I'll start by saying that I really like the concept of barre body & it's a great workout. The…read morereason for the lackluster score is twofold- 1. I think the price is utterly ridiculous & 2. There's no good 'beginner class' options which means people are more prone to injuring themselves due to lack of knowledge or technique. I did about 3 weeks of classes (and intro 2 week deal and a week afterwards) and went probably 9 times so I got a great overall view of the classes. The teachers were really lovely but a few moved far too quickly through the yoga components of the classes & I could see people struggling to keep up & rushing their poses to do so (which will lead to injury eventually). There was no explanation to newbies about the poses and no real extra attention paid to them. For those in the know the workout is excellent - it's quite lower limb heavy but different classes are varied and it is hard work- my butt & legs were killing me for days after each class!! The price. Woah. It's so expensive. Over $200 a month for unlimited classes! That's too much by anyone's standards. Their overheads are not that excessive. So what's my summary - eh, if you can afford it, do some yoga classes somewhere else first so you get to know the poses and then go nuts. You'll get a great workout with lovely teachers in a truly gorgeous space.

I admit I was pretty intimidated about the idea of doing a Barre class. I always thought it would…read morebe some kind of ballet show-off session with super toned chicks in impossibly skimpy outfits making me feel fat and frumpy. After some friends and my Pilates teacher filled me in on what REALLY goes on here, I thought I'd bite the bullet and give it a try with the two week $50 pass as a way to shake up my exercise regime. I'm really glad I did and can confirm a few things for anyone else wondering if they should take the plunge. 1) There's women of all shapes and sizes here. I once also saw a guy, but usually it's a women only affair. 2) Apart from the Barre that you use for some exercises and a couple of ballet terms, it's not very ballet/dancy at all. 3) The teachers are very kind and super lovely. There's none of that "look at me I'm so great" attitude you might get elsewhere. 4) The Barre Tone classes will make you sweat and work muscles in small but excruciating ways. 5) Your arms, legs and bum will look and feel better in just a month! I'm now attending two or three classes a week (mostly Barre Tone and Barre Body ones) and really love how it has improved my fitness, flexibility and strength in just a couple of months. The online booking system is very easy to use, though I wish you could book more than a week in advance as I like having my schedule organised a fortnight at a time. I also really like that I can use class credits in any of the Barre Body studios around Melbourne and Sydney as this gives me more flexibility when travelling.

30 minute dynamic fitness excercise is what you will get at Dance Dynamics. Located off the main…read morestrip of Malvern, Dance Dynamics has something for all people regardless of dance background. If you can move and kind of follow instructions then give this place a go, I attended Broadway Dance on a weekday using ClassPass thinking i'd learn how to do Spear Fingers. Not only did I get to do kicks and twirls, we worked our way to a mini routine and I got quite the workout! The classes are fast paced and focused on fitness rather than dance technique but the teacher was fun and they seemed to have a lot of regular students in class. There are change rooms and bathroom facilities and a flight of stairs to get to the studio.

This is a fantastic studio offering a variety of dance classes in the mornings and evenings. In…read moreaddition to weekly ongoing memberships, they do offer "casual" membership, which was perfect for me since I was only in town for a couple weeks. This is a large, light studio with plenty of fans and mirrors. There is a nice waiting area with seating, a place to stash your bag, and most importantly, cold water. (Bring your own bottle) Classes are 30 mins long so even the busiest people can squeeze them in. I did a couple Zumba classes with Tara which were fantastic, and am excited to go back and try Street Latin. They offer everything from more fitness-based toning to ballet barre to hip hop. They were very friendly and responsive over email, and other students and teachers were also very nice!

A great studio offering a huge range of classes (hot yoga, aerial yoga, Pilates/reformer/barre..)…read more The timetable is extensive, with lots of options available at all times. Friendly, welcoming staff, beautiful new studio. I've only tried the yoga so far, which I highly recommend. Everything else seems very popular.

From the owner: Studio 3 Australia is newly furnished with four rooms dedicated to their practice of hot yoga,…read moreaerial yoga and reformer pilates. Our team have years of experience as yoga and pilates teachers. Each teacher has a different style and feel free to contact us if you'd like to hear more about particular classes. Contact the friendly team at Studio 3 Australia if you'd like to hear more about our new studio.

Pilates on Bourke is currently my favourite place for reformer classes. They are fairly small with…read moreonly 8 machines. This means lots of individual attention. And the instructors are super-helpful, not afraid to get hands on and complement you when you are getting better. The jumpboard classes are especially good, but I have not had a bad class here. I have also tried their barre class which was one of the better ones in the city. Natalya is really fun and her play list veers more into the pop territory, which is great for keeping the energy up during class.

From the owner: Opened in 2014, Pilates on Bourke provides state of the art Studio Pilates and Group Reformer…read morePilates classes as well as a range of Yoga and Barre Fusion classes. Our Pilates instructors are fully qualified and registered with the Pilates Alliance Australasia. Whether you are looking for rehabilitation, achieving peak physical fitness or anywhere in between, our teachers are able to tailor a program for your individual needs. After all, we want you to be the best you can be. We also provide osteopathy and remedial massage services through our allied health partners, Principle Four Osteopathy and Trademark Therapy in our spacious and relaxing consulting room. We have specially chosen our partners as we believe they provide a wonderful compliment to your Pilates and Yoga practice for all round well being.

Grab your tutu, buns and points - we are going to be ballerinas! Aleenta Barre is in St James…read moresquare and super close to trams or Southern cross and Flagstaff stations. The studio itself is simple and bright with only one window out the front. The shared open change room is on the smaller side and it has a sliding door and only 1 toilet so get there early if you need to change (they have deodorant if you forget and also some lotions from endota next door to sample). What I really liked is the small but quaint reception and the the long studio with little felt cubes on shelves to store your belongings. I tried out the Barre F.I.T class (instructed by Kara) which is a high intensity 45 minute circuit class where you use light weights or bodyweight to complete exercises in 30 second blocks. You do not need to bring any equipment or mats to this class and you can wear whatever is comfortable minus shoes. The class went through the circuit twice with a small break in between and then a stretch and mini relaxation session at the end. I had no expectations coming to a barre studio and Aleenta Barre left me feeling like I had a great workout in a safe environment under careful supervision. I'd give it a 3.5 stars for now as the change rooms were a bit small and circuit is not my favourite type of exercise but I'd love to update this review once I attend a few more classes at Aleenta. I think the next class I go to will be one that I can pretend to be a ballerina more.

I really enjoy the classes at Aleenta and look forward to a great workout! The variety of class…read moretypes is brilliant and class times for lunch whilst at work are ideal! I love the teachers, doesn't mattter which class you do you are guaranteed a great full on workout. Plus routines change monthly so you don't get used to them. Would defiantly recommend :)

Really enjoyed my classes at this bright and clean studio. The intensity varied and I especially…read moreenjoyed the Yin class which was great for my joints. Instructors are knowledgeable, even when classes are full it doesn't feel crowded. Take advantage of their intro passes to try it out for two weeks unlimited. Was a bit sad to leave Melbourne after a few weeks since I'd love a barre studio like this at home in Edinburgh.

From the owner: Barre Body is a complete body workout fusing ballet barre conditioning, yoga and pilates.read more

Since my accommodation in Melbourne didn't have a gym I hopped on Yelp in search of nearby exercise…read moreoptions and found Barre Body. The studio's wide timetable coupled with the fact that it was literally steps away from my hotel made it an easy choice for me. I took advantage of the $50 unlimited two week class pass. During my four night stay I made it to six classes at Barre Body. Each visit I found the studio to be clean and inviting, the instructors warm, friendly and competent and the other students to be of varying ages and abilities. (Note to men: I never saw another guy at Barre Body except the one I brought with me on my first visit. This is a very female centric studio.) I sampled all of Barre Body's barre classes during my stay. Each is a bit different but all include a bit of a yoga/pilates mat aspect. Here's a more simplified breakdown of each: Barre Moves = more dance focused than the other classes, a good one if you like/miss ballet Barre Body = weights + yoga Barre Tone = weights + pilates Barre Cardio = weights + faster movements than any of the other class. expect to sweat more too. You need not bring anything with you to Barre Body, except maybe a water bottle. All mats, weights and balls are provided and in good condition. The two week pass is great value and definitely a good option to sample this studio.

I'm always keen to try new things so when I heard about this class that is a mix of yoga and barre…read moretraining I was certain I had to give it a go. The studio is at the back of Endota spa on Flinders Lane and is beautifully clean and serene. I attended a lunchtime class which was taught by the owner (Emma) and it was lucky I got a spot, as the class was full. The barre body class uses weights and mixes yoga with it. I'm not going to lie, it was a hard class, especially because I've never been to a gym before. My body is so sore now, but the sorer the better right?! I must say I'm looking forward to going back and trying the other types of classes. They also support One Girl (a charity dedicated to providing education scholarships to girls in Sierra Leone). I have signed up for the 2 week unlimited pass for $50. What can I say I'm a sucker for punishment.

OH GOD MY LEGS. Kaya…read morehas been kicking my ass for the past month and this is the only sentence I can utter after one of their killer pilates reformer classes. Kaya is part of that new breed of gym where you really feel like you should be dressed up when you go in - it's just that beautiful. Hardwood floors, geometric architecture, you could confuse this gym with a trendy new Northside cafe. I am addicted to their pilates reformer classes. They are touch but achievable and you honestly feel stronger the next day. They also host Barre classes, boxing classes and a variety of different yoga classes in temperature controlled rooms. One of the coolest things about Kaya (at least in my eyes) is the electronic lockers. At my last gym, I was given a beaten-up key to a grotty locker, but here the lockers are ready for you to input your very own 4-number code. Easy. Simple. Secure. If you work/live in the city and are looking for a decent gym, look no further.

Looking for a space to get your health kick on? Look no further then Kaya. With their range of…read moreclasses, people pop in and out straight from work and the daily grind, and into workout clothes for a session to get themselves back in order. Its a health club. You wouldn't come here for the gym, even though they have what you need here. But the classes? Oh yes. You may look into some of the rooms and think to yourself, what the heck are these machines? Why that is Reformer Pilates. Get on one and find out for yourself, cause it'll be your new friend. This session made me remember that I had a core. Who knew? And after those 45 minutes of intense not expecting to get sweaty -but I did, I was most definitely sore the next day. And I loved that. Yoga has always been my go-to. Nidra yoga with Ashleigh here is something everyone should do to get in touch with your inner peace. Its so soothing, almost like a grown up nap time. But it's so so much better than that, like mind out of body stuff. Plus, it's much more rewarding. Yin and meditation was with Derek; yin yoga really focuses on getting to know one pose and learning what is comfortable for you. Being someone who normally does vinyasa, yin is calming, and it's good to stretch yourself in one pose. I walked out feeling like a pigeon pose champ. The barre class. Holy cow, for anyone looking for that dancer-type body, this one's for you. I had zero idea of what I signed up for, except for Google pictures and making up some concept in my mind. The Monday night session with Kirby kicked my butt, well my legs actually. It was so different from what I imagined it'd be like, and a lot more strenuous. I was that person taking little intermittent breaks just to compose myself. Yep, not ashamed, I just was not used to that intensity in a workout. For days following this, my legs felt like straight up jello. Kirby was great, she was extremely motivating and fun, and mixes it up. Matt, the Membership Advisor, is a sweetheart and the perfect go-to person for enquiries and help. I mean, everyone is nice and friendly at Kaya, but Matt was welcoming as well. The location is ideal, convenient for any city folk as it's the top of the emporium and it feels like a sanctuary sitting up there. What better way to sweat yourself back into shape then on top of a mall?

I am pooped. This morning I tried my very first Functional Fitness class at Breathe Wellbeing and…read moream totally wrecked and going through a "I exercised this morning therefore I will eat all of the food" phase. The Breathe Wellbeing functional fitness class is small - only a group of around 10 - and consists of intense circuit training with 40 seconds/40 seconds off. The exercises include sprints, running up/down stairs carrying weights and a hell of a lot of ab work. Can you see why I am tired now? The small classes mean you are well looked after by the instructor, who will assist with your posture and technique throughout the circuits - ensuring you're exercising at your very hardest. Breathe have a number of different classes including reformer pilates, which I have tried also and absolutely *loved*. One of the standouts about Breathe is their online/app booking system (the small classes mean you have to book in) as well as their simply stunning studios, that will literally take your breath away. Imagine a sexy New York warehouse apartment without any furniture. All in all a sleek and sexy studio providing a great workout for all.

I've been a client at the original Breathe Wellbeing on Little Collins for over two years now and…read morecan't sing their praises high enough. About a year ago they opened their second studio, tucked away on hidden laneway, Goldie Place. It a beautiful studio with three levels dedicated to different parts of the Breathe experience. The first level you will encounter is the reception/lounge area where you can check in for classes, get changed and have a cup of tea and a piece of fruit before or after your session. I really enjoy getting to my session early and taking a little time to sit and read or work on the couch before my class starts. It's a bit bright space, filled with good tunes and great vibes. Upstairs is a large reformer studio space, with around 18 beds available for each class under a super high ceiling. The machines are new and I love that there is a mirror down one wall here so I can see if I'm doing the exercises right and correct my form. There's a good mix of Level 1 & 2 classes offered by a variety of teachers so if you're new to reformer this is a great studio to learn in. Downstairs lacks the open space feel that you get on the two floor above, but what it lacks in prettiness it makes up for in hard classes that will get you energetically moving and increasing your fitness. This is the level for functional fitness, a kind of bootcamp-esque class that involves a bit of cardio, strength training and balance work that will put your body to the test. I've tried only the Level 1 classes so far, but can tell that they will kick my ass in a much harder way that I'm used to with reformer. This is a good thing! Pro tip: buy an introductory membership that will let you experience a mix of classes (reformer, functional fitness, yoga, mobility/stretch) at both studios over two weeks for the very low price of $50.