Why do we love Barre so much?
The main reason I do anything is for fun! I’ve never been one of those people who liked the gym or grueling workouts for the sake of getting in shape. I prefer to workout without realizing it. For example, snowboarding is a great total body workout, but I never think of it that way. To me, it’s pure freedom and exhilaration!
Barre is similar, it feels more like dancing than a workout. Have you ever had dreams of becoming a ballerina or dancer? But could never quite get into the strict regimen? Barre is your next best ticket! If you stick with it, you can become fit and trim, without bulking up. You will strengthen muscles all while improving your posture. This will in turn benefit your mental health and give you a long, lean body.
After that pep talk I’m ready to build another at home barre, what about you?
So, How do you build an at home barre?
First, you will want to pick out a spot that is conducive to working out. A place you want to go to every day or at least a few times per week. Next, you will want to pick the wall for your new barre. Then ask yourself a few questions like, how long do you want your barre? How many people will be using it? Does this wall have studs you can access?
Once you figure out the answer to these questions start collecting your materials.
What you will need:
- Wooden dowel- the length will vary depending on preference. Oak is best if you can find it. We settled with pine, which is a bit more flexible, so we added an extra bracket to better secure it. The diameter will vary depending upon preference, ours is 1 1/2 in which fits our hands nicely.
- Tape measure
- Drill
- Screws
- Shelf brackets- The ones we chose hold 1200 pounds per pair. Shelf brackets will give you more room between the rail and the wall. This helps when doing barre workouts. Many people use rail brackets, but I find this doesn’t give you enough wall clearance.
- Pencil
- Drill bit– this is important and depends on the screws you’re using
- Stud finder
- Level
- Optional- paint and paintbrush if you want to paint the barre. We left ours natural.
Building your DIY at home Barre
Step 1) Use the stud finder to locate the wall studs and mark them. This makes for a secure barre.
Step 2) Measure the height you want your barre at. The recommended height when using a barre for fitness is 36″-38″. We put ours at 38″. Mark your desired height.
Step 3) Place your bracket at the desired height and mark holes. Check to make sure it is level.
Step 4) Predrill marked holes.
Step 5) Switch your drill bit to the screw bit and screw in brackets. We used three brackets for a 6′ 9″ barre and it feels solid. Because of the odd length and studs, the center bracket is not quite center. This works and still looks great.
Step 6) Change your screw bit back to a drill bit and place the dowel on top of the barre. Make sure to center it over the holes furthest from the wall. Predrill holes. (Optional- If you want to paint the barre, do it before this step)
Step 7) Change drill bit to screw bit and secure the dowel to the bracket with screws. Make sure it is secure but do not overtighten.
Step 8) Clean up and enjoy your barre!!
Now that your barre is up, you are ready to get started. In time you will find that doing barre every day helps you feel more balanced, in tune, and high vibe. You will look for ways to incorporate more of that feeling into your life. As you go along you may want to add to your home studio over time. Our home studio has grown from an idea to a full-blown place of inspiration. We even added comfortable flooring and mirrors.
Extra Items you may want for Barre
- Weights- sizes will vary on your preference.
- Yoga mat
- Barre slipper socks- You can look and feel like a dancer. They also provide some grip.
- Barre/Pilates ball
- Resistance bands
- Water bottle
What doing barre at home has taught us
- We can do anything
- I can be wrong sometimes
- We are worth it
- We are strong
- Wherever you are, it’s okay
- Barre is awesome!