Yoga vs. Barre Class – which is the right choice?
The fitness industry is always evolving and there has been a rising trend in boutique fitness studios.
With specialty fitness classes at a premium price tag, these fitness studios offer a great workout experience.
There are many different types of boutique fitness classes, including yoga, Pilates, Barre, CrossFit, cycling, functional training and more.
In this article, we are focusing on yoga and Barre, as they both offer a unique way to align and strengthen your mind and body.
How do you know which exercise is right for you?
Having an awareness of your current fitness levels and future fitness or weight loss goals is important when deciding whether yoga or Barre will benefit you the most.
While your gym might offer yoga and Barre classes, boutique fitness studios are branded hubs for these specific exercises and they are reshaping the fitness industry.
No matter what boutique fitness class you may be interested in, you can expect experiential workouts, small-sized classes, and good vibes — all in one intoxicating workout experience. Let’s take a closer look at yoga and Barre.
Table of Contents
- What is yoga?
- What is Barre?
- Yoga vs. Barre: How are they the same?
- Yoga vs. Barre: What are the differences?
- Yoga vs. Barre: Everything You Need to Know to Make a Decision
What is yoga?
Yoga is a traditional practice that was first created in ancient India in order to connect the mind, body, and soul through physical activity.
Yoga is a great exercise for people of all ages and all fitness levels, and it involves a variety of different poses that benefit different parts of your body while focusing on balance, strength, and flexibility.
In yoga, it is also important to focus on breathing, stretching, and body awareness as you flow through the poses.
There are several styles of yoga and they all share one goal.
The primary goal in yoga is to achieve good health and inner peace by cultivating a more balanced self between the mind and the body.
Yoga practices and benefits will vary depending on the style you choose, the intensity of your class, and your instructor.
What is Barre?
Barre is typically linked into a group with yoga and Pilates because it is a ballet-inspired fitness class that not only focuses on dance and functioning training, but it also uses a mix of Pilates and yoga poses.
Barre is a great exercise for toning, strengthening, and lengthening your muscles!
You can also learn to control your muscle movements and improve your posture.
Those who do Barre typically feel the burn in their arms, abs, glutes, and thighs.
Yoga vs. Barre: How are they the same?
Most barre-based classes use a combination of poses inspired by ballet and other related disciplines like yoga and Pilates, which is what makes them so similar.
Performing the series of poses in these bodyweight exercises also require balance, strength, and flexibility.
Both yoga and Barre also help tone your muscles without bulking, improve your posture, increase flexibility, and improve your mind-body connection.
Yoga vs. Barre: What are the differences?
- In a yoga class, you can expect calm and peaceful music, while in a Barre class the music is typically more upbeat and motivating.
- While both yoga and Barre require the use of a mat, Barre also uses a bar or prop for balance and occasional equipment like mini-balls and small hand weights for sculpting.
Yoga vs. Barre: Everything You Need to Know to Make a Decision
We Put them Head to Head in 10 Different Categories, See Who the Winner Is.
- Best for Fat Loss: While many exercises will help you take the necessary steps to lose weight, there are some that help you burn more fat than others. Barre can help burn fat quickly by speeding up your metabolism and increasing your cardiovascular endurance. Although Barre may not look like or sound like a tough workout, your heart rate does get up there. Barre is the winner when it comes to fat loss.
- Best at Building Muscle: Both yoga and Barre are great exercises for building muscle without bulk. Depending on the intensity and difficulty of the exercise, one can build more muscle than the other. Our winner here is yoga.
- Best at Strengthening Core: Both yoga and Barre tend to focus on strengthening the core. Classes with a higher intensity may provide a better benefit.
- Most Calories Burned – Shortest Time: An average 60-minute yoga class will only burn about 150 to 250 calories. In an average 60-minute Barre class, you can burn 200+ calories. The clear winner here is Barre.
- Best Full Body Workout: Barre is a full-body workout that allows you to use equipment and a series different exercises and poses that sculpt, lengthen, and strengthen your muscles. Barre is the winner here.
- Best Option for Busy People: Barre isn’t such an easy exercise to do on the go or at home since you need something to balance. Yoga is a great exercise for those who are busy because it’s a low intensity exercise and you can do it anywhere! Try doing a couple yoga poses to stretch and get your body moving each morning, or you can end your busy day with a much needed shavasana.
- Best for Back Pain: Barre involves Pilates movements, which focus on aligning the spine and strengthening the lower back and core. Although yoga can also help strengthen these areas, release unnecessary tension, and provide relaxation to decrease pain, Barre is our winner here.
- Best for Stress Relief: Yoga and Barre can both get the heart rate up and help relieve stress. However, yoga adds a relaxation and meditation period (savasana) at the end, which can greatly help relieve stress. Yoga is the winner here.
- Best for Mental Health: All types of exercising can benefit mental health, however, Yoga adds an element of meditation, which is great for the mind.
- Best for Joint Mobility/Stretching: Yoga is the winner here, as it focuses more on stretching, balance, and the flexibility of joints through its many poses.
Whether you prefer to flow through a yoga class or take on ballet-inspired Barre, you will no doubt see positive physical results.
Not only that, but these boutique fitness classes also promote mental, emotional and spiritual health and allow for a better mind-body connection due to the various poses and breathing techniques.
