‘I Am SOLO’ Ok-sun hits 49.8kg: Is Barre the secret to her transformation?

Ok-sun (pseudonym), a participant from Season 9 of 'I Am SOLO', has recorded a weight in the 40kg range for the first time in 10 years. Unlike her past self, who once stated, "I hate exercising more than anything in the world," she has recently been sharing her consistent Barre workouts, drawing attention not only to her weight change but also to her shift in exercise habits.

On the 7th, Ok-sun posted a photo taken after a workout on her social media (SNS) with the caption, "A number I haven't seen in 10 years."

The scale in the photo showed 49.8kg. Ok-sun added, "I didn't work out this hard for this," regarding the unexpected weight change.

In another post released the same day, she shared her recent workout status with the short phrase, "Barre~~"

Barre is an exercise that combines Pilates and strength training based on the fundamental movements of ballet. Rather than rapidly repeating large movements, it is characterized by repeating small movements while maintaining specific postures. While the movements appear elegant, the intensity is by no means low as it continuously utilizes the lower body and core muscles.

Ok-sun's recent appearance is catching eyes because her attitude toward exercise has changed significantly compared to the past.

Through a Q&A session in 2022, she revealed that during a health checkup in 2019, her height was 167.4cm and her weight was 52.4kg. At that time, she remarked, "I hate exercising more than anything in the world," and added, "I don't even follow a diet because I'm afraid losing weight will make me look old."

The 49.8kg she revealed this time is 2.6kg lower than that figure.

What is particularly noteworthy is the change in her weight management method rather than just the weight number itself. Ok-sun, who previously did not prefer exercise, is now enjoying Barre enough to post videos of her workouts.

So, does performing Barre actually lead to weight loss?

To get straight to the conclusion, Barre is not an exercise that directly guarantees weight loss.

However, it has been confirmed to have certain effects as an exercise that increases strength and muscular endurance.

A study published in the 2024 'Journal of Sports Science and Health' analyzed the effects of Barre exercise on 30 female office workers aged 30 to 45 by researchers from the Faculty of Sports Science at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.

The participants were divided into a Barre exercise group of 15 and a control group of 15, with the exercise group performing Barre three times a week for 8 weeks.

As a result, the Barre exercise group showed a significant improvement in lower body and core muscle strength and endurance compared to the control group.

The researchers also concluded that "8 weeks of Barre exercise was effective in improving the lower body and core muscle strength and endurance of female office workers."

However, it is difficult to conclude from this study alone how much Barre reduces body fat or weight.

Weight loss is not determined by a single specific exercise. Various factors, such as the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure, amount of exercise, daily activity levels, sleep, and stress, all influence the outcome.

The advantage of Barre may lie in functional bodily changes rather than the number on the scale. This is because it can help increase the ability to use muscles and develop bodily stability through repetitive lower body movements, maintaining posture, and continuous core tension.

Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that Ok-sun's 49.8kg is solely the result of Barre exercise.

However, the change itself is clear in that she, who previously stated she hated exercise, is now performing Barre and sharing her workout routine.

Furthermore, while she previously avoided active dieting and exercise due to concerns that losing too much weight might make her look older, she is now showing her body being managed through exercise.

Ultimately, what should be noted in this 49.8kg verification is not just the number itself.

The fact that her attitude toward exercise has changed may be more meaningful than the record of entering the 40kg range for the first time in 10 years.

While the number on the scale can change due to various factors in a single day, the habit of building strength and muscular endurance through consistent exercise lasts longer than the number.

Attention is focused on whether Ok-sun's Barre challenge will lead beyond simple weight loss to a new self-management routine.