challenges them mentally, helping them to switch off and finding it therapeutic for the mind. After having a child, I've found Barrecore has helped me to be stronger, both physically and mentally. Not only noticing my body strength and tone becoming leaner but also most importantly mentally stronger, helping me with perimenopause reducing stress and anxiety."
Laura Earnshaw - Barrecore Teacher
Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of working with many mothers at Barrecore. As a mum myself and a qualified pre- and post-natal fitness instructor, I aim to offer a safe, inclusive and challenging experience in my classes. With its mixture of low impact, high intensity exercises Barrecore is perfect for all stages of motherhood. Whilst teaching, I have worked with expectant mothers, teaching appropriate modifications so they continue to come to Barrecore classes to maintain strength and fitness levels during pregnancy. I've supported new mothers needing guidance on their first steps back into class after birth (once their midwife or GP says they are able to do so). Or mothers looking to find some time for themselves and work towards their own fitness goals in a safe but challenging environment. I feel my own experiences as a mum help me to relate to my amazing Barrecore clients who are mothers and they can feel confident that they are being supported by someone with experience, expertise and, most importantly, a passion for this important area of fitness.
To find out more about the benefits of Barrecore and the class formats available use the links below.
