This difference comes down to the foundations of each workout. While pilates was designed by Joseph Pilates as a form of rehabilitation, barre is based on the principles of ballet and gets its name from the bar placed in front of the mirror that’s used for stability and stretching.

“Both workouts improve posture, increase your range of flexibility and strengthen your muscles while being totally low impact, and the two are very intertwined and influenced by similar ideas,” explains barre and pilates instructor Rachel Lopez.

“To me, the main difference is that in barre we isolate muscle groups through high repetition which is incredibly demanding regardless of your experience and is there to really test your stamina. Pilates is the total opposite. The pace in a pilates class is less rapid and we never work to the beat; we work with our breath. The exercises are also more compound – they aim to fire up your core and entire body all at once.”

What’s the difference between pilates and barre?