My Movement: How Barre Helps My Physical & Mental Health

 

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This month, we chat to trainer Emma Barry-Murphy about her love for barre, and why it’s not “just stretching.”

Were you always into fitness?

Yes, in a sense. I started dancing – ballet, tap, jazz  – from the age of three until twenty-one. And while, at the time, it was more about mastery, form and discipline, it paved the way for a future filled with movement. In college, I joined a gym and after, when living in Dublin, I began to incorporate Pilates, reformer, barre, yoga, and strength training.

For those who may not be aware, what exactly is barre?

I describe barre as a form of training that focuses on small-range movements with high reps. Think little lifts, lowers, pulses and isometric holds. Barre encourages you to bring your mind into the muscle that you are working, exhausting it to the point of shaking and burning.

You’ll see some classic ballet moves such as pliés and attitudes alongside well-known exercises like lunges and squats, complemented by stretching and mobility. Basically, you get a bit of everything and we’ll often add equipment such as a Pilates ball and lightweights.

How did you first find barre?

I had done a few classes before but it wasn’t until a friend mentioned she was doing a certification in Barre that I decided to also do it. I went to Australia in 2019, where I noticed Barre was everywhere, reigniting my love for it. I then decided to do something with my qualification upon return.

 

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A post shared by Emma Barry-Murphy (@barrebyemma)

What do you love most about barre?

I could pick 100 things. It brings a mind-muscle connection like no other. Once you master the ability to really think about the muscles you’re using and why, how to engage your core and glutes properly and their role in stabilising you, it will stay with you for all other types of training. If you know why you’re doing something, you’ll do it better. It can be the perfect cross-training for a runner or gym goer – a great investment in your knowledge of your own movement.

Do you think there are any misconceptions about Barre as fitness?

Definitely. The main one I hear is that it’s “just stretching”. Sure, we stretch and mobilise, but there’s a lot more going on! I get a lot of people trying my classes from the gym, and they leave extremely humbled, incorporating a class or two a week into their fitness regime. Other misconceptions include, “it’s for females”, or “you have to be young and flexible”.

How do you stay motivated?

I think the key is having a routine for movement. By remaining consistent, movement just finds a place in your life, no matter what form it takes.

If you’re not doing this, how else do you like to get moving?

I love to incorporate strength training when I can at Echo Athletics, Cork, alongside walking. I work 9-5, often longer, at a desk job, in addition to my barre business so I make sure to fit in my movement no matter what.

What is your advice for people looking to get into barre? Try a few classes to find your pace and focus on your form. Don’t judge it after one. After you discover you enjoy it, and I promise you will, find a way to incorporate it into your routine.

Why is movement important to you?

In addition to my physical health and mobility, the main reason I move is for my mental health. It brings me such clarity, a way I can totally switch off from whatever I have going on. It’s also a platform through whichI can try and help others feel both mentally and physically well.

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