Once you set a clear goal and prepare for it you begin to feel optimistic.So why isn’t that always enough to keep going or even get started?What makes the difference between a well-intentioned wish and a goal that you continue to pursue whether it takes 5 minutes or 8760 hours? What makes you willing to keep getting back up whether it happens seamlessly or you fall 365+ times?

Pictured: Custom Barres Floor Mounted Barre (Attitude Silver Brackets - Hard Maple Barre)

The inspiration

Many times something inspires us and we think we SHOULD be ready to pursue our goal. The collective energy of everyone starting in the new year or the image of a friend or celebrity on social media killing it in a workout can get the adrenaline pumping. But the initial adrenaline rush is temporary and that spark of inspiration needs deeper motivation to keep you driven.

The warm-up

Before you begin anything new you want to remove the old temptations and habits to make room for the healthier choices.When preparing to be healthier you usually trade in the junk food in your pantry for fresh whole foods in your fridge, right?

The same is true for mental preparation for your fitness or dance goals. Mental prep-work is more than just positive thinking and feeling enthusiastic. Old excuses and patterns can be re-triggered if you just tucked them away behind your shiny new inspiration and didn’t remove them. Find the hidden limitations you are holding onto and clear them out for a fresh start.

Tip: Step up the barre, close your eyes and just listen for the thoughts and feelings that surface (i.e. - resistance, defensiveness, rationalizations)

The practice

It may be cliche, but enjoy the journey.Every movement in your fitness or dance practice is an opportunity to center your attention on the moment and release the pressure from your final expectations.

A child learning to ride a bike is too busy concentrating on the pedals, the handle bars, the ground ahead, the bumps that may throw the bike off-balance, and coordinating his or her movements to be distracted by the end result.

Whether you are a beginner or a professional, the barre is where you set the pace for your practice both physically and mentally. Through consistent training you develop focus and resiliency while you safely build your muscle strength, endurance and flexibility for a solid foundation to your success.

Tip: Slow down and give your attention to the details (i.e. - the contraction of each muscle, your breathing, the support from the floor and the barre)

The dream

Discover what you love about your practice that has nothing to do with the outcome. This is where you will find the long-term motivation to keep showing up for your goals no matter what setbacks may happen. Even professionals who have achieved lifelong dreams have moments when they lose sight of what made them start in the first place. Although rewarding, the mind-driven goal (i.e. - weight loss or performing for a world-renowned dance company) often isn’t the actual dream, but the feelings you experience before, during and after.

Tip: Reflect on the positive feelings you associate with your training (i.e. - the release of stress or negative emotions, the artistic expression of something that cannot be put into words, uncovering a strength within yourself you didn’t even realize you had)

With a large selection of wall-mounted, floor-mounted and portable ballet barres, CUSTOM BARRES provides professional quality dance and exercise equipment to help you discover (or re-discover) your passion for your practice and reach your goals.  

The well-intentioned online coach may suggest that the barre itself can be replaced by household items (a countertop, windowsill, stool or chair). While these seem like comparable suggestions, they are not designed with the proper height and stability required for correct technique in dance and fitness. Improper posture and form while using non-standard equipment can cause undue pressure on muscles and joints that may contribute to injury. (Some symptoms and injuries are immediately apparent, while others develop over time from repetitive motion in poor form). Incorrect form also reduces the strength and mobility of your muscle during an exercise, undermining the full benefits of your home training or workout. Practicing with unstable support is never advisable.

Custom Barres specializes in dance and fitness equipment constructed to meet industry safety standards. Our designs include the highest quality materials and innovative design elements to improve on strength, stability, and durability and can be custom fit for both commercial studios and personal home gyms. Wall Mounted Barres, Floor Mounted Barres and Portable Ballet Barres are available. Contact us today for the best in ballet barres.

The barre class is a time for students to develop their strength, technical skills, and flexibility. No matter who your studio caters to or what level your students are at, one of the most important things you can do as a barre teacher is to keep your students fully engaged in the class. One of the worst things for your barre studio business is for your students to lose interest. The idea is to always keep things fresh in your classes. Read on for some ideas on how to keep your students interested.

Keep Students From Thinking Things Are Too Routine

As an instructor, if you throw in different moves, or switch up counts, your students will be more apt to pay attention, instead of going through class exercises like robots.

Celebrate Your Students

The more you stay positive, encouraging, and just notice the progress your students are making, the more your students will progress. Barre students will remain more interested when they see that someone else notices their progress.

Other Ideas

Use the music to your advantage

Tie in real world people and examples with the class

Make things a bit competitive

Use out of the box examples to help students get moves right

Use The Right Tools

For your students to stay engaged, they must be comfortable and have the tools they need to succeed in class. Custom Barres offers high quality ballet barres and brackets for your studio. From portable barres to custom length permanent barres, we have whatever you need for your students. Contact us today and get the barre fitness equipment that will make your studio stand out from the rest.

When you are opening a barre studio, there is a lot of planning that must be done first to get your new business off the ground. Your start-up costs can become wasteful and costly if you do not plan well. But if you ask yourself the right questions upfront you can actually save yourself some unnecessary time and expenses.

Who Is Your Target Audience?

While there are basic similarities, no two barre classes are exactly the same. The difference is often influenced by the client. Your speciality may be sports performance or injury recovery and prevention for athletes and dancers. You may want to focus on a particular age group. For highly specialized targets like these you will want to research a location that is populated with your specific audience (ie - a college town, an artistic community or a retirement zone).

Or you may choose to focus on health & weight loss and allow your clients to be drawn to what makes your studio unique, including price-lines, atmosphere or even music selection.

What’s The Budget?

If you are strategic, there is a way to find a balance between spending, obtaining what you need for your studio, how much to charge your clients and staying within your budget. First and foremost calculate monthly mandatory expenses, such as rent, utilities, insurance, staff, supplies and parking (if applicable). Next, consider one-time start-up costs, including equipment, lighting fixtures, mirrors, and flooring. Paint, maintenance and other upkeep expenses will also accumulate over time. And finally, how much will you contribute towards marketing? Always remember, having a solid reputation for quality training and standout customer care costs nothing.

How Much Space Will You Need?

You found a great deal on your ideal location for your favorite type of client and you are excited! Before you let emotion takeover and you jump in and sign the lease, make sure you aren’t shorting yourself on space in the name of a bargain.

Determine how much square footage will be required to build your studio: How many people will you expect per class? Which areas can be utilized for ballet barres? How many students will fit at the barre(s)? Will you be able to grow your business or are you already maxed out in space?

What Kind Of Barre Do You Need?

You determined your studio dimensions and set aside a budget for equipment, but you may still be unsure what type of barres to purchase. The good news is that Custom Barres can help you.

From portable barres to custom fit wall and floor mounted barres in different lengths, colors and finishes, you will have plenty to choose from when you work with us. Whether you have windows or mirrors or other installation limitations, we can help you to find the right ballet barres to maximize your spacing safely.

Contact us today and we will be a part of the team that will help you to create the perfect barre studio.

In Part 1, we discussed the advantages of Mounted Ballet Barres. Now we discuss the benefits of Custom Barres Freestanding Ballet Barres.

Why Choose a Freestanding Portable Ballet Barre?

Transportable. Non-Permanent. Spacing Flexibility.

All of our Freestanding Ballet Barres are lightweight and easy-to-assemble. 3rd Arabesque, our lightest option, is an Aluminum Freestanding Ballet Barre with a sleek modern style. It can be easily transported for Dance Instructors and Personal Trainers who travel to their students/clients and stored for those who practice at home.

For studios that are not able to install a permanent ballet bare, but do not want to compromise stability or the durability & aesthetic of a wood barre common in traditional studios, we recommend our Wood & Steel Arabesque Freestanding Ballet Barre. The beginning student, who is just learning technique, will find security with the increased support, as will advanced students who need sturdiness for more challenging technique.

Large institutions often have multi-purpose rooms or teach larger classes in even smaller rooms. Mirrors and windows can also limit space. A dancer cannot excel if his/her technique is restricted by inadequate spacing at the barre. For additional barre space, freestanding ballet barres can be used in the center of the room and moved during center work. They also allow for dancers on both sides of the barre. Our All Steel Arabesque Freestanding Ballet Barres are the popular for large volume classes based on their stability and durability.

Every Custom Barres Freestanding Ballet Barre has rubber feet for non-slip stability. The double-barre feature provides extra stability that is normally reduced with portable barres and the multi-levels accommodate students of all ages, heights, flexibility and skill levels. For even more versatility, our 2nd Arabesque Freestanding Ballet Barre is adjustable with 10 height options.

Stay tuned for the launch of our NEW Professional Line of Portable Ballet Barres.

NOTE: Our freestanding ballet barres are the most sturdy in the industry. However, no matter how strong a freestanding ballet barre is constructed, it is still not as secure as mounted ballet barres.
• Length of portable barres is limited to16 ft for strength and stability
• Children require adult supervision with freestanding ballet barres.
• We do not recommend a freestanding ballet barre for Barre Fitness workouts that require hanging or pulling on the barre without an equal balance of weight and strength from both sides of the barre.

If you have any further questions about the best recommended ballet barre for you, please call us at 888-772-9479.

When you are investing in a ballet barre, you want to be confident that you are not only choosing a high quality barre, but also a barre that makes the best use of your studio or workout space and that is fitting for your specific practice. Custom Barres offers different types of ballet barres with features to meet your individual and studio design needs. The choices can be overwhelming, so we explain the advantages and limitations. First, we review Mounted Ballet Barres.

Why Choose a Wall-Mounted or Floor-Mounted Ballet Barre?

Permanence. Stability. Personalized Height. Interior Design.

Mounted Ballet Barres add to the functionality and interior design of your space. They are a semi-permanent choice (drilling is required for installation, but if you move you can take your barre and brackets with you!) and a solid piece of fitness equipment.

Mounted Ballet Barre Brackets are STRONG.  Depending on the bracket you choose, our brackets have been tested from 150 lbs to 350 lbs of pressure. Custom Barres offers a choice of high-quality hardwood for your ballet barre to accommodate any budget and interior design, from traditional to modern.

Wall-Mounted Ballet Barre Brackets are favored because installation provides strength, they do not obstruct floor space and can be installed at any height. Wall-Mounted Brackets are popular for home practices, as well as dance and fitness studios/gyms. They provide a minimalist design appeal to studios that want their barres to seem as if they are floating on air.

Floor-Mounted Ballet Barre Brackets are slightly stronger that Wall-Mounted Brackets and make a powerful design statement that many studios and gyms prefer. While wall-mounted brackets can be installed on mirrored-walls with the assistance of a contractor that specializes in mirror cutting and installation, floor-mounted brackets offer lower risk and hassle and are usually the preferred option.

Floor-Mounted Brackets are the ideal choice for studios that would otherwise lose barre-space from windows too. Available in standard or custom heights for Ballet and Barre Fitness, they equip you with reliable steadiness and little interference on the floor compared to a portable barre.

Most of our Wall-Mounted and Floor-Mounted Ballet Brackets are available in open-saddle or closed-saddle and have single-barre and double-barre options. The length of your barre is based on the dimensions of your space, even if you have a full length studio. Unless the owner of your studio, gym or home does not allow permanent installation, mounted barres are almost limitless in their possibilities in terms of use for dance, fitness or rehabilitation and age, height and skill levels.

Visit our website at https://www.custombarres.com for the full selection of designs and color choices in Mounted Ballet Barre Brackets. We discuss the advantages of Custom Barres Portable Ballet Barres next time. If you need additional advice, please call us at 888-772-9479.

A QB Legend

Although he didn’t reveal his exact secret workout, Tom Brady recently spoke of the importance of muscle fluidity in an interview with a Boston sports radio station. He talked about the intersection of nutrition and workouts that go far beyond straight strength training. Building and maintaining muscle fluidity is the legendary QB’s key to athletic success.

Although he never named his specific procedure, it’s very common for NFL players to participate in the challenge of a ballet barre workout in order to increase muscle fluidity and strength in a new way. As a football player takes countless hits, it’s important for the body to have this flexibility in order to be able to withstand the hits.

Custom barres is a supplier to gyms all over the world of custom fit ballet barres. Pro athletes and people looking to get fit alike use our equipment to help shape their bodies into masterpieces! You can trust us with the custom barre needs for your studio! Contact us today to fill your custom barre, fitness bar and portable ballet barre needs.

What if a performance of the Nutcracker could inspire you or your clients to train just like the ballerinas in the show? A Ballet barre workout will help you to train just like that. The only difference is that a barre workout is for everyone, not just ballet professionals!

It’s so easy to see from watching performances like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker that ballet dancers have incredible physique. They tell a story through the art of dance. That strength and agility is accessible to everyone through the art of barre workouts. A barre workout could even help to spark creativity as clients dream of being on stage with the best in the business.

If you run a barre studio, you can even inspire your clients throughout the holidays by holding holiday-themed workout classes including The Nutcracker! Custom Barres has everything that you need to set up a wonderful dance studio with ballet barres designed to fit your needs and studio design. We are well-known around the world for our top quality custom ballet barres and ballet barre brackets. Contact us today for more information on ordering a custom ballet barre for your studio. 

Ballet barres are our lives here at Custom Barres. We hear a lot about fad workouts, but ballerinas have known the value of barre workouts for years. Many moves in the new barre workouts (which of course use a ballet barre) are based on classic ballet positions.

It’s no shocker that this workout was in fact developed by a ballerina herself. A German dancer named Lotte Berk was living in London. She had injured her back and came up with the idea of a barre workout in order to keep up with her conditioning and provide rehabilitation at the same time. Her first studio was opened in 1959 in the basement of her London home. Famous faces like Barbara Streisand and Joan Collins regularly came to participate in workouts in this hidden gem of a studio. In 1971, a woman named Lydia Bach brought the routine back to the United States where she opened a Lotte Berk Method studio right in New York City. Over time, new variations of the workout have developed. Eventually, so many variations were developed and experts created that the original studio closed its doors in NYC in 2005.

The barre workout trend has only continued to grow over the past decade. Barre has gone from a class for nimble dancers to becoming a fitness trend. Studios have appeared everywhere around the US to popping up in international locations.

From gifts for ballet lovers to everything you need to complete the barre workout, Custom Barres has what you need for a fun and fit workout. We even offer portable barres for a convenient workout anywhere you go! Our barres come in a variety of colors, styles and custom designs. Choose your make and material to match your studio or workout area. You’ll be on your way to a ballerina level of fitness in no time!