Working out has gotten trickier lately, and not just because we're all trying to exercise at home with less space and equipment than we're used to.
As our bodies change over time, it is normal for our exercise routine to need adjustment as well. In this podcast, Gennev Director of Health Coaching Stasi Kasianchuk talks with Robin Jones, owner of the barre3 studio in Corvallis, Oregon, about how to move safely and effectively for all-round better health.
Watch the video of this conversation on YouTube.
TRANSCRIPT
Stasi Kasianchuk
I'm really excited today to have Robin Jones here from barre3 Corvallis. I am Stasi Kasianchuk, I'm a registered dietitian nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and the Director of Gennev’s Health Coaching. And this topic today, the Workout for Michelle Obama's Generation is so timely with the launching of her movie, Becoming. Robin, you're going to hear her story about how this all connects and it really does come back to how women of Michelle's Obama's generation of this perimenopause, post-menopause phase can find movement to support their body. So Robin, great to have you here. Robin is a friend of mine and the owner of the barre3 studio that I am a part of, so really excited and really appreciate your time. Can you introduce yourself and tell us about yourself, tell us about you for our audience?
Robin Jones
Yes. Hi, Stasi and thank you so much for inviting me to chat with you today. It's really quite an honor to get to share what we do at barre3 and kind of how I got there. My name is Robin and I am the studio owner of barre3 Corvallis here in Oregon. And I came to be here serendipitously, frankly because I was looking to scratch my own itch. I was born in San Diego and my husband was born and raised in Corvallis and at the time that I found barre as a practice, we were growing two small businesses. And I was really looking for a way to break up my day and move my body in a way that felt good. And I discovered barre because all these studios opened in San Diego, kind of one after the other and I fell in love with a space that had an amazing community.
And that is something that really resonated with me. And one of the things that no one tells you really about business ownership is that it can get really lonely. And so you're, you're working here on your laptop all day long and, and you're trying to plan all these things and sometimes you just need a break and meet people and talk to people. And for me, scheduling my barre class mid day was exactly that. So I would go take a class and I would get to meet like minded people and move with them. And so quickly my practice became something so much more than exercise. And when we ended up moving to Corvallis in 2012 I really felt the need to bring this practice to this community because if I needed something like that I felt like somebody else out there probably needed it too. So after a long while trying to figure out how to make it happen, in addition to having two other small growing businesses we worked it out and opened in 2014. So I'm really excited to be here and really the community piece of barre3 has a lot to do with why I love it so much. So.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, no, I appreciate that Robin and giving that background and I will attest to the fact that you have an amazing community there. Definitely part of the reason that I am part of your barre3 studio. The workouts are obviously great and we'll talk a little bit more about that. But having that community and that support and if anything now more than ever, that community is so important. So so thank you for six years ago creating something that's so supportive today during a pandemic still. So I appreciate that. So we'll I definitely want to hear more about your story and what you've learned in the six years of being part of barre3. But I wanted to go into the title of our talk today because when I first reached out to you and told you about Gennev and and asked you to be a part of one of our webinars, you shared this amazing story of getting to actually see Michelle Obama as a part of Oprah's tour. And I'd love for you to talk about this connection and why we're talking about barre3 as a workout that Michelle Obama's generation could do.
Robin Jones
Yes. Oh my gosh. So I had the privilege of going to see Michelle Obama when she was doing her Becoming tour here in Portland. And then again had the privilege to see her in early this year, February or so in Brooklyn when she was touring with Oprah's 2020 Vision tour. And she's just inspiring to me on a lot of different capacities. But particularly what stood out for me when I saw her this year was when Oprah asked her about what she appreciated most about her body. And obviously with like the work we do at barre3, you know, her answers was like what really resonated with me and what she focused on was just about loving her body because it was hers and hers alone. And that she really tries hard not to judge it and she really tries to honor it and to realize that it's changing.
Right. And I love, she had said that our bodies are living things and so we're, we're not machines and that we need to fuel it and we need to feed it and we need to take care of it and it needs sunshine and all these wonderful things because if we don't take care of it, then our body starts to fail us as we age. And it seems so simple, but when she puts it in those terms, it's like, it's like, yeah, that's exactly right. Like our bodies are changing as we age, as we grow older, as we develop. And, and my body today at 40 is not the same as the body that I had at 20 and I think that so often a lot of women try to create this sort of future unattainable goal of like, I want my body to be like it was when it was 20.
And I love what Michelle Obama had said at the time because she likened it to, to being 20 years old and trying to fit into your overalls when you were 10. Right? Like, it's, it's, it seems like, obviously like, no, that's like unrealistic. Like why would you ever want to do that? And, and she said so often women have that mindset. Like, I want my body to be what it was like pre-baby. I want my body to be what it was like, you know, when I was in my early twenties. And what I love about what she said is that what really she focuses on as far as wellness is just appreciating and loving her body as it is in this present moment. And she talked about specifically like her body at 56 is so different than her body at 36. And so why should I try to move it in the way that I moved it when I was in my thirties because now I'm in my fifties and what it needs today is just so different and, and I felt like that was such a healthy mindset. And I feel like that's certainly, I, myself included, have battled those thoughts of like, Oh gosh, you look at your pictures from before and you're like, why? Oh man, I wish I could look like that again. And then you realize, well, like why, I mean my body has changed so much. It's experienced so much. So like why not just honor your body as it is today? So I really loved that piece of it.
Stasi Kasianchuk
No, that's so important. I think, you know, working with women in peri and post-menopause, it's a hard time. Not only is your body changing, but because of the hormonal changes that can also change how you're feeling day to day, moment to moment. And that, those are some of the conversations I have with my clients is really about, okay, what, what having them understand what is happening. And it really does tie into that dynamic that dynamic process we go through as humans and especially as women. And especially if, if you have had children, like you've experienced some of these, these dramatic changes of your body and menopause is another one of those and you bring up such a great point and that you movement is still important. Movement can still have so many benefits from health related benefits to mental health, to just being able to provide that balance and support, but it may not look the same and that's okay. And I think giving people permission to explore something new and different can be scary because it's new and different, but it can also be exciting. And when they find what works can really be helpful.
Robin Jones
Oh, completely. And I think that's the other piece of what Michelle had said is she's like, I have to find my own balance and I have to walk my own path. Right? And I have to, to know what that looks like for me in my present moment. Right? So I may have ran marathons when I was younger, but that's just not what my body needs right now. And that's just not what I need to do with it right now. And I think that's like the struggle, right? Because we can also overdo it. We can also like diet and exercise really hard and look a certain way or, or, or weigh a certain amount and then, but at the end of the day, our bodies are like broken inside because it's not what we need. Right. And I think that's so much of what I love about barre3 is that it really is adaptable to different bodies, changing bodies.
And that every day the practice is different. It feels different and it, and it gives us space to be present in our bodies and to realize this is what I need today and, or this is not what I need today. And then to modify and adapt to what, what we, what we need today.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, it has really a great balance of a lot of different things. For our audience members that may not know about barre3, can you give us a breakdown of what does it entail and what is the approach so that it really is for every body that wants to try it?
Robin Jones
Yeah, no, definitely. So barre3 is a full body balanced workout combining strength conditioning, cardio, and mindfulness. And again, like what I really love about barre3, it's low impact movement. And so it allows us to age gracefully without pain, which is really important as our bodies change our movement really, it embraces listening to your body, right?
So we offer lots of ways to adapt, to modify. You can take it up a notch, you can take it back a notch. It depending on what you need and, and again, like every day is different. But also it's like a movement that focuses really on like the feeling and movement, creating joy and like what that feels like in your bones and your muscles. And it isn't about you need to do it this specific way and it's regimented. And if you don't do it right, then you feel like you've failed in some capacity. It really isn't about that. And so, so I love that because it releases us from this pressure of like that future unattainable goal, right? Like, so if I can hold a plank for five minutes, then, Oh yeah. I finally like have achieved this like this, like some pinnacle of success.
Like barre3 isn't about that. It really is about tuning inward and listening to what your body needs. And Hey, like if you're going to hold that plank for a minute, then awesome, good job. Feel that success and feel what that feels like to feel strong in your body, but if not, and you need to modify, you need to come down to your forearms or something, other position that feels kinder where you can also feel that same level of success good for you. Right. So I love that those are the different elements of barre3 that I'm really proud of. And then the last bit of it it was really that mindfulness practice, right? So instead of just doing as the instructor does, it really is like listening to what you need and, and being really truly present and like the muscles you're working and, and what you're doing and why you're doing it. So really being able to educate our clients on how this benefits their body for functional movement every day I think is a big part of what we do.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, such a holistic approach and I'll, and I love the mindfulness piece when that was added a few years ago I'll be the first to admit that I am not going to do mindfulness practice even though I know the benefits of it unless someone's telling me I have to do it. So incorporating it into a class is genius and I look forward to that five minutes at the end where I have permission to focus on my breath to slow down and to breathe.
Robin Jones
A hundred percent. And what I feel like the value is there as a, we still have an opportunity to educate right on that piece of like why mindfulness is important and how it can serve our body physically. Like it isn't just this like if they're y'all woo, like take a moment to clear your mind. Like it isn't really that that there are actual physical benefits to focusing on breath and that's an educational moment right in our class to, to give clients that space to do it too. But also to explain like the benefits of lowering anxiety and stress and lowering your blood pressure and allowing your like diaphragm to expand and contract and create like elasticity there. Right. Versus like, so much of us are used to kind of sucking it in, you know, like holding our, our belly in and not allowing it to like be mobile because like, Oh, we got to like fit in these jeans and we've got to, you know, look a certain way and, and we've lost that ability to like mobilize our diaphragm. So those like very physical reasons to practice mindfulness, I think is definitely an educational bit for us to continue to, to share.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah. No, it's such a great way to incorporate it in a way that's tangible too. Sometimes mindfulness, automatically people jump to, Oh, I have to do an hour of meditation. I'm going to get bored. My mind's going to wander. I can't do it, then I feel defeated. So it's no, it's five minutes of what you can do. And even those five minutes, you know, and can provide benefits, especially when you start to do them over time. And especially for women with menopause, I mean that the mindfulness practice can help with hot flashes. The exercise can help with hot flashes, it can help to support sleep, everything's all connected and it can be a great simple way. It's economical. You don't have to pay anything for it. And you're just focusing on your breath. So I think that that is a really great great piece to add to that.
Robin Jones
It’s so simple, right? But it's like, it's so simple, but we, we often don't do it. And I love it, the thing about breath work, it's like, it's like the one function in our body that happens both consciously and unconsciously. Right? Like we breathe when we're alive. We don't have to, we do it even if we're not thinking about it. Right. Also have the power to control it, to like harness that and like manipulate it in a way to better serve us. It's like amazing.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, no, it's definitely and it's something, it's very easy to take for granted that, you know, we're just going to breathe on our own, but by providing that additional support we can make, are we going to enhance our body's efficiency of every breath by retraining it a little bit. Can you also share a, one of the other things that I think barre3 is really helpful for, especially for women that are either starting an exercise program or restarting and with menopause there can be more joint pain. The decreasing estrogen levels can result in more inflammation. Sometimes that appears in joints for some women and that can make them fearful of starting exercise. Can you also talk about the structure of how barre3 has been put together with professionals? It's not just, you know, Oh, here's the workout for today. This, this sounds good, that there's methods, there's training. And there's a, there's a method to the madness in terms of how the workouts are built.
Robin Jones
For sure a hundred percent. And that's one of the things I'm most proud of, to be part of a franchise who has so much of a commitment and investment in research and development on the body, right? So barre3 is has always been low impact to be accessible. And we focus a lot on isometric holds, which is where the body, the muscles are taxed at its maximum and you're, all you're doing is simply holding, right? So you're sitting in a chair or you’re in power leg or you're in a horse pose, a wide turnout position, and you're just, it's like a moment of stillness, right? Your body is working really, really hard. And then we layer in this small range of movement. So it's like a one inch range of movement, which when people hear barre, they're like, Oh, it's those tiny little things.
You know that, that, that you feel so much of a burn but you don't even, it doesn't look like you're doing very much. And that is like an isometric hold with a little bit of release really is what it is. So your muscles are working really hard, but you're giving it a little bit of a break every time you move. And then on top of that, we layer in dynamic movement, right? So that ability to flush out the oxygen and blood back to the muscles that need it. So we layer in that kind of strategically, that three layer process all throughout class and we work the entire body. So it's really efficient. So we heat the cardiovascular system, we open up our hips, we open up all the joints and then we move into these elements where we like work the leg muscles and then we work the back body muscles. And then we work the core, which is abdominals and glutes. And then go back to like breath work and then move our body in ways that you don't normally move your body. Right? So like laterally. So important to move your body 360 so that when you do functional things at home like garden and you're like turning and twisting and all these things that your muscles are there to support you in the ways where it can prevent injury.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Excellent. So many benefits there and, and that translation to, to everyday activity. You know, and barre3 if you're someone that wants to train for a five K or some type of athletic event, barre3 can serve that. But its foundation is in those everyday movements so that you can enjoy life, that you can feel good doing life's lifestyle activities and enjoy the workout too. Cause there's certainly, again, coming back to that community and that connection that you have in that 60 minutes.
Robin Jones
Exactly, exactly. I mean one of my proudest things is that our oldest client today is eight, has been 81 was 81. Youngest is 14. Right. So to like have an offering of a practice where you can give someone who is [missing] a place where they can feel successful and moving their body equivalent to a 14 year old or we've even had Olympic athletes in our studio, it's like to be able to offer something of that wide of a spectrum. I think it's such a gift to be able to share because you know, everyone can feel successful in the practice, can feel challenged in their practice, but they're doing it in ways that are very different looking. Right. It isn't just like this one how to do it this way. So yeah. I love that so much about it.
Stasi Kasianchuk
That's awesome. Yeah, no, I think it serves a wide range of people. Well, Robin with your six years of working here or start or opening the studio and getting it established. And you talked about your story in terms of why you started barre3, now as you look back and with what you have learned, did you imagine six years ago that this would be the journey that's unfolded?
Robin Jones
Certainly not. No. Sure. It's, it's, it's been such a wild ride in the best way possible. And what I've learned in the last six years has like absolutely nothing to do with like business or ability. I mean, and, and this is like one of those things, right? Where we, I do it and I'll speak for my team: We all do it. We do because we love it. And so there's a reason why we're all motivated in that capacity. And I think for me, I've learned so much about the power of the collective spirit and in particularly right now in this moment where we're engaging with our clients on a virtual level, right? We don't get to interact with them like we normally do. There's so much power in like the ability to help each other mentally and emotionally when we are doing things together, right and, and even scientifically, the power and the joy of movement and how moving together even virtually can stimulate joy.
Right? And so that has been such a big learning for me. I mean, obviously like I opened the studio because I wanted a place to work out. And then I got all these ancillary beautiful benefits out of being able to be the owner, right? I have this wonderful community and all these amazing friends. And but then going back to owning the studio for six years, I think I also learned that investing in people goes a much longer way than investing in things and widgets and whatnot. And that's always been kind of my primary driver is my team. And when I say invest in people, I don't mean money. I mean, I mean time, right? And really getting to know the people who you surround yourself with I think goes a long way as far as like even personal emotional benefit. And so that's been really beautiful.
I've learned also that like everyone has like an inherent native genius and sometimes you just need somebody else to remind you or to tell you or to open your eyes to what that is. And so I've had the benefit of being able to do that for other people. And I've also had the benefit of being able to receive that and realizing for myself like some of what are those things are. And so that's been really beautiful. So yeah, lots of things I learned from barre3 that I, I didn't think that's what I was going to get out of it. And I think too, just learning to accept, like, and be happy for my body for how it is instead of criticizing it for what it's not. That was a big learning for me. As far as like fitness, right? Like I, I, I think early on when I first opened the studio a lot of self doubt, a lot of, well I've never done this before.
I've never taught fitness. I don't know how to teach exercise and a lot of self doubt of I don't, I don't look like the typical fitness guru. Like I don't have those abs. I don't look that way. You know, there was a lot of self doubt there and I think there was a lot of self criticism of like, I don't look the part so I certainly can't be successful in the part. And that was a big learning for me over the last six years of like, you don't need to look a part, like you have the ability to make an impact without looking a certain way. And, and, and then even though it's still in everyday practice, that like self-criticism has gotten quieter. And so I think that's that's a been a beautiful gift for sure.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, that's a, that's great to hear that you've been challenged in that way and then have really overcome that. And it reminds me of, I still remember the moment of when I had gone to the the barre3 in the vineyard event in June, I think it was June of 2018, 2018 and you were leading an exercise class for like over a hundred people out in this vineyard which was an amazing setting. Hopefully we'll get to do that again someday. But I remember specifically you meant, you telling us that we're doing an exercise and again, these exercises that are small movements. No one be fooled — if you have not tried them and you're like, ah, no, I don't do small movements, it's too easy. Try to hold these small movements for extended period of time. They get really hard. But you brought up the fact that we can, we have the power to change the conversations we have with ourselves in our head.
And that just always stuck out with me. It was at a time where I was having particular challenges and it really hit me to say, no, I can, I can change this conversation. I have complete control over this. I may not know exactly what the outcome's going to be, but the conversation here and now, I can work on changing that. And that's always stuck with me and someone who does also appreciate challenging my body through movement. I like how that can translate into other areas of my life. And now working with women in menopause that it is a challenge. It's really hard. When you really feel that you wake up the next day and your, your body is different and those feelings are real and having to challenge those conversations can be really difficult. Can you share some of what, how you challenge your conversations as over the last six years when those doubtful voices were louder than they are now?
Robin Jones
Hmm. It's, it's a practice. It is, it is hard and, and I every day I think I'm reminded that we still have a lot of work to do, right? Like I still feel like so many people, or I guess self-awareness is like one piece of it for me. It's like when in those moments when I have those tendencies to be like, ah, that that was not the best of what I have to offer and I start to spiral into like self criticism. It just, I just create this like moment of self awareness of like, okay, I'm feeling that. Right? And I'm having that thought and then I have to like separate, right? Like my thought from like, okay, what's reality? Right? So like, yeah, maybe that class wasn't how I wanted it to be and I whatever, like it wasn’t perfect. And that's okay.
And I think I just like, I allow myself to just become aware that I'm having these thoughts and it's not that I like, it's not an exercise really of like, okay Robin, stop thinking about that. Right? Like it really is just like, okay, how's the thought? Like that's fine and, but just know like that thought doesn't define you. It doesn't, it doesn't define who you are. It was a passing thing. Like you, you didn't do what you expected to do in that moment, but that moment is past, right? Like it's over. That was a temporary thing, so like move on. I think to me that, but it's taken a lot of work, like self discovery work for me to get to that point where I'm just like, okay, you can still have that thought. And then oftentimes I just reach out to girlfriends and be like, eh, like, like yesterday I had reached out to Brodick and Rachel, I'm just like, no, there's just some days you're just sick of the sound of your own voice.
Like I like taught last night and I'm just like, I am just sick of the sound of my own voice. And I, I had planned to say certain things and like for me, often if it doesn't resonate, I won't say it. But there's just those moments, right? And so for me, I reached out to my friends and I'm like, Hey, this is how I was feeling. It was kind of feeling funky and you know, they, they're just like a sounding board and they helped me realize again, like, okay, that's fine that you feel that way, but the reality is probably it doesn't translate that way. Or people do want to hear what you have to say and things like that. But so, so creating awareness I think was like the first part of like, I'm having these thoughts and not letting it control like my behavior.
And then also having good sounding boards, right? Like that community piece, those friends again who you can be really vulnerable and honest with and say when you have those moments and those thoughts how I'm kind of feeling kind of funky, is that real? Is that not real? Okay. And if they tell me it's not real, I'm like, okay, I'm just going to like acknowledge that wasn't real and then I'm going to move on. You know? So I think it's okay to have those feelings of self doubt every so often. It just happens, I mean it's natural, but then if you have a healthy community, healthy people around you who can be your sounding board and if you can just not beat yourself up so much about it. Right. I think that's like, that's the biggest, that's the biggest thing. And then again, like what we practice, we get really good at.
So if I keep practicing that, Hey, I'm, I'm, I'm doing enough. Yeah, I'm doing fine, I'm okay. Right. Even the simplest things, like if I can keep just practicing that, then I think it like ends up being better. But it's, it's like we still have a lot of work to do, right? To help other people have those realizations and to help other people feel really comfortable that there isn't this future unattainable goal and that where you are right now is okay and if you're feeling a certain way today, it's okay and it's a temporary passing moment.
Stasi Kasianchuk
I love that. Those are all such great reminders. And I think, you know, the, one of the things we're doing here at Gennev is we want to change the conversation around menopause. That it shouldn't be this dreaded, shameful time of a woman's life. We're all going to go through it. Every woman does, every woman has. And that piece I think you talked about about building the community is also really supportive for women too. Even though every woman's menopausal experience can be unique, knowing that other women are going through this or will, and having the courage perhaps to be a little vulnerable. And like you shared yesterday with, you know, your community of sharing, this is how I'm feeling right now. And then have that conversation of, well, is this, is this real and in menopause you really are probably feeling that right now. But it can pass and menopause itself is not forever. So there is that time through it, but, the power of talking about it, I think that's what I seen so much with women is let's just talk about what's going on. It may not go away, but just talking about it turns down the volume. It gets it out of the head.
Robin Jones
A hundred percent and I think that that shared experience, right? It requires us to be vulnerable to have these shared experiences. But to your point, like it helps to, helps you realize that Hey, this is normal in some capacity or other people feel that so it's okay. And that's the biggest thing, right? We fight like this idea that we're the only ones feeling this way. It's like this and this notion of like lonely, like I am the only one going through this particular thing. And with menopause I can imagine, right? It's like I'm the only one feeling these things in my body. I'm the only one experiencing these changes in my body when the reality is, it's like, no, like a lot of a lot of women who are going through menopause probably have felt the same way, but like to your point, we don't talk about it enough, right? Like we don't share that enough. And so people feel like they're alone in that experience.
Stasi Kasianchuk
And the, the loneliness ends up being more detrimental than sometimes the symptoms depending on that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and anybody that's listening, we do encourage more conversation, especially among women about all of these things. We've had a couple of questions or a question and a comment come in. So the first one is a question that says she says, or they say they worry about osteoporosis. Do you have any specific help or suggestions? And what barre3 can do to contribute to that?
Robin Jones
Yes. I would say mobility, mobility, mobility. Right. So moving your body in all different directions kindly is the most important thing. Right? So my mom has been in Oregon with me here for the past month or so, and she's been taking my classes with me at her own pace. Right. And, and for her, for her, for her achy bones are real, arthritis is real, you know, joint pain is real. And the ability to I think move your body kindly on a regular basis helps lubricate the joints and to, to, to move the body helps to, to kind of get things going. And so I would say that I would say to think about different ways to mobilize your body that are kind, right. So lots of stretches, a lot of gentle like side body leans, some gentle squats.
I mean there's just so many ways to think about opening the body in ways that are different from how you normally function. Right? So for a lot of us who are sitting at laptops all day, we have really like tight front bodies and really loose back bodies. So really opening up the body in that way that counterbalances how you act every day I think is really helpful. But again, being really gentle with yourself when it comes to that type of thing and knowing, Hey, it's okay. It's okay to do something in an adapted format because that’s a little kinder for your joints.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah. And, and with the osteoporosis related to bones too, I'll also add just the straight, you're doing an exercise that you can continue to increase the challenge if it feels good for you on that day to do that. And by increasing that challenge on your muscles, your muscles pull on the bone, which can help to maintain bone density that you have. Depending on how old you are, you may or may not be able to really build bone right now. But I think one thing that's always important to point out osteoporosis, while it is a thinning of the bones, the major concern with osteoporosis is falls. Typically you can have osteoporosis and walk around every day and be a normal walking, living person. But it's when you fall and you have those frail bones that it becomes problematic. Now with barre3, as Robin was just talking about with the mobility, if you're training to move better throughout the day and barre3 also incorporates balance, then you're also less likely to fall. So even if you do have osteoporosis or osteopenia, you're decreasing the risk of fractures from falls. So again, big picture in terms of how you, how you approach some of those conditions.
Another one on the same line. Oh, and then someone had pointed weight training and impact had been proven to strengthen bones and that's absolutely correct. The stress of the, the weight training certainly can be helpful. And then there is times where you're incorporating jumping or plyometrics in class and that's definitely great for for bone building as well. Another one on hip soreness. This person's a runner and sitting all day, all day. My right hip is killing me. Any ideas and what they could be doing?
Robin Jones
Really. Yes, I love hip opening things. We do a lot of this in class. A Crescent lunge is always great. So I'm one foot forward, one foot back. It just, I guess I could demonstrate, if you guys can see me it's kind of like you’re back here. You're in a Crescent lunge, so one leg is forward and one leg is back and it really helps to open up this side of your hip, that pelvis. And it really is just simple hold, can, can help a lot that for as far as hip soreness. And then like figure four stretch to kind of have that piriformis also a good stretch for that. But, but Crescent lunges is like, just like the yummiest way to open up your hips, especially when you've been sitting all day. You know, and to get from a Crescent lunge into like a lunge where you bend your back knee also can additional, can help with additional mobility through the hip to the pelvis. So I would highly recommend doing some of those, just holding, getting to that posture and holding.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Excellent, great suggestions there. And of course, the barre3 workout there, there's another option. And this person sends you deep gratitude. Robin, this is a wonderful message. She says, thanks to barre3, I'm so much more strong and comfortable today in my 63 year old post-menopause body than I was my miserable menopausal fifties. Barre3 is my family, physical therapy and deep joy for life. Thank you. So a very happy customer. And a proud community member there. So great to hear those testimonials as well. So another question, and this could lead into perhaps what you're doing right now. So this person wants to experiment or for people who want to experiment with barre3 for the first time, are there any YouTube videos you would recommend? It's a little intimidating to join a studio with other people, even if it's just online right now. And do you need equipment? So if you can speak to those things?
Robin Jones
Yes. so if you can go to barre3.com, there's a lot of like 10 minute free workouts on there that I offer they offer on our online platform. So it's a good way to just check it out and see what it's like without committing to or taking a full class. You don't, you don't normally need any equipment at all. We just, we just use our own body weight in a typical class in particularly 10 minute things. Also we have live Instagram 10 minute classes on Fridays at 3:00 PM [Pacific], so that's a great way also, like no one can see you. You hop onto your, your phone, your gadget, and you can pop in and just check out what it's like.
And every week we focus on something different. And so it's a good way to kind of get an experience of what barre3 is without that commitment. And again, those are usually without any props as well, so no real need for that.
Stasi Kasianchuk
And then if they wanted to, if they do decide they want to join barre3 or do it more long term what equipment can be used if they, if they need, if they want to bring that in.
Robin Jones
Yes, so we typically use a set of weights and I encourage anywhere from like three to five pounds. Nothing really heavier than that. A core ball which you can get from our studio or online on our store, but it's just kind of a flexible ball that we use to create some instability and some abdominal work or to encourage some sensation based postures when we place the ball between our inner thighs and whatnot. So that's always useful. And then we also have like a resistance band that we utilize in, in classes every so often. Again, all of these are just tools to help you get deeper in your body to connect to the sensation. And so none of them are actually necessary to join the class or to even feel like you're successful in our class. Yeah. Yeah.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Nice to have that variety. So it can be great. Also, if you're traveling, you don't want to have the equipment and don't want to be able to do some of those online things or if you're home or are eventually in a studio and you want to be able to incorporate those. Yeah. Well, Robin, you've touched on this a little bit. And I know it's a mission of barre3 globally to redefine fitness. So how do you see that specifically applying to women in the peri and post-menopausal 40 to 60 ish range, age range and what that looks like? And, and how you see that progressing for them?
Robin Jones
Oh, for sure. So like I said earlier, like barre3 really is just a different form of movement of exercise. And what I mean by that is that like for too long, fitness has been focused on these external measures of success, right? So you exercise to sculpt the perfect body or to fit in those skinny jeans or to hit some like target weight goal. And at barre3 really we define success in fitness as being balanced in body and empowered from within. And to me that ties into, you know, the mature woman in that we have the ability to let go of these notions of I want to look how I was before, right before babies, before this injury, before when I was younger or whatever it is. And a lot of those conscious thoughts stem from the fitness industry saying we have these external measures of success and you're only successful in fitness if you accomplish these things.
And that's the beautiful thing about barre3 is that we're rooted in kind of redefining what success in fitness means, right? And really encouraging feeling good in your body as your measure of success. If you feel balanced, if you feel like you are empowered that really is our measure of success. So for women whose bodies are changing much like Michelle Obama, right? Going back to that. The ability to honor what you need in the moment and to decide this is how I need to adapt it. Today I feel great and I'm going to really lean into the dynamic movement. Awesome. Or today, you know what? I have had a really stressful week and I need to lean in into the breath work and the mindfulness movement. The ability to cater the workout specifically to what you need in your changing body without any future end goal of like, I'm doing this because … I think that's the biggest added value, particularly for this community here is you take back that control of like, why I'm doing what I'm doing. And, and I think that's so powerful at this age. Right. And, and to be able to say, Hey, I'm going to do it because it feels good versus I'm going to do it to check it off the list and say, I exercised today.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah. And, and thinking of, and that process too, that checkoff list, we can sometimes get tired of just checking things off. And so if we're not finding joy in doing it, that checkoff becomes more and more tedious and we're less likely to continue. And so many women that I talked to say they want to find something that they can do sustainably, longterm. And we all know when we enjoy something, we're way more likely to do it. So, you know, you know, hanging out with friends and seeing people that we, we look forward to. That's way easier than having to do some tedious tasks or something that you don't enjoy.
Robin Jones
Oh, totally. And I think that was the biggest shift for me and why I've, you know, I love what we do here is because that was how it was for me. You know, I started going to the gym at 12 and was checking off the box. Okay. I worked out for 30, you know, I did the cardio for 30 minutes. I did the weight machines for 30 minutes, check, check, check. Never spoke to a human in the gym. Like it was always like, it was always a to do, right? Like something I have to do because I know it's good for me, but I hated every second of it, right? Like I didn't enjoy the experience of exercising and moving my body. And so when barre3 came along and I was, I was like, wow. Like, I enjoy the fact that I can hold a plank for a minute, you know, like that feels really good to me and I don't feel depleted at the end of a class.
Like I feel energized and inspired. Like that feels good to me. And then the added bonus of like familiar faces and friends do hold you accountable because they see you in class. Like that feels good to me. Right? And so it completely shifted like my need and obsession to like exercise for the sake of exercising into I'm going to go move my body because it feels good. And or, or I've been sitting on my laptop all day and I need a break and I need an Energizer. And that's what I'm going to do is, is go exercise. So let's look at different, different thought process behind the why you do it.
Stasi Kasianchuk
That's excellent. Yeah. I think that's so important for people to hear that there are other reasons to move your body and you can define it for yourself. And it really doesn't matter what other people or an industry is saying it's all about what's going to what feels best for you. Well, before we finish up here I am curious if for you or would like you to share with the group you mentioned that certainly this pandemic wasn't, wasn't predicted in your six year business plan I don't know if that it was in your business plan two months ago, but it is now. And what, can you talk about why barre3 and movement right now is so important during this time and what you and your studio are doing with it?
Robin Jones
Oh yes. Gosh, I, you know, movement to me is like really healing and it gives you like that moment of like reset, right? And so, but fundamentally it's like, it's, it's energy. It's the energy that we need to move and when we are stuck at home and when we're, we're limited by where we can be and what we can do, it's like the ability to move that energy is really important. So for me and with barre3 taking those breaks. So like I'm going to log on to a class because now I can do it live streaming, which is awesome. Is such a great way to move that stuck energy, right? Cause like we can so often get so stuck at our computers and then, or, or listening to the news or are doing all these things and you just need to hit the reset button and relieve that energy.
So oftentimes it's either for a moment of pause, little stress release, I'm getting a little anxious, I need to move, or it's like I have a lot of energy and I need to move it because like I'm used to being go, go, go. And now like I'm not going anywhere, right? Like I need to move that energy. And what I love with barre3 is you can turn it up or you can dial it down or whatever you need in that moment, right? And so it's effective, right? So if you feel like you have an excess amount of energy, like hop onto a class and like toe tap it out. If you’re feeling like I just need a break and a moment of calm, I am just gonna sit in that like mindful of stretch and breath moment for a little bit longer. Right you know the flexibility, right.
And in a class to be able to offer both I think has been so helpful. And what I love about this like again, ancillary bonus of the coronavirus is that we've been able to live stream and to reach people so much further beyond our Corvallis studio. I mean, clients who've left and moved are now back and clients who were intimidated to come into our studio space because it's intimidating to try anything for the first time, like you said. Now they can do it from the comfort of their home. They can turn off the camera if they're not comfortable with it. And it's those like no pressure. It's like no pressure. And now there's less barriers to entry. And so I feel like that's like my invitation is like, now's the best time to try it. Right? Like why not now?
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yeah, absolutely. No, that's such a good point. It brings well it doesn't have that while the in studio experience is on pause. This, it provides a new experience for everyone and can be more inviting for a lot of people. So that's great to hear the reach as well, growing that community all around.
Robin Jones
Well that's the best thing about it, right? It's like we have so many clients who walk, I mean, Corvallis is a rotating door. It's like we have people come in and go out and, and we like get attached to them and then they leave and it's like so hard. But now we've been able to like see old friends, like all these connections we've made over the years. It's like, hi again.
Stasi Kasianchuk
They stayed at some of the ones I've been on. There's more people on the zoom screen, then you could probably fit in the studio. So there's an increased capacity.
Robin Jones
Yes. No. And what I will say is that live streaming isn't going away even when we reopen our doors. So that's useful. It's like this beautiful gift we've been given as a result of all of this, right?
Stasi Kasianchuk
Yes, absolutely. Well, before we close up, I want to give one last call for questions, either in the chat, the Q and a box or on Facebook. And while we're waiting for those Robin, if any of our participants who aren't already a part of barre3 Corvallis want to be part of barre3 Corvallis, how can they do that? And and how could they reach out to you if they have questions?
Robin Jones
Oh yes, please, please, please do. I would love to see you guys all virtually and meet you there. You can DM the studio directly at barre3 Corvallis or you can DM me directly @MrsPapaJones and your first classes are on me for free. So yeah, shoot us a message. I would love for you just to experience it and, and decide for yourself. Like what, what that feels like in your body. I'm always happy to welcome new people. And then also we're hosting a really cool thing. It's like a mini retreat at home. So in lieu of having our summer class, like you were talking about earlier at the vineyard, we are going to take it, do the same type of thing, but from home. So Thrive at Home on Sunday, June 7th. So that's also a great opportunity. Proceeds from that will go to the Oregon food bank. So so if you're looking for something fun to do on a Sunday join us on that. That'll be fun. A good also way to experience barre3.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Excellent. We have one other comment here on this person says this has been awesome. Such incredible energy. It makes me want to do barre3 just for the happy energy and uplifting attitude. And then another one, I'm so grateful for the live streaming classes, they've saved my sanity. So that mental health benefit right there of reminding us that even when we're cooped up in our house, we need to still move. It’s so important. Well, any other final remarks on this topic? That you would like to share? Robin?
Robin Jones
I I guess what I want to say is that we have this unique opportunity right now to shift those conversations we have with ourselves. Just like you talked about that moment, you know, a couple of years ago when I had said that that we have the opportunity to control like our conversations with ourselves and really I encourage all of you to focus on gratitude for our ever changing bodies, right? No matter what age you're at, you know, teens to your twenties or twenties to your thirties or thirties to your forties or menopausal, right? Like our bodies are always changing and to, instead of criticizing it for all the things that can't do, to really think about finding that gratitude and that space to honor it for the things that it can do or has done. Right?
Like if you've had babies, wow. Like how amazing. Like your body was able to do that. Thank you. If you've run marathons and you have been able to cross that finish line, like how amazing. Tell your body thank you. Even if you can't do those things today, like that's amazing. And to focus on that gratitude instead of the criticism, right? And reinforcing the negative kind of self-talk that is like really easy to succumb to and to just continue to embrace that, you know, like the, our bodies do this incredible work to propel us forward. And so we should just really embrace our individual paths and, and reflect on our strengths and not our deficiencies and then be really purposeful on how we carry that message, right? Like what we say around future generations. I like so often think about when I've had the, the, the honor to teach at like, Corvallis high school and whatnot.
Like to me that those moments are like so important, right? Because we can learn these things about ourselves and then we have this like unique opportunity to share that and pay it forward to future generations so that they're not battling with what the fitness industry has so often ingrained in our minds that we're not enough. That they grow up in an environment where they're told they are enough and that they don't have this self doubt that then later they have to like comb through and figure out, right. Like, so we have such a unique opportunity to change those conversations with ourselves and with everybody else and to remember we get really good at what we say and do repeatedly, right? Like what we say and do repeatedly. So why not make those good things?
Stasi Kasianchuk
Oh that's perfect. That's so great. And I think, again, all ties back together. It's coming, you know, with the work that Gennev’s doing around menopause is that our goal right now is to focus on the current population in menopause because, and part of that is it's not going to, the conversation's not going to change for future generations if we don't focus on now. So I think it all comes together full circle here. And thanks for your inspiration from Michelle Obama. So check out her Becoming movie that's launching this, this this week already has launched. And, and then, but just those messages that we need to hear more of that, especially right now of what focus on what we can do, what we can control and that building that community cause we are all in this together. I love that. So we had one last comment that says thanks to Robin and Stasi for such an inspiring afternoon chat.
So glad that we could provide that for everyone. This was amazing. And Robin, thank you so much for your time. It's nice to have to be able to do this with your schedule being a little less travel heavy right now.
Robin Jones
No, it was such an honor and such a pleasure to get to chat about all the things I love about barre3 and all the ways that it can, it can help support, you know, our, our changing bodies. So I'm really excited about it. Thank you so much.
Stasi Kasianchuk
Thank you. Well. just to remind everyone, we also, for those of you that may not be familiar with Gennev, we offer telemedicine OB/GYN services primarily focused on supporting women in peri and post-menopause. And it's all telehealth. So you can be anywhere in the United States where we're in 48 states right now we're working on getting to 50.
But you can have OB/GYN services over the phone or over video. And then I offer the health coaching services. So looking at things on the lifestyle side of how you can help to manage menopause symptoms. A lot of what Robin talked about here today and finding the movement that works best for you. And while I am a proponent of barre3, if you're saying barre3 is not for you, well then let's talk about other forms of movement. So there are other options. Barre3 is one of them. And then looking at nutrition, sleep, stress management. And really maybe more importantly, most importantly, is that accountability. That's what I provide is that resource to be able to hold you accountable supportively to implementing things that make you feel, feel the best right now. So keep that in mind.
Head to our website to check out what those offerings for our HealthFix and Telemedicine services. And next Thursday we will be back here with talking about own business women business owners. So another woman, business owner actually for Handful bras, Robin may be familiar with her. So Jennifer Ferguson is going to be talking with our CEO, Jill Angelo, on how coming up with companies that are specifically made for services for women. So she, so Jennifer Ferguson is the owner of Handful bras out of Portland, Oregon at the sports for active wear companies. We'll be talking with her next week.
Robin Jones
She's awesome. And I'm wearing a Handful bra right now.
Stasi Kasianchuk
There you go. That wasn't planned! Great. Well, thanks again Robin. Really appreciate your time.
REGISTER for the webinar with Jennifer Ferguson of Handful ActiveWear.
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