It’s 8 am on a sunny March morning and I’m at BarreCore on Upper Street, an exercise studio founded by celebrity trainer Nicki Rein. BarreCore is a ballet-inspired workout that is a variation on ‘barre’, a style of training made famous by the Victoria’s Secret models.
Allessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel and Karlie Kloss all credit it with sculpting their perfect physiques. Clearly it gets results, although I’m warned it is ruthless. The class consist of 55-minute workouts that combine ballet with cardio and interval training. This is supplemented by static stretches, which lengthen and relieve the muscles
Arriving at the studio I’m greeted by Liana on reception. After reading reviews of BarreCore that described the agonising pain of “Barre-burn”, her softly spoken voice puts me immediately at ease. She tells me that although this branch opened last month, business is booming.
She shows me into the studio where three perfectly sculpted women are waiting. There is not a tutu in sight. Despite this, I am by far the youngest in the class so feel quietly confident. Our instructor Catriona bursts into the room with a suspicious amount of energy for 8am, and we begin.
The first ten minutes consist of simple stretches and breathing exercises, followed by workouts using weights on a mat. The transitions between moves are swift, but I’m not struggling. Catriona even takes the time to compliment my plank posture, or rather, my “lovely elongated spine.”
I start to question what all the fuss is about. My arms are burning, but no more than the weekly aqua-Pilates class I do with my mum. We do yoga-style exercises and ballerina leg kicks from the floor.
It’s all going fine, that is, until we are told to head over to the bar. Catriona tells me it is mainly used for the ballerina squat that encourages deep muscle work and creates what is known as the “Barrecore shake.” This is the uncontrollable muscle convulsion; a sign you are ‘sculpting a stronger and leaner body.’ You have to hold the pose for as long as possible.
Curse Karlie Kloss and the other Victoria’s Secret models
My hands grip the sweaty bar at the side of the studio while I force my body to move between squats and ballerina kicks. The instructor’s voice permeates the mirrored studio. There is nowhere to hide.
“Go down further… you can do it!… and press! Press!” says my trainer Catriona as she bounces around the studio, stopping only to make tweaks to my shoulders.
It’s a far cry from the ballet lessons I did in my local village hall as a child.
Thirty seconds later, my legs begin to shake in spasms I didn’t know were possible. My body starts to feel like jelly, not at all strong and lean, and I collapse on the floor.
Curse Karlie Kloss and the other Victoria’s Secret models, this is torturous. I look around the room. Everybody else only seems to be experiencing only minor trembles.
“Don’t worry, this happens to first timers. You get used to it,” Catriona says as she peels me up off the floor. I guess it’s not so easy being a supermodel after all.
However, as the class continues I strangely start to enjoy the pose. There’s something strangely addictive about the burn that makes you want to experience it again. It’s refreshing to do exercise that actually feels like its working.
While I found the whole class exhausting, I leave wanted to do it all over again. Who knows, maybe that Victoria’s Secret body is in sight after all.
