Why Barre Is So Good for Midlife Bodies (Yes, Even With All the Pilates + Strength Training Noise)
As we move into 2026 it seems like the fitness world still only has two personalities for midlife fitness: Pilates and strength training. Pilates is still having a moment, and strength training is being hailed as the holy grail for women over 40. Truthfully? I’m not here to disagree.
But I am here to say this: if you’re in midlife and you want something that makes you feel strong, energised, mobile, and genuinely good in your body… barre deserves way more attention than it gets. Particularly my barre because my mission in life is to make exercise seriously effective and seriously enjoyable.
Barre is the sweet spot. It sits right between Pilates and strength training — and for midlife bodies, that combo is pure gold.
Barre has the “Pilates benefits”… without being a full-on Pilates class
Barre takes a lot of its best elements from Pilates: deep core work, posture, stability, alignment, and control. It teaches you how to move from your centre, connect to your breath, and switch on the muscles that support your back, hips and pelvic floor (hello, midlife essentials).
If you’re getting a bit creaky, stiff, or “why does my neck hurt after sitting?” barre is incredible for rebuilding that feeling of being held together. It helps you stand taller, move better, and feel more supported from the inside out.
Barre gives you strength training results… in a way that feels good
Strength training is brilliant — especially for bone density, muscle mass, metabolism, and long-term resilience. But not everyone wants (or needs) to be lifting heavy five days a week. And let’s be real: midlife can come with joint niggles, hormonal shifts, fatigue, and the kind of stress that makes “go hard” workouts feel like an assault.
Barre is strength training’s slightly more playful cousin. It uses bodyweight and lighter resistance to build real strength and muscle endurance, without battering your nervous system. You’ll still shake, sweat, and feel the burn — but in a way that feels joint-friendly and sustainable.
And, if you're after strength training, I have my Upbeat Lift classes which are precisely that: strength training but choroegraphed to music.
It’s low impact, high reward (the dream combo)
Barre is perfect for midlife because it’s kinder to your joints while still delivering serious results. You get strong glutes, stable hips, better balance, toned arms, a powerful core, and improved mobility — all while protecting the knees, hips and lower back.
And the biggest benefit? It lifts your mood
Midlife isn’t just about physical changes — it’s mental too. The confidence wobble, the overwhelm, the “when did I become last on my own list?” feeling. Barre can genuinely shift that. It’s uplifting, empowering, and makes you feel like yourself again — but stronger.
So yes, Pilates is great. Strength training is great. But barre? Barre is the magical middle ground that helps midlife women feel strong, capable, energised and back in love with moving their body. And surely that's the whole point?