Here at UpBeat, we believe in a well-balanced fitness regime. This means hitting all elements of physical fitness:
Cardiovascular endurance: How strong your heart and lungs are
Muscular strength: How much force your muscles can exert at one time
Muscular endurance: How well you can perform a task repeatedly
Flexibility: The range of motion in your joints without pain
Body composition: What your body is made up of
(sometimes Power)
In order to accomplish this, we obviously need to do different workouts. UpBeat Lift has us covered for muscle building strength, so let's focus on our other two babies today: UpBeat Barre (UPB) and UpBeat Pilates (UPP).
People often ask: what's the difference between UPB and UPP? Why are there crossover tracks for some and not others? Are they really that different?
The simple answer? Focus. Pilates stays core-focused no matter what. The more educated and comprehensive answer? Let's explore this Venn diagram for similarities and differences between the two formats.
As you can immediately see, in UPB, you're getting a lot more cardio elements, energy is up, and calorie burn probably is too.
Pilates asks us to focus more on breathing and balance of the body while still bringing that intense burn.
Pilates will burn out the entire core; top to bottom, side to side, front to back. Remember from your trianings that the core is NOT just your six pack, so any workout claiming to train your abs but failing to work you in side lying, face down, glutes, etc is not a science-based (hi cutie-facts!) approach.
SOOOO, what to do if you teach both? Let's remember from our history lesson that Barre is made up of 3 disciplines: Strength training, yoga, and Pilates. That means that barre is by definition 33% Pilates movements and focus. Luckily, Pilates (which came MUCH earlier than barre) is 100% Pilates movements and focus! lol. So it's already going to feel much different. However, UpBeat instructors have had access to a class map called THE MAT that made their UPB classes much closer to 2/3 Pilates work before we decided to REALLY focus in and create our beloved UPP. (This class map was only intended to be used to sub a class--it really doesn't provide an exercise experience true to barre or Pilates.)
UPP changed the game by incorporating breathwork, mandatory hundreds, roll ups, and other essential elements of any Pilates class (leg series, prone work, bird dogs) with focused consistency. There are hundreds of tracks that are Pilates library-only for that reason.
REMINDER!! As a UPBarre instructor with a subscription, if you train in UPPilates, you get the Pilates-only choreography library at NO ADDITIONAL COST.
So, back to our question, if you teach both UPB and UPP (especially at the same gym/studio)?There are steps you can (and should) take to really set the formats apart! Even if you only teach one format, but your gym offers both, get together with the other insturctors to make sure you are both working to make the classes feel set apart.
Keep barre classes focused on standing work. If crossover tracks are used, always do them at the "barre" standing if possible. This changes the focus and burn of the tracks.
In UPB, never do more than 3 tracks on the floor (plank, supine, bridge). Never do side lying on the floor (these should be done at the barre if possible, or taken out.)
In UPB, stick to these class maps:
THE STACK, THE BALLERINA, THE PEAK, or THE STANDARD.
Focus on cardio and full body center floor tracks in UPB.
In UPP, focus cueing on breathing, education, and engagement. (Take time in intro of class to really set them up with a quick hands-on abs engagement training or a demonstration of rib flare vs. closed rib cage.) Because the heart rate isn't up as high in Pilates, instructors should have more opportunity to educate and zone in on minor adjustments in form that will make a huge difference in UPP effectiveness.
If UPP class needs to be shorter, or you're not able to get in all the other tracks, take out the UPPERS. (Focus more on completing all other core-focused tracks.)
Comments