Did I Do Enough?

So many people are still in the mindset that if they’re not sweating or breathless for half or all of their class then they’re not getting a good enough workout. Maybe they’re glancing at their Apple Watch and keeping track of heart rate and calories burned. They’re focused on the data. The numbers. The physical indicators of a job well done. “Did I do enough? How do I know? I don’t feel completely destroyed after class, so what if I didn’t do enough work?”

A lot of times, people may look at a barre class or try one and think, “There’s no way that’s enough.”

Let me start this off by saying this, in as clear a way as possible: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡.

Now let’s talk about it, shall we? What is enough? 

These are five common things people look for when they’re taking any fitness class: 

1. Sweat 
2. Systemic fatigue (overall exhaustion)
3. Breathlessness 
4. Increased heart rate 
5. Calories burned

All of those things are fine. In fact, you will experience some of those things in a barre class. But they should not be your indicators of a job well done. 

A few of them should be treated as bonuses, not measurements. (There’s one on that list that isn’t a bonus. Can you guess which one?)

We, as a leading barre method, are on a mission to REDEFINE what makes a good workout. We are hoping to help shift mindsets and give a different perspective on what makes a “good workout.” 

All five of those things listed above aren’t BAD. 

But you could have a lack of all of those things and STILL have worked hard enough. 

So, basically, whether you experience those above things or not… 

You still got a good workout. 

So, what does indicate a good workout? What are some signs we can look out for? 

How to Know You Got a Good Workout

Specific fatigue. In BarreAmped® classes, we really try to target and emphasize certain muscle groups. You’ll KNOW what you’re working. If we are targeting the quads, you’ll know you’re working the quads. They may shake. They may burn. But the most important thing is— they’re fatiguing. Safely. And you didn’t have to do 50 burpees or box jumps to achieve that work. So while a lot of fitness methods have you leaving totally exhausted, we aim to have you leaving thoroughly worked & empowered. You can still function after class! Think “𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞” 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 “𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞.”

Connection and engagement. We truly emphasize muscle connection in class. We set you up and get you in the proper alignment, and then get that contraction and engagement as you begin to move. We will walk the room and check on your form and offer cues and tips and modifications as you go along. 

That “jelly” feeling in your muscles (aka inroading). This goes along with specific fatigue of the muscles. There’s a process called “inroading” that you may experience after a barre class when your muscles are thoroughly (and safely!) worked. This means your muscles are temporarily weakened. You may get that “jelly leg” feeling. Maybe going up or down stairs is a shaky experience after class. We emphasize taking time to recover and fuel your body, prioritizing sleep, nourishment, and hydration, to help repair those muscles before your next class! 

Joints are happy. You have worked your body but you aren’t hurting. Your joints feel good. You didn’t have to suffer through class. (Or after class, for that matter! Sometimes joint pain can set in over twenty-four hours later!)

You just feel GOOD. When you leave a BarreAmped® class, there’s no doubt you’ll leave feeling like a million bucks. You won’t feel like we threw you in a wrestling match, or a fight against a bear, or a tire-flipping contest. You didn’t have to destroy your body in order to work hard. And you feel better than you did before you entered class! That’s the magic of a BarreAmped® class. We like to say that it’s an experience from beginning to end. It’s the complete package. Thoroughly warmup, efficiently work the body, and thoroughly cooldown. 

You’re not feeling “stressy” at the end of class. We make sure you start class relaxed and end class relaxed. You read that right. Even our warm-ups aren’t stressful, heart-pumping experiences. They’re MINDFUL. Intentional. They’re efficiently preparing your body for the workout while keeping you engaged, focused, and not feeling like you’re about to run from a bear. You actually get MORE out of the workout when you properly warm-up and properly cool-down! More on that at a later time. Keep your eyes peeled for more blog posts from us!

Let’s summarize: 

• You don’t have to be dripping in sweat. 
• You don’t have to burn 1,000 calories.  
• You don’t have to be SUPER SORE. (More on this at a later time, too!)
• You don’t have to feel utterly exhausted.
• You don’t have to be breathless. 
• You don’t have to feel like you’re entering a coma at the end of class or so sore and tired you can barely move. 

We want your body worked, but safely. Efficiently. Carefully. Intentionally. 

And we want your body to still be able to function after class. 

Because the world is so focused on pushing and destroying the body in the name of fitness, it has been a task of reminding and encouraging as we go along this journey. 

Any new clients that come in may initially feel like they’re not doing enough because they’re missing “x y z” indicators. Or because they actually 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 at the end of class. It is a mindset shift away from tearing your body down. And that mindset shift can take time. 

Be patient with yourself. Trust the process. You don’t need to compromise your body or your health in a fitness class. 

So, next time you take a class… repeat this to yourself: “That was enough. I’ve done enough. Time to heal.”

Repeat it. Say it the next time, and the next time. 

“Yes. I have done enough.”