I’ve been to Pure Barre a couple of times in the past but it’s been a while since I reviewed it so here we go!
I had a free class coupon from an event I attended a few months ago and it was expiring this week so I needed to take advantage of the freebie before it was too late. The only night that worked for me was Wednesday which made the class more challenging than anticipated because I had already worked out for 2 hours in the morning. Not one to miss out on a free class, I went anyways.
The studio, located right by Columbus Circle is intimate and lovely. The staff greet you and make sure you are all set for class. Pure Barre classes use light weights, bands and tiny movements to tone your entire body. Even though you are using a 2-3lb weight, you are going to feel the burn real fast.
Meaghan was a great teacher. She came over to correct postures regularly throughout the class. As a newbie she came and helped me out numerous times which was super helpful. The 55-minute total body conditioning class went by pretty quickly and my muscles certainly felt it. My legs were shaking, my core was burning, you get the picture. It was hard.
Pure Barre is the type of class that I think with regular visits would really transform your body. Due to many scheduling conflicts (marathon training, cycling teaching, etc) this hasn’t really been possible for me, but it’s something I’d love to explore in the future (perhaps a 30-day barre challenge?). The classes and monthly packages are also pretty pricey which I have a hard time getting past (price varies by location- in NYC 1 month unlimited is $295 or pay $33 per class).
I think if you have a big event coming up (for example, your wedding), I believe Pure Barre would be a really awesome way to get toned and sleek. Not to say that other workouts bulk you up, but I think Pure Barre is the ideal workout if you’re after a dancer-like look.
There are studios across the country, but if you can’t make it or it’s too much money, they also offer a bunch of at-home DVDs. The lovely folks at Pure Barre just sent me Studio Series 1 & 2. I’ll be trying them out and will let you know how it goes. If I can swing it, I’d love to do an at-home Pure Barre DVD 1-2 times per week (well, maybe after marathon training ends).
If you get a chance, I’d recommend going to the studio for a couple of classes to get the form down, then switching to the DVDs if an at-home free workout is more your style.
Stay tuned and I’ll review the DVDs in the coming weeks.
