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TRY A FITNESS BARRE • DAILY NEWS - THE PULSE
February 24, 2003, by Mariko Thompson |
 Any woman who has ever dreamed of being a ballerina will find Richard Giorla’s cardio Barre class an uplifting experience. Or, at the very least, a lifting experience.
"I don’t care if you hang on that barre, get that leg up," says Giorla, a former professional dancer who opened Cardio Barre in Studio City nearly two years ago. "You’re reaching. Get those toes up to the ceiling, stomach in, chest strong."
Cardio Barre combines stretching, strength training and heart-pumping leg lifts in a one-hour session that uses a ballet barre for balance. No ballet experience is required, just the desire for a long, lean dancer’s body. Former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Jennie Garth and singer Carnie Wilson are just a few celebrities known to frequent Giorla’s studio.
Giorla designed the fast-paced. low-impact routine to get the benefits of aerobics without the bouncing and jumping. the class also works the upper body with hand weights and the abs with floor exercises.
 Peter Sheridan, one of the two men in this particular class, used to lift weights to bulk up. The 45-year-old British journalist now prefers the efficiency of the barre class, where he takes care of strength training and cardiovascular work in one session.
Sheridan’s got a theory on why so few men take the class, which leaves participants gasping by the end. And it’s not because dancing seems too feminine.
"Women can take an hour of this," he says, "It’s too tough for most men."
Cardio Barre is located at 12530 Riverside Drive in Studio City. For more information, visit www.cardiobarre.com or call 818.761.4525 |
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