After months of encouragement from a die hard barre enthusiast to give it a try, I finally signed up for my first class. I have never really been into classes, instead preferring to work with 1:1 with a personal trainer or getting in my cardio time via hiking, running, walking or gym workouts. I have tried yoga and Pilates but did not find either of them very satisfying on its own. I enjoy vigorous, high-intensity exercises (as much as one can "enjoy" these things) and working up a good sweat.
A lingering injury resulting from my marathon training forced me to find an alternative workout that would not place too much stress on my achilles tendon and Pure Barre was the answer. As a bonus, my physical therapist approved of this activity during my recovery and rehab.
TUCK LEFT...TUCK RIGHT...TUCK LEFT....TUCK RIGHT....TUCK...TUCK...TUCK
During my first class, Lauren, the owner, showed me the ropes and made me feel very welcome. She explained the basic moves to me and assured me that I would be fine. We did discuss my injury but was told I wouldn't be doing anything to put stress on it. The 60 minutes flew by and before I knew it, class was over! I was drenched in sweat and my arms, abs, thighs and glutes received a total workout. In fact I was sore for the next three days. The class was fairly fast-paced and Lauren provided words of encouragement as well as assistance to those that needed slight adjustments to correct their positions. I never expected to enjoy the class as much as I did.
PRESS BACK HOLD....PRESS BACK FREEZE...
I have taken multiple classes with almost all instructors and they are all good. I have my preferences when it comes to the style of each instructor but all of them teach the same fundamental moves, provide a great workout experience and have been very patient and open to questions after class.
In addition to the full body workout, the music is what really makes it for me. It's loud and there's a lot of variety in the song list. Workouts are coordinated to the beat of the music and really helps to get through some sets of reps.
DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE....WWHHOOO.....WWHHOOO....WWHHOOO...
I enjoy the mix of cardio moves, yoga, pilates, dumb bell workouts and stretching. I have definitely noticed the change in my flexibility and my upper body strength due to all those push ups and planks. As for the work out at the barre, the moves might be small, but the reps are high so your thighs and glutes will definitely feel the burn.
EMBRACE THE SHAKE.....FEEL THAT BURN....
All skill levels, ages and backgrounds (athletes, dancers, new/expecting moms, complete neophytes, recovering from injuries) are represented in the classes. There is a "lite" class for those that want to take it a bit slower, a bit easier.
The vibe is pretty mellow in the studio and everyone is quite friendly vs. some places that can get rather competitive and intense. That scene is not Pure Barre West Portal, I assure you. I've met some really great people in the classes and look forward to seeing them every week.
BEND AND STRETCH....A LITTLE BIT STRAIGHTER....A LITTLE BIT HIGHER
As suggested it did take me about 10 classes to start to feel really comfortable with the routine and some of the positions. The instructors keep things fresh by changing the routines every few weeks. Some are variations on familiar positions but some area entirely new moves.
Parking is not an issue as there is free 2 hour parking nearby, but all parking on West Portal Avenue is metered.
The Pure Barre app is a breeze to use and makes it easy to schedule or reschedule classes with a few taps of the screen.
Thank you for bringing Pure Barre to this part of town!
LIFT.TONE.BURN. read more