FitSugar

What's the Deal with: The Bar Method?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:30:00 PDT

Looking for a new way to get fit? Maybe you should try the bar. Not that type of bar, silly...

The Bar Method exercise system is another way to create a lean, firm, sculpted body by reshaping and elongating muscles while maintaining an intense pace that burns fat and increases stamina. The class is usually an hour long and composed of eight or nine strengthening exercises followed by stretching. The strength work combines holding positions that use the body’s own weight with small, controlled moves that increase range of motion and stamina. Stretching is focused on the hips, chest and lower back to improve posture and body alignment. Students begin the class with free weights and push-ups, move to the ballet bar to work their legs and abdominals, and finish on mats for more core work and stretching (basically interval training). The Bar Method is great for working tight muscles, especially those around the hips and lower back that get that way from sitting hours and hours a day at your desk.

To learn more about where you can take it as well as to see a few examples of the kind of exercises you'll be doing in a class,

I sense a little friendly competition between The Bar Method with Pilates and Yoga folks, but the bottom line is that with any method you choose, you'll be doing something good for your body. Personally I like The Bar Method because it brings out the dancer in me -- Who doesn't have fun pretending to be a prima ballerina doing bar work? To learn more including where you can take a class, visit BarMethod.com.

Right now there are only studios in California and Connecticut, so if you don't live in those areas, you may want to check out the The Bar Method DVD's. I did it, so check out my review on it.

Here are some sample exercises you may find in a class:

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DVD Review: Bar Method Dancer's Body Advanced Workout

Angelica Marden — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:20:43 PST

Barre-based workouts have become increasing popular thanks to Natalie Portman's dancer bod in Black Swan, the Tracy Anderson Method, and barre3; and Bar Method, a ballet-inspired sculpting program with studios across the US, is no exception. The method, which is taught as an hour-long class, focuses on isometric movements, light weight work, stretching, and subtle moves at the barre. It is also one of the workouts Kelly Osborne used to get fit. As someone who practices it weekly, I can attest it's a serious workout, so I was excited (and even a little scared) to challenge myself with the Bar Method Dancer's Body Advanced Workout DVD ($20).

Led by cheery and pretty-to-look-at-while-you-are-sweating Bar Method teacher and actress Marnie Alton, the DVD offers a variety of the method's staple moves. Like the class, it starts off slow with leg lifts, light arm exercises (it's recommended you use two- to four-pound weights), and then jumps into the method's secret sauce: intense leg work at the barre. They recommend you use a chair or portable barre, but I found a ledge in my living room worked just fine for the "water-ski thigh-work" and more balletic "arabesque" exercises, and the floor and my yoga mat worked swell for the abdominal "clam shell" exercises. The routine was tough, and like the last "Accelerated" Bar Method DVD the ab exercises were killer. I wish the DVD included a chapter showcasing a few of the moves that are easier to perform with a makeshift barre, but the chapters with form instruction made up for it.

Is this DVD good for beginners? Keep on reading for the answer and a video clip of the workout.

Fit Philosophy: Ginnifer Goodwin

Michele Foley — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:02:27 PDT

Happy birthday, Ginnifer Goodwin! The Once Upon a Time star turns 34 today, and to celebrate we're taking a look at how Ginnifer stays active and fit in her daily life.

Always on the go: Ginnifer often credits living in health-conscious LA for her active lifestyle. Whether she's going to Ballet Body or The Bar Method, her workouts gravitate toward leotards, the barre, and pliés. She also turns everyday excursions into an excuse to power walk, "I'll speed-walk a couple of miles, get a cup of coffee, speed-walk back. It’s so easy. Just break a sweat for 30 minutes and you’re fine."

It's a lifestyle not a diet: An outspoken fan of Weight Watchers, she credits the diet program for helping her maintain a healthy weight in realistic ways. She told People, "It takes time because you lose the weight slowly . . . You don't have to go through that horrible yo-yo cycle of binging." Even when counting points, Ginnifer can indulge in treats like her favorite dark chocolate or a pasta dinner. Ginnifer maintains a sense of balance when it comes to eating, so she never has to feel deprived.

Health is more than just weight loss: For Ginnifer, being healthy means being confident, feeling less stressed, and maintaining a well-rounded perspective in her life. She told Health, "Healthy is beautiful. Because what comes with health is a clear mind and a high spirit. When I’m not healthy, I can’t think straight, and I’m unhappy. I’ll realize that I’m an emotional mess, and it’s because I’m dehydrated. Or I’m cold and cranky, and it’s because I’m not exercising and my circulation is poor."

Sorting Out the Differences of Bar Method, The Dailey Method, Body Bar, and More

Heather Dale — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:26:48 PDT

Your parents will be happy to know that those ballet classes you took as a kid aren't going to waste, thanks to a new wave of ballet-inspired workout classes popping up in cities all across the country. Put on your yoga wear, find your place in front of the bar, and stretch your way to a elongated, lean body - Black Swan style. But what class does what? Or are they all quite similar? Here's a rundown of some top classes across the country that use a bar as their main exercise equipment.

Source: The Daily Method

Anna Paquin Covers Health: "There's a Big Difference Between Looking Healthy and Being Healthy"

FitSugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:27:42 PDT

Happy, healthy, and gearing up for a new season of HBO's True Blood, 28-year-old Anna Paquin (aka Sookie Stackhouse) can be found gracing the cover of Health's June 2011 issue. Inside the magazine, the actress talks about her go-to exercises for staying in shape, her thoughts on diets, and some of her favorites, including her workout motivators and fave workout song. Here are the highlights:

On the areas of her life that are the healthiest, and not so healthy: "Well, I could probably drink less coffee and drink more water. I try to eat well, but sometimes you can be a little too obsessive. It's good to remember it's actually not the be-all and end-all, and if you're absolutely falling down with exhaustion, really, do you need to go to the gym?"
On whether she owns a scale: "Truthfully, I'm usually happiest when I'm not going anywhere near it. But you know what size your body is. And if you're working out and have a lot of muscle, you're going to weigh more. I feel good when I feel like I'm really strong. And that's not necessarily when I'm at my numerically most gratifying weight."
On workouts she's loving right now: "My favorite workout by far is boxing . . . I do The Bar Method. Then there's also this place called Hot 8 Yoga, and they do [Yoga Barre]. It's like The Bar Method, but it's, like, 105 degrees. It's psycho, but kind of awesome."

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "Support System"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 09:01:03 PDT

We take a painful trip down memory lane on this week's Grey's Anatomy, as the story behind Owen's affair unfolds through flashbacks. Actually, it's even more depressing to see Cristina and Owen hashing it out in real time, as the tension, bickering, and tears between the couple feel all too real.

Their staycation has an effect on their peers, too, since they call in sick with the "flu" (this might mark the first time anyone on this show has opted to take a day off), which prompts Mark to get drunk on the power of being the temporary chief of surgery. Ready to break down the emotional episode? Just

Cristina demands to hear the story of Owen's one-night stand, and he acquiesces even though he doesn't want to hurt her. The fateful mistake is slowly revealed, with the story cutting to gut-wrenching shots of Cristina sobbing in real time, and it's also interspersed with memories of all of the fights that led to the downfall of Owen and Cristina's relationship. Eventually, Owen packs up and leaves, but not before assuring Cristina that she's the love of his life, and that he'll never love anyone else. Overall, it feels very, very bleak, leaving me with no hope for these two at all.
We learn that the other woman (who remains nameless since Owen doesn't even remember it) came into the hospital with her friend, who was a patient of Owen's. After Owen saves her life, they get a drink at the bar, and naturally, that turns into a few more. At the end of the night, Owen lingers just a little too long saying goodbye (that's always how it happens, am I right?) and the woman asks to be kissed. Owen tries to resist a few times, and despite my loud screams at the TV, he gives in to temptation.
It feels like the doctors have been studying for their boards forever, but now they're heading into the home stretch. Meredith is sitting pretty thanks to the "Torres method," while Alex and April browbeat poor Lexie - who isn't even taking the boards - to act as their human textbook. It isn't long before Jackson and even Meredith (as a proxy for Cristina) pile on her. Luckily, Meredith eventually comes to her rescue (though scolding the other doctors seems a bit hypocritical). I'll forgive her though, because she starts her own study group at her house for her friends - and even Cristina joins in.
While the chief's away, the Sloan will play. More specifically, he'll play chief. Armed with his bluetooth headset and his lackey Avery, Mark goes into full dictator mode to step into Owen's shoes. He ticks off everyone who comes into his path: he tries to impart cheesy words of wisdom to Derek, forces Jackson to have "beef with the chief," and meddles in most of the surgeries. Webber is the only one who refuses to take him seriously; as a former chief himself, he overthrows Mark's orders, and in one of his famous speeches, makes Mark realize that a chief can't be a perfectionist. The real twist: we learn at the end of the episode that Owen had never asked for Sloan to fill in at all.
Teddy is finally ready to go out again, but her friends aren't up for the challenge. Callie and Arizona try to round up the other surgeons for "ladies' night," but over the course of the night becomes clear that everyone would rather be, um, salsa dancing instead. Just when everyone is about to bail, Arizona realizes that they need to be there for Teddy.

Did you feel Owen and Cristina's heartbreak this week? Do you think it's finally over between them for good?

Celebrities Who Love Ballet-Inspired Fitness

Leta Shy — Sun, 15 May 2011 15:12:10 PDT

The success of last year's Black Swan only added to the popularity of ballet-inspired classes. For years, celebs have touted the workouts' abilities to sculpt long and lean physiques, and thanks to ballet's newfound spotlight, new barre workout styles and studios have been popping up all across the country. Whether they are fans of Bar Method, Pure Barre, or any other of the ballet-inspired classes offered, here are celebrities who love to let their inner ballerina show!

6 Ways to Stay Organized When Grocery Shopping

Emily Co — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:31:05 PST

Browsing the supermarket aisle is always fun, but doing it week after week can get old, especially if you have other errands to take care of. It's important to be more efficient when shopping for groceries to avoid wasting time and potentially forgetting some grocery essentials. Here are a couple of tips that will help you be more organized:

Keep a list. Lists are always crucial to organization, and just to make sure you don't forget anything or buy unnecessary items, document your weekly grocery needs. There are plenty of ways to do so - you can keep your own Google Doc, a text document, or a simple notepad. There are even free printable grocery lists online that let you check off which groceries you need. A good one to check out is the very detailed Ultimatest grocery list (they even have a vegetarian version).
Use apps. Experiment with grocery shopping apps and consider keeping a running list of groceries on an app like Ziplist, which lets you sync up with lists of other people on your phone for convenience. You can even use discount-seeking apps like Grocery Pal, which shows you what items are on sale, and coupon locator apps like Coupon Sherpa or Yowza!!. The coupon apps will display bar codes, which the cashier can scan to give you the discount.
Time it well. Pick the right time to go grocery shopping. You want to avoid going when there are crowds, because shopping and waiting in line for the cashier may take longer than usual. It's also good to go before the supermarket rush because most items will be in stock; this will prevent you from having to go back if a certain item was not available. The best dates to shop may differ depending on the grocery store, so be sure to observe your supermarket and pick up the crowd patterns. Lifehacker suggests Wednesday night as an ideal time because "many grocery stores release their new sale advertisements that day but also honor the sales items from the previous week." Personally, I like going on Saturday nights to avoid the crowds.

Read after the jump for more grocery organization tips.

The Transformation of Kelly Osbourne

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:22:15 PST

I have to admit that I've never been a fan of Kelly Osbourne, but after reading her interview in the latest issue of Us Weekly, I'm a convert. The singer talks in detail about the hard work she went through to transform herself from a size 14 to a size two. I love that Kelly did it in a totally manageable and healthy way, and has such a kick-ass attitude about everything she's been through. Focusing on a healthy diet and exercise plan, the 5-foot-2 star lost an amazing 42 pounds. Most importantly, she has let go of the shame she's carried for years because of her weight. Check out the highlights below.

How Dancing With the Stars changed her life. "He [DWTS partner Louis van Amstel] made me work out, practice six times a day and get fit. I fought him the whole time, but at the end of the show I realized he was right. It worked."
On working out. "After DWTS ended I followed the Bar Method and now I do that three times a week at least. Not every day. I don't have that kind of dedication. Working out sucks. You sweat and you stick, but then you're done - and then you see that just taking an hour three times a week can change you so much. It becomes addictive."

To find out what Kelly's eating and how her self-esteem has changed,

On eating well. "You don't have to count calories. Just make sure what you're eating is good food. You can eat as much good food as you want if you're careful. I try to have no carbohydrates unless they're natural, such as apples. No bread, no pasta and real sugar . . . what that does to you is incredible. I lost five pounds in one week just by eliminating starchy carbs and soda."
Why dieting doesn't work. "If you want to lose weight for good, you need to make a commitment to a life change. You have to say, 'I'm just not going to eat that anymore. I'm going to change my bad habits.' Otherwise, you'll spend the rest of your life yo-yoing and you'll be miserable. By no means is it easy. Getting in shape is one of the hardest things I've ever done."
On loving who she sees today. "When I look in the mirror now, it's really different. For the first time, I look at myself and I'm really proud to not hate every single thing that I see. What has made this process so healthy and interesting to me is that it's been a whole transformation. It's like this feeling disappeared that I had carried around with me for so long."

To hear more about Kelly's amazing transformation, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, which hits newsstands today.

Celebrate Her Inner Dancer With These Barre-Inspired Gifts

Michele Foley — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:37:17 PST

Ballet-inspired workouts are all the rage this year; it's likely that you know someone who spends time on the barre. Whether she loves Bar Method, Pure Barre, or Barre3, we have the perfect fitness gift for her!