This Sunday marks an important milestone (and also my mother's birthday which I am excited to be able to celebrate with her in person for the first time in a LONG time!) - it's my five year anniversary of barre!!! It is no exaggeration to say that barre has changed my life - it has become an important part of my identity and was the impetus for so many of the other healthy habits I have formed, things I have accomplished, and invaluable relationships that I have formed throughout the years. Since this time last year, my lifetime barre stats have increased to a total of 2,479 hours of taking…
Farewell to Flex! A Love Letter to My Barre Tribe
I have to say, this is a TOUGH one to write. Things are well past getting real around here. Our homehas been empty for over a week, everything shipped off to the US of A, we've said many final farewells and have only two and half more days in Cork at this stage. The entire experience of living abroad has been nothing short of amazing and I will definitely miss the ability to travel around Europe for the quick weekend city breaks, my weekly trips to check out what's new at Sostrene Grene's, and the Sweet Potato Toast at Spitjack's, but I have to say there is no question about…
Barre Better: Breaking Up with Bad Habits at the Barre
So lately in an effort to fix some of the ongoing issues and imbalances that I have within my own body, I've been calling on some extra expert advice by taking 1:1 Pilates sessions with Ireland's Master Teacher Trainer up in Dublin. I have to say that something that continues to amaze me is how often (in virtually every aspect of life) there is such a leap between good and outstanding. And when it comes to an eye for detail and understanding of body mechanics, she is outstanding. However, although her insight is invaluable and there have been several things which I hadn't considered previously, I am particularly struck by the…
All for Barre and Barre for All!
This past weekend, I attended the first ever Whole30 Coaches Summit in Park City, Utah. It was a lot of travel and time to get there and back, but it was definitely worth it. The resort and surrounding area was absolutely gorgeous, there was no shortage of ridiculously amazing Whole30 food plus yoga, HIIT, and hiking sessions, and it afforded me the opportunity to learn from a pretty impressive list of speakers and experts in leadership, business and brand development, nutrition and wellness. But most importantly, it provided me with the chance to meet and connect with other Whole30 coaches and I think the majority of us are
How Barre Cultivates a Growth Mindset
If you've ever heard me talk about all the MANY things I love about barre, you know that for me it's more than just the physical benefits. I love the way that barre has transformed my body, giving me tone, definition and strength like nothing else has and the buzz of the #barrehigh, but it's so much more than that. As I shared previously, barre has taught me many important life lessons and provides me with ongoing opportunities to develop mental strength and grit. And just recently, I was reminded of exactly how this happens. Last month I read Norman Doidge's The Brain That Changes Itself which included research and…
Home Cardio Barre Workout
If you've been in any of my barre classes lately, you've probably noticed - they're getting a bit sweatier! That's not only due to the nearly suspiciously nice weather we've had in Cork lately, but also because I've been trying to incorporate a bit more HIIT-type, cardio bursts either on the mat or at the barre as of late. For some reason, it just seems seasonally appropriate - and it's a lot of fun! You get your heart rate up, releasing an extra little rush of endorphins on top of the already euphoric experience of barre, and well, it's addictive! And so I've been doing my own home cardio barre…
The Impact of an Inch: Kicking Your Barre Workout Up a Notch (But Just a Notch!)
We are often quick to dismiss the magnitude of small, but consistent progress in the right direction. However, as nearly anyone who has achieved something great (I'm talking anything from inventing a truly disruptive product to just making it through the day without losing your cool and everything in between) will attest, it's all about the little steps forward which over time have a cumulative effect. C.S. Lewis said it well: "isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different," - a truth I am constantly reminding myself of when I fail to recognize growth or become discouraged with my pace of change. And…
Barre and Brunch! The Benefits of Group Exercise and the Barre Community
This weekend was SO.MUCH.FUN. On Saturday we hosted our first ever Flex in the City "Barre and Brunch" at The Oyster Tavern downtown Cork. We tucked at the "bar," we ate delicious food (those poachies on avocado toast "went down a storm" as the Irish would say), we laughed and laughed and got to know each other just a little better. It was a great opportunity to sit together and chat over two of my personal favorite things - barre and brunch! I know that particular types of exercises and sports tend to lend themselves better to building a community and barre is definitely one of those. If you ask…
Cultivate Poise and Perfect Your Posture with Barre
I am yet to become a member of the Mom Club (and in no rush to get there) but I am interested to see what the induction process looks like. Judging by how universal and ubiquitous many of the methods and admonishments are of mom’s everywhere, I suspect there must be a whole carefully guarded secret oath, rulebook of tenets, or doctrine to which one must pledge. My mom, true to these unwritten rules of motherhood, used to always (much to my annoyance) reprimand me to stand up straight or to fix my slouching posture. And even more annoying is when years later, I learn and understand the million and…
Celebrating Four Years at the Barre :: The 4 Most Important Lessons that Barre has Taught Me
Tomorrow marks two very significant events in my life. The first, is my mother’s birthday. I cannot begin to put into words just how much my mom has taught me, supported me, and shaped who I am and am striving to become everyday. If you have met my mom, I am willing to bet that you may have been a bit stunned. She is good at just about everything and she is someone who can and does take on multiple superhuman tasks all at once, executing each one to an unprecedented level of exceptional. Long story short, she is pretty amazing. And I remember clearly calling to wish her a…
