Is Ballet Barre For Me?

As a ballet barre trainer there is one question that I regularly get asked, “Is ballet barre for me?”

In my opinion ballet barre and any form of ballet training is beneficial for everyone regardless of your fitness goal. Well of course I would say that, I am a former professional ballet dancer and I helped design TruBe’s ballet barre workout.

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But let’s think about it objectively. Why do we train? The reasons why we train and engage in physical activity are wide and varied. But all of them can be enhanced or achieved through ballet barre training.  There is a reason why ballet dancers are often touted as some of the fittest athletes alongside boxers.

One of the largest barriers we face at the moment when we exercise is poor range of motion. The way the modern westerner lives their life promotes poor posture and tight muscles. Ballet barre is a great way to improve your posture and promote greater coordination between different areas of your body simultaneously.  How often do you hear about dancers with poor posture and limited range of motion? This applies to everyone, most men could add 10kgs to their three big lifts with improved movement patterns.

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Let’s talk about some other fitness goals such as weight loss, tone, core strength, cardiovascular fitness, strength and power. All of these can be drastically improved through ballet barre training. When you think about all of these facets of fitness, ballet dancers display all of them. The beauty of the TruBe ballet barre is that you can achieve these results in the comfort of your own living room, ballet is about moving your body not heavy weights.

To celebrate world ballet day today, why not download the app and try one of our ballet barre sessions using this £10 off promo code:


BALLET10

Matt – @mattino22

Get the Rugby body without the gym

Rugby is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. Strength, speed, agility and power are just some of the key attributes possessed by those elite athletes playing in the London Rugby World Cup.

You’d be hard pressed to find a player with a physique that most men wouldn’t dream of having. It is true that off the field, rugby players go through some of the most gruelling strength and conditioning training but fear not you too could be well on your way to looking like Sonny-Bill Williams and it doesn’t necessarily require a gym! All you need is a suspension trainer, a GripR/Dumbbell, a speed ladder and most importantly your own bodyweight.

Follow the workout below for your on demand rugby body;

1A – Deep squat hold pulse – 3x45seconds
1B – GripR overhead walking lunge – 3×8/side 

rugby body blog

Rest: 1 min

2A – Suspension trainer split row – 4×12
2B – Ladder press up crawling – 4×4/side 9 (Crawl forwards and side to side, do 1 push up with every step)

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Rest: 1 min

3A – Wide squat jumps – 3×10
3B – Suspension trainer press – 3×10

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Rest: 1 min

Follow this routine 2-3 times per week and combine with good nutrition and HIIT cardio to get the rugby physique that you seek.

To book a strength session with me, download the TruBe app.

For more information on fitness and nutrition follow me on Instagram @benhowardPT

Ben – TruBe Strength and Conditioning specialist

TruBe Outdoor Training Timetable – 31st Aug

Choose a session from the timetable below. Each session costs £10 per person but if you are a registered member of TruBe, your first outdoor session will be free!

If you haven’t registered with us, simply download our app and go through our super quick sign-up process.

Date Location
Mon 31st Aug 12.30pm (Bank Holiday) Holland Park
Mon 31st Aug 7pm (Bank Holiday) Highbury
Tues 1st Sept 7pm Clapham Common
Tues 1st Sept 7pm Fulham
Weds 2nd Sept 12.30pm Green Park
Fri 4th Sept 6.30am Hampstead Heath
Sat 5th Sept 10.30am Clapham Common

Sign up

Introducing TruBe Outdoor Training

Today, we are pleased to announce that we will be running weekly outdoor training sessions all over London.

Called TruBe Outdoor Training, these sessions are open to all fitness levels and abilities. They utilise elements from all our signature workouts including HIIT, toning and conditioning, strength, boxing and yoga. This will give you a well-rounded whole body workout, relevant for all exercise goals.

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We believe that functional training is the safest and quickest route to achieve your fitness goals. Being efficient in the movements you do everyday will help to prevent injuries. For example, if you work in an office you may have restricted movement in joints, overworked hip flexors (from sitting) and will not activate glutes or upper back enough (slouching). By understanding this information we have created the perfect session to counteract this.

Our training sessions will get you extending and activating all the right muscles whilst burning energy and having fun. Each session will incorporate partner and team exercises so bring your friends along to make your workout more enjoyable.

Choose a session from the timetable below. Each session costs £10 per person but if you are a registered member of TruBe, your first outdoor session will be free! If you haven’t registered with us, simply download our app and go through our super quick sign-up process.

Date Location
Mon 24th Aug 6.30pm Highbury
Mon 24th Aug 12.30pm Holland Park
Tues 25th Aug 6.30pm Clapham Common
Tues 25th Aug 7pm Fulham
Weds 26th Aug 12.30pm Green Park
Fri 28th Aug 6.30am Hampstead Heath
Sat 29th Aug 10.30am Clapham Common

Sign up

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, @TruBeApp, for live updates.

Introducing Personal Trainer and Parkour Fitness Specialist, Rowena R

Rowena is one of our most creative trainers, regularly practicing the art of parkour. She has a great understanding of how the body moves and like most great trainers, practices what she preaches on a daily basis.

What is your biggest client success story?
I worked with a weight loss client who managed to drop from a size 20 to a size 10 by changing her lifestyle and nutrition. When we started she was extremely self conscious and embarrassed by her low fitness levels. It was great to see her confidence grow as the months went by. Her posture improved, she treated herself to a new wardrobe and actually started to enjoy the sessions! She recently ran her first 10k and has progressed from a 20 second plank on her knees to a 90 second full plank.

What do you enjoy about being a part of the TruBe Team?
I love the philosophy behind the app and the fact it caters to today’s modern lifestyles. I love the use of functional exercise in the signature workouts as this is something I am very passionate about. I encourage all my clients to be strong for a reason! I also really enjoy teaching the barre workouts as I can draw upon my background as a professional dancer.

Your favourite piece of TruBe equipment?
The suspension trainer; as it’s so versatile and can be used both in and outdoors. It is great for core strength and adds an extra dimension to body weight training, enabling you to work through a greater range of motion without losing form.

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What was your last health and fitness obstacle and how did you overcome it?
In September last year, I had surgery on both my knees and was on crutches for 2 months. This was a challenging time as I am normally so active. The surgery was quite invasive and I was left with a lot of scar tissue to work with but I was determined to make a full recovery. I’m happy to say the hard work paid off and I am now stronger than before and have a newly found confidence in my knees.

Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I lived in Cuba for 2 years, speak fluent Spanish and dance a mean salsa!

What is your favourite instagram account you follow?
GMB fitness – as they offer great tutorials

What is your favourite motivational quote?
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live in.

What was your latest qualification?
Parkour UK ‘Parkour fitness Specialist’. Taking the principles of free running and parkour training into a fitness context.

How do you treat yourself?
With a pair of new workout leggings. I have a ridiculously large collection of colourful leggings, but there is always room for one more pair!

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What is the best piece of advice you have received from a mentor?
If it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you.

How do you find balance in your life?
I’ve learnt to be very strict about my days off work and rest days from training. Duvet day is sacred! It’s so important to take time out for myself and to give my body a chance to rest, yet not always easy to stick to. When I feel like I need a break I’ll take some time out for a walk by the river and a nice long stretch in the sun.

To book a session with Rowena, download the app and find her as one of our featured trainers.