I finally got to try a Pure Barre class last week, so I wanted to talk a little about what I thought. Read on for a review of Pure Barre class!
Review of Pure Barre
For my first barre class I attended a 55 minute Pure Barre class in Columbia, MD. A little background about my preparation for this- I did a lot of dancing growing up, which included ballet, but that was 13 years ago. I have done a bit of pilates on and off (usually just DVDs) and I lately I had done some barre workouts online. I also tried out the Pure Barre DVD once. So I had a bit of an idea of what I was getting into.
One of the problems with where I live right now is that there isn’t a convenient barre studio that I could access during the week. Rev Cycle is the only studio close to me that has barre (which I hope to try) but I haven’t been able to attend yet due to schedule conflicts. The Pure Barre studio I went to last week was a 20 minute drive outside of the city, and the other studios are the same or further. Baltimore traffic is pretty horrendous during the week which is why I went on a Sunday.
I convinced my sister to try it with me, and for her first one-time visit it cost $15. We got there about 15 minutes easy so we would have time to get oriented. When we walked in there was a small waiting room and you could see into the studio. The receptionist explained things to us and we waited until the class before was over so that we could get set up in the room. The cubby area/bathrooms were behind the studio room, so you couldn’t access them while there is a class going on. I think that would bother me a bit if I got there early and wanted to get changed or use the bathroom but I guess I would just have to keep that in mind.
Logistics
We had read on the website to wear socks, but that everything else was provided. I also brought a towel but didn’t really need it. I had a pair of Pure Barre socks that came with the DVD I got so I wore those. My sister wore regular socks and for everyone else in the class there was a mix between both.
Once the previous class ended we got settled and met the instructor. She explained some of the basics about what we would be doing. One of the main things she talked about was the “tuck” she would be referring to throughout the class- basically where you tuck and squeeze your pelvis in while doing the exercises. We got set up with a ball, a band, and light weights. I started with 2 pound weights because I have heard how hard some of the isometric exercises can be!
Pure Barre Class
The class was easy enough to follow for the most part. We started with a warm up, and then moved into arms. We then went to the barre and did some standing leg work. If I remember correctly we then did “seat” work which was a bit harder to follow because some of the instructions were for very small moves that couldn’t be seen (like squeeze your inner thighs), so you just had to try to do what the instructor explained. We moved to our mats and did some core work against the wall and then some more on the floor. As we were taking the class the receptionist came in after we were done with arms and collected our weights, and then right before we started core work the instructor brought us mats out. It was really nice that we didn’t have to do this on our own and it also saved some space in the room. We finished with a couple minutes of cooling down and stretching.
One funny thing was that she came around and put wipes next to us to clean off our equipment, and for a minute I thought they were cold clothes like we get at yoga. I think I have gotten spoiled at my yoga studio because none of the other ones I have been to do that!
After class my sister and I talked about our experience and while I think we both liked it, there were definitely some downsides that would keep us from doing it regularly. The biggest ones would be the cost and the location. However,I thought it was a really good supplemental workout to running, and felt quite sore over the next few days!
I hope to try barre a few more times this month through ClassPass, and hopefully learn some of the proper positions and get better used to the class so I can continue taking online classes or doing the DVD at home while using proper form.
Have you ever tried a barre class? What did you think of it?
What is your favorite kind of fitness studio?
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LOVE PURE BARRE! as you already know lol. It’s the greatest nonimpact workout and I can’t imagine my life and running before starting it up routinely last summer. The results are quite amazing too.
I can definitely see how you have come to love it so much! I think one thing holding me back from doing it all the time is wanting to do so many other forms of exercise too, like body pump and yoga. It can be too much to do it all each week, so I need to figure out a way to rotate everything into my workout schedule.
I’ve gone to a handful of barre classes (bar method and at my gym) and they’ve all kicked my butt. Can’t imagine it ever getting easier either! It wasn’t something I wanted to keep up but so many people love it.
I don’t think I can justify paying to go to a studio for it. I just realized my gym added a barre type class so once my class pass month is over I can try that out, but I will probably stick with doing the Pure barre DVD or online workouts. Its tough to always be trying to fit classes into my schedule!
I wish we had class pass, I would love to be able to go around and try different classes at different studios! I tried a barre class one time and wasn’t too taken with it….but I also think I may not have had the best instructor and just didn’t get a good first impression. So many people love it, I occasionally think I should give it another try.
I’m sure there are many types of barre classes and instructors. I was glad to try Pure barre since its a chain and I had heard good things. But I could see how a no-so-good instructor could make a big difference!
I’ve done Pure Barre once and I actually bought a package months ago that I have yet to use! It’s definitely a challenge for me to keep tucked the entire time. I wish I had time to incorporate it more but it’s also really expensive! great review!
Its nice to know you still have a package of classes to take! After I took the class the whole next day I was thinking about staying “tucked”! But after that I completely stopped doing it. Maybe if I went regularly it would get easier.
I enjoyed my pure Barre class but found that if not careful I might exacerbate certain muscles that I need for running! But overall I thought it a good workout.
I definitely felt my glutes working more on my run the next day- which for me is a good thing since they never like to work properly for me. But I could see how it could definitely tired out those running muscles especially during periods of intense training!
Shoot, barre classes still look super boring to me haha. I’d agree that location would have to be an asset in the equation for me to make it work!
Way to try something new, that’s fun! Fun to see your sister too!!
It took me awhile to get interested at all in barre, but then I read about it alot on other blogs and became intrigued. I also love anything that will work my hips and glutes, and this did the trick:)
I used to do Barre 3 and loved it! There aren’t any barre studios near where I live but I want to try a class. It looks like such a good workout! Thanks for the great review!
It was nice to be able to go to the studio but if I continue barre long-term it will probably be at home classes (DVD or online). Its can just be too much to get to a studio plus the cost is a huge factor as well.
I haven’t tried a Barre class yet, once some of my student loans are paid off I will be trying all sorts of new classes :)!
Ugh I know the feeling of paying off student loans all too well! It will definitely be a nice treat when you have some extra cash to spent on things like fitness classes!
There’s a studio close to me but I haven’t tried it yet. I’ve looked at the prices and that is enough to keep me from doing it more often. Maybe a DVD is good way to try it out first time.
Yea the prices are pretty ridiculous. It might be worth doing it one time just to get used to all the moves, but I agree that the DVD is much more sensible to do long-term.
I really enjoy barre classes. I was going pretty regularly about this time last year, but stopped because it seemed to be interfering with my running and I was getting close to my first marathon. All of the little stabilizer muscles in my legs were so sore! Because of that, though, I think it’s probably a really good class for runners, just not right before a big race.
Very true- I could see how it could be too much during periods of intense training!
I have not tried Barre I am not sure I would LOVE it but always willing to try (: My favorite are treadmill/circuit classes such as Burn 60 or Orange theory.
I would be so nervous to take a class like that- probably because its not what I’m used to! But its always good to be open to trying new things:)
I’ve never tried it, and in fact, haven’t been to a fitness class since I was pregnant with my first child 15 years ago. Yep. When I say I run a lot, I really do mean it. Ha! And okay so this is trivial and superficial but you are SO CUTE! I love your outfit. You look like you know exactly what you’re doing. Glad you had fun!
Aw thanks! Haha its nice that I looked like I knew what I was doing because I really didn’t! And if running is your thing, then that’s awesome. If I could just run every single day and be fine I think I would, but my body likes to complain alot so I try to help it out by making it stronger;)
Class Pass is coming to my city and I’m SO excited to try it! I’m even more excited that there’s a new Pure Barre close to home and I can finally try it out.
Have fun with ClassPass! Its great to be able to try out a bunch of different fitness studios!
Yay! I love barre, and Pure Barre is one of the harder ones. I know it’s insanely expensive, but for me, having the instructor there helps a lot. So much of barre is made up of these tiny, half-inch movements that I do better with someone physically correcting my form. Plus, as with everything else, you decide how hard the workout will be – only you know if you’re pushing your legs to shake! Glad it was overall a good experience!
Very true! If I didn’t already pay a gym membership plus pay for yoga classes, i might consider doing a package or something but with everything else it would just become too much!
Yay! Thanks for joining. One of the main reasons I started Tried it Tuesday was because of all the new workouts I was trying from Class Pass. I couldn’t agree more. Barre is a good supplemental exercise to running!
After reading so many great reviews about it I knew Pure Barre was a class that I needed to try!
I have never tried a pure Barre class. I don’t think there are any in my area. I would love to try it. I have heard so many great things about those classes.
If you can’t find a class, you could always get a DVD…or try a different kind of barre class online!
A Pure Barre studio just opened near me a few months ago and I’ve been dying to try it! There never used to be any locations close enough to make the class worth it for me. I have done a few barre workouts on YOUTube, but it isn’t the same.
That will be so nice to have a Pure Barre studio close by! I wonder if they will keep opening more. If there was one convenient to where I’m moving in a few months I may consider going regularly, but then I would have to cut back on the yoga classes.
I’ve been wanting to try Barre, but have only done one youtube video. I don’t have a studio close to where I live, there are quite a few near my work but the times don’t work with my schedule so I am going to have to wait until I am on vacation or something. I think I may like it, but because its not convenient, it can’t be something I do regularly–at least at this point in my life.
I kind of feel the same way with the convenience factor. I prefer to work out in the mornings before work, but there is no way I could make it back from this studio in time!
I drive past a Pure Barre studio everyday on my way to work. I have never tried it but it sounds interesting. One problem I have is that I like to make sure I work up a good sweat to really “feel” my workout. I’m guessing this is more like pilates for toning and such?
It is more toning and I didn’t really sweat at all. I also like to get a good cardio workout but I think this would be a good addition to that. Ideally I’d like to do it after an easy run but that wouldn’t work with my schedule.
I’ve always been curious about barre classes, so thanks for sharing your experience! It seems like a great way to strengthen muscles you don’t normally use but are still important.
Definitely! Its probably not for everyone but worth a try!
Oh wow surprised there isn’t a PB in the city. Haha I thought those wipes were towelettes too 🙂