Mind body workouts like Pilates and yoga have been the rage for a longtime now and look like they will continue to be as more and more people are introduced to the benefits of both of them. Dance inspired workouts are also very popular with the likes of zumba really packing people into the exercise studio of many a healthclub.
In this article I’m going to take a look at two workouts which infuse elements of Pilates, yoga and dance: They are ‘Booty Barre’ created by Tracey Mallett and ‘Rhythm Pilates’ created by Lisa Hubbard.
The ‘Booty Barre’
The first thing you notice about booty barre creator Tracey Mallett is her effervescent warm smile which hides the fact that she is about to put you through a tough workout unlike any other you may have done before!
Movements are slow and deliberate, with detailed focus on your head, neck and spine being aligned as good form makes for a better workout. Exercises aim to increase your flexibility and tone your muscles without bulking you up.
You begin the class with a dance inspired warm up which leads into a high repetition upper body workout with light dumbbells ( for example tricep extensions, front raises, punches). ‘Booty barre’ uses a chair for balance and targets the glutes legs and obliques, done slowly your toning and speed it up you reap cardiovascular benefits. The floor work is dominated by Pilates and yoga.
‘Rhythm Pilates’
Tracey has over 20 years experience in the fitness industry, originally from the UK but now lives in California for more information about ‘Booty Barre’, click here.
‘Rhythm Pilates’
I had the pleasure of being introduced to rhythm Pilates creator Lisa Hubbard when I accompanied Tracey Mallett when she taught a master class of ‘Booty Barre’ in beautiful Santa Barbara for Kristi Cooper’s pilatesanytime.com
‘Rhythm Pilates’ expands on the traditional Pilates method by incorporating more fluid movements into whole body movement-art routines that are choreographed to music infused with yoga and dance elements. There are a series of 30 minute movement-art workout routines that are sequenced thoughtfully to target the whole body and intelligently work to biomechanically prepare the mind, muscles, joints and tissues and engage a positive spirit.
Lisa aims to take traditional mat Pilates into an evolutionary process and to increase the enjoyment without sacrificing the intensity and focus of Pilates and incorporate differing modalities to enhance the experience of the participants. There are 3 ‘Rhythm Pilates’ workouts, the first is ‘Harmony’ the second is ‘Beats and tempo’ and the third is the advanced class ‘On the rise’.
Lisa Hubbarb graduated in 1999 from Body Arts and Science International and has pursued pilates as her fitness focus point, she is based in California. For more information on ’Rhythm Pilates’ click here.
If you have been doing regular Pilates and yoga classes for sometime I would highly recommend keeping your eye out for both ‘Booty Barre’ and ‘Rhythm Pilates’ being introduced to somewhere near you and giving them a go!
What do you think?