MPR News with Angela Davis

Why Pilates, yoga, barre and ‘functional fitness’ are having a moment

three people in studio
MPR News host Angela Davis, left, with Libby Grundhoefer, a pilates instructor and personal trainer at the Minnesota Jewish Community Center, and Gretchen Bierbaum, owner of Straightline Dance Fitness, a fitness studio in Northeast Minneapolis in an MPR News studio in the Kling Public Media Center in St. Paul on Wednesday.
Nikhil Kumaran | MPR News

What’s old always becomes new again — even with workout routines.

The hot workout class of the moment isn’t brand-new. It’s Pilates, a core-focused routine first popularized almost a century ago.

Pilates, yoga, barre and other “lower-impact” exercise classes are gaining popularity, as Americans turn away from previously-popular “higher-impact” classes, such as CrossFit.

But lower-impact doesn’t necessarily mean “easy.”

Three guests joined MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about the benefits of these low-impact classes, sometimes called “functional fitness,” and how they can fit into your routine.

Guests:  

  • Ayanna Rakhu, Ph.D., is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology with a background in sport and exercise psychology. Rakhu is a physical activity expert who focuses on swimming.

  • Libby Grundhoefer is a Pilates instructor and personal trainer with the Minnesota Jewish Community Center.

  • Gretchen Bierbaum is the owner of Straightline Dance Fitness, a fitness studio in northeast Minneapolis.

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