Behind every public figure's enviable physique lies a personal regimen. This series examines the diets, workouts, treatments, and beauty and fashion habits of notable figures as practical lifestyle information.

[Kim Bin-woo SNS]
[Kim Bin-woo SNS]

Actor Kim Bin-woo has drawn fresh attention to barre — the workout she has consistently practiced — after showing off a toned bikini physique in Bali. Barre combines the foundational movements of ballet with elements of Pilates and strength training, targeting the lower body and core through repeated small, controlled movements rather than large, sweeping ones.

Kim recently posted a series of photos from her Bali trip on SNS, appearing on the beach in a bikini and revealing a sculpted body line.

She has also consistently shared glimpses of her barre sessions on SNS. Barre involves holding a ballet barre and performing movements such as squats, lunges and leg lifts. The workout has evolved well beyond its ballet roots, now widely incorporating elements of Pilates, yoga and strength training.

Barre blends ballet and Pilates for sustained lower-body and core engagement

Barre's defining characteristic is the precise repetition of small, subtle movements. Holding the ballet barre, practitioners bend and straighten the knees, raise the heels and shift the legs in incremental motions. Although the range of movement appears limited, the muscles remain under constant tension — meaning the thighs, glutes, calves and abdomen can fatigue quickly.

The Cleveland Clinic describes barre as a low-impact workout combining elements of ballet, Pilates and yoga, noting it can improve strength, flexibility and joint range of motion. It particularly engages the postural muscles of the chest, shoulders, back and hips.

Heavy lower-body involvement is another hallmark of barre. Plié-style knee bends and leg lifts to the rear and side recruit the glutes and thigh muscles, while holding a raised-heel position activates the calves and muscles around the ankles. Keeping the torso upright simultaneously demands constant engagement of the abdominal and back muscles, delivering a core workout as well.

Continuously checking one's own body alignment to execute small movements accurately is an added benefit. Because practitioners must monitor whether their shoulders are rounding forward or their pelvis is tilting to one side, barre can help build awareness of and maintain proper posture. However, it would be an overstatement to say exercise alone can "correct" skeletal misalignment or all postural problems.

With little jumping or running, barre is generally classified as a relatively low-impact workout. That does not mean the intensity is necessarily low. Repeating small movements while holding a single position places sustained load on specific muscles, giving barre a strong muscular-endurance character.

Does consistent barre practice rapidly reduce body fat? Barre does increase energy expenditure as a form of physical activity, but the degree of fat loss depends on exercise intensity, duration, overall activity level and diet. It differs in nature from high-intensity aerobic exercise, which burns a large number of calories in a short time.

For those whose primary goal is weight loss, pairing barre with aerobic activities such as walking, running, swimming or cycling — along with dietary adjustments — will be more effective than barre alone. Conversely, for those less focused on the number on the scale and more interested in building strength in the thighs, glutes and core while toning their body line, barre is a worthy addition to any workout routine.

Leaning full weight on the barre reduces results — watch your knees and lower back, too

For beginners, the most important thing to get right is how to hold the barre. It is not a support structure to lean against but an assistive tool for balance. Pressing down hard on the barre with the arms or resting the upper body's full weight on it reduces the stimulus that should reach the lower body and core.

Ideally, practitioners should hold the barre lightly, engage the abdominal muscles and maintain their position through lower-body strength alone. As movements become more familiar, reducing reliance on the barre also trains balance.

Knee alignment matters as well. Repeatedly performing squats or pliés with the toes and knees pointing in significantly different directions can place stress on the knee joint. The ballet "turnout" — rotating the feet outward — must also originate naturally from the hip joint. Forcing the feet outward without sufficient hip flexibility can twist the knees and ankles.

Excessive arching of the lower back should also be avoided. When lifting a leg to the rear or trying to keep the torso upright, some people hyperextend the lumbar spine; in such cases, engaging the core and keeping the pelvis close to neutral is the better approach. If pain arises, reducing the range of motion takes priority.

Warming up and cooling down are equally important. Because barre involves repeating small movements dozens of times, fatigue accumulates readily in the thighs, calves and glutes. Before a session, gently mobilizing the ankles, knees and hips to raise body temperature is advisable; afterward, slowly stretching the fatigued lower-body and glute muscles aids recovery.

Adjusting the range of movement to match one's own strength and flexibility — rather than attempting high-difficulty moves from the outset — is also key. If sharp knee or lower-back pain occurs during a session, it should not be read as a sign that the workout is going well; stop the movement immediately.

The real value of barre, the workout Kim has consistently practiced, lies less in spot-reducing fat than in the sustained engagement of the lower body and core that builds strength, muscular endurance and flexibility together. For those who also want to manage body fat, combining barre with appropriate aerobic exercise and a balanced diet is the better path. A toned body line, after all, comes not from any single workout but from the habit of moving consistently.


rainbow@heraldcorp.com