The Barre instructors, Gemma Wynne, Natalie Catlah and Jill Timms demonstrate with ease one of the exercises I found most tricky.
As a beginner at The Barre, and indeed at any type of exercise class, I was feeling some trepidation on the short walk from Newcastle Central Station to Arch 11 on Forth Street, but once through the door, any worries disappeared.
Classes are small at The Barre - ten people maximum; staff are friendly and the quirky arch building makes for an intimate venue that isn't at all intimidating. A mixture of pilates, dance and resistance training, the technique works the whole body in 60 minutes, and you'll be reminded of some muscles you might have forgotten were there.
There are lots of things to remember during each exercise - tummy in, shoulders back, etc, etc - but the instructor prompts each move and you soon catch on.
Some exercises are easier than others, and the experience varies for each person, but because the movements are quite small, and there are lots of segments to the hour, you don't get too fatigued in one area.
Natalie Catlah, founder of The Barre and one of three instructors, is encouraging and upbeat, and sometimes sneakily manages to squeeze extra reps out of the class by counting down from ten before saying: "Give me ten more!"
The section that proved a particular struggle for me was the under-the-bar work. Sitting on the mat, bum against the wall, arms up to the barre; you want me to lift my feet off the ground?! Nonetheless, Natalie's mum was doing it so well on the other side of the room, I felt spurred on to giving it a good go. It wasn't easy, and my feet hardly left the floor, but we were soon onto the next set of movements.
Certain exercises can cause an uncontrollable wobble, particularly in the quads, but I was reassured that that was quite normal for a beginner - and it must've meant I was putting some work in!
Once you've mastered the first level at The Barre, you can move things up a notch, and there are classes focused on abs and rears if you feel either of those need particular attention.
It's reassuring that the instructors are so experienced - as dancers and teachers - and because the classes are so small, they can keep an eye on each person and make sure you're getting the moves right.
Having felt I'd be rubbish at anything dance and pilates-related, when Natalie told me I'd done well at the end of the class, it gave me a boost - and I can see why The Barre might become addictive. Most people find once or twice a week is a enough to start making a difference, and for brides-to-be who want to sculpt their body in a short space of time, the Big White Challenge shows fantastic, measurable, fast results.
Stepping up to The Barre
City Scene
The One And Only
On The Run
Halloween Food and Drink
Insight
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Artworks
Treatment
