I’ve never liked going to the gym because it overwhelms me. There’s so much equipment and so many people; not to mention having to keep track of reps or time splits while trying to work on my form or listen to music. But, in my search for a way to move my body without necessarily going to the gym, I found the workout that I love: Pure Barre.
But What is Barre?
Barre is a low-impact, full body workout that combines elements of ballet, Pilates, yoga, and strength training. Barre focuses on small, precise and isolated movements that target specific muscles with the goal of working muscles to fatigue. Like the name might suggest, in a class you will use a ballet barre; but other equipment you may see in a barre class are resistance bands, a small exercise ball, weights, and sliding discs.
Some benefits of barre include: building core, upper body, back, glute and leg strength, increasing your flexibility and range of motion, improving your balance, and improving your posture and mind-body connection.
Pure Barre features four signature classes: Classic, Empower, Define, and Align. The various classes have different objectives: Classic is a traditional barre class that focuses on muscle toning and core strength, Empower combines barre with cardio, Define combines barre with strength training, and Align is similar to Classic with a heavier focus on balance and flexibility.
I love a good Classic class, but Define is a close second. However, no matter what class format I take, I know that every time I step into the studio I’ll be humbled. The choreography changes every class, so you never know what exactly you’re walking into. One of my other favorite things about Pure Barre is the community and uplifting class atmosphere. I’ve met and connected with so many people because of Pure Barre. Even if it’s your first few classes and you don’t really know anyone yet, you’ll feel the support from the moment you step in the door from the staff members and instructors.
Going to Pure Barre classes has quickly become one of my favorite things to do. From the amazing workout I get in a 50 minute class to staying a couple minutes after to talk with people, the Pure Barre experience is one I’d recommend to everyone. I think barre classes, especially Pure Barre, is such an underrated workout. Yes, it’s a challenging workout, but if a workout doesn’t push you, then what’s the point?