Known for its celebrity-fave HIIT workout, Barry’s Bootcamp has finally arrived in Singapore. The first-ever studio in Asia, it is conveniently located in swanky digs right in the heart of the CBD. The Barry’s programme incorporates interval-based cardiovascular routines on specially designed Barry’s Woodway treadmills (said to be safer for your knees!) and strength and conditioning exercises with free weights and equipment. Each class reportedly burns up to 1000 calories and is held in the studio’s signature Red Room, a red-tinged space that makes you look more sculpted.
To see if the workout lives up to its tough reputation, we attended Barry’s Bootcamp, survived it and lived to come up with seven tips that’ll help you get the most out of your workout.
Go For a Morning Class
We get it; it’s a struggle to wake up in the morning and an even bigger struggle to make it to a 7AM HIIT work out. Think of it this way, you’re going to be burning more calories than your desk mate even if you’re just sitting there. And it’s all thanks to Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), more commonly known as the afterburn effect. In simple terms, the afterburn effect refers to the number of calories your body burns post-workout as it recovers from the “stress” it undergoes during intense exercise. To do this, your oxygen levels remain elevated for up to 24 hours as your body repairs muscle damage and restores cellular function to pre-workout levels.
Start With The Treadmill
The 50-minute class is split into 25 minutes of cardio on the treadmill and 25 minutes of strength and conditioning. We recommend starting with the treadmill because it serves as a good warm-up for your muscles, so you can be ready to smash those goblet squats, weighted reverse lunges and overhead triceps extensions.
Pick a Random Person in Class to Compete With
It’s simple, the harder you push yourself during a HIIT workout, the higher your EPOC levels will be, making your workout more effective. Whether you’re outpacing your neighbour during the sprints, going into a deeper squat or maintaining perfect form when you’re banging out push ups – a little friendly competition never hurt anyone.
Pace Yourself
That said, it’s always important to pace yourself. This is especially so if you’re still new to Barry’s. The trick is to find a sustainable pace you can maintain throughout 50 minutes. Always do your best, but know your limits and listen to your body. If you’ve got a stitch and need to go from a full-out sprint to a brisk jog, do it.
Don’t Be a Hero
There’s no shame in picking lighter weights from the rack. The rule of thumb is to pick weights, which allow you to maintain good form throughout the reps. It’s better to do eight perfect reps than 12 sloppy ones, because you picked a pair of dumbbells that were too heavy.
Focus on That Mind-Muscle Connection
We’ve all heard the phrase mind over body – where the mind goes, the body will follow. Let’s take bicep curls as an example. Rather than just mindlessly performing the exercise, focus on flexing (squeezing) your biceps at the top of the movement to maintain maximum muscle tension and holding it for a second, before slowly lowering the weight, which then works your muscles in an eccentric way. Trust us when we say you’ll be sore.
Fuel Up
Contrary to popular belief, working out on an empty stomach might not be beneficial. Instead, have a small snack (think easily digestible carbs like fruit and quality protein like a hardboiled egg) an hour before you workout to ensure your body has enough fuel to function at the highest intensity. After your workout, kickstart muscle recovery and pick up a protein smoothie (which you can pre-order before your class) at the Barry’s Bootcamp Fuel Bar. We’re partial to PB&J ($12), which basically tastes like you’re drinking a Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich.
Packages and memberships at Barry’s Bootcamp range from $23 to $46 per class and come with one month, three month, or 12-month membership options.
Barry’s Bootcamp Singapore
18 Robinson Road, #03-03
Tel: 8666-0303
For more info, visit the website or email [email protected].