“People don’t grow by accident. They grow by design. Design yourself, design your future. Success never just happens.” – Author unknown

You know how occasionally crazy ideas pop into your brain and you either laugh them away or say, “Well, why not?” Here’s the short version of how that crazy idea turned into reality over a couple martinis with friends who convinced me maybe it wasn’t so crazy afterall.

The why behind the Pilates Barre Crawl isn’t just about the chance to hang with people I adore and doing workouts I love. (That’s the necessary fun part!) With 4 years group fitness teaching experience, I am finally starting to feel more comfortable in my skin. Cueing moves on time makes more sense, walking around during class to coach form feels more natural, learning choreography happens faster, and creating movements with purpose and proper pace clicks. But I know there is so much more to learn in this profession to deliver a safe, fun, and effective class. The part I crave now is more knowledge. Specifically, I hope to gain clarity in the variations out there for Pilates and Barre classes.

When it comes to Pilates, there is Classic Pilates (original methodology by Joseph Pilates), mat-based Pilates, Reformer Pilates, as well as Pilates Fusion classes such as POP Pilates, Piloxing, and PiYo. Barre workouts have even more diversity since German-born dancer Lotte Berk brought the format to life in the 1950’s. From bootybarre and bbarreless to BarreAmped and Barre Above, brands have popped up everywhere. Studios such as Pure Barre and Barre3 have driven the popularity of these workouts as well.

With so many options available, the challenge as an instructor becomes explaining those differences when a class participant inquires how your workout will differ from their previous experience. Although there is no shame in saying, “I am not sure,” I would rather know, ya know? People come to group fitness classes for a great workout, but arming them with knowledge also enhances their experience. And being able to share knowledge requires that I know my stuff first. Solution: Pilates Barre Crawl! With so many studios dedicated solely to Pilates and Barre, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore similarities and differences out there and learn from other instructors who share this passion as well. The science geek in me is jumping up and down at the prospect of a Research project, and my parents will be happy to know I’m using that Bachelors Degree in Science again after 20 years 🤓. Plus, add the element of collaboration with friends who love fitness too, and it’s a win-win situation any way you look at it 🙌.

Looking forward to sharing this journey with you, hearing your experiences with Barre and Pilates, and growing as a fitness professional to bring you the best class experience possible.

Thanks for tagging along!