If you've been following Chic in Carolina for a while, you know that I take barre classes at my local Pure Barre studio quite regularly. I started going to Pure Barre classes last June (almost a year ago!) and I have been receiving a few questions on how I love Pure Barre classes so I figured I would answer those in a post reviewing Pure Barre for y'all.
I'll start off my post by prefacing that I am not a dancer or gymnast by any means. When I first started taking class, I was totally inflexible and a bit intimidated by the prospect of being surrounded by teeny tiny ballerinas (totally not true!). After not working out all of junior year (which I talked about more in
this post), I knew I had to make a change in my routine and after wanting to try Pure Barre for years, I decided to sign up for the New Client Special (one month of unlimited classes for $99).
Since then I've obviously been hooked and have seen so many changes in my body because of it. Each section of a Pure Barre class works on a different muscle group- warmup, arms, thighs, seat (butt), and abs- and works muscles you didn't even know you could work. The class goes by so quickly as each section is followed by stretching and the music is so fun! Before you know it, it is the final stretch of class and you're on your way out the door. Prior to Pure Barre, I considered myself a fairly fit person as I played soccer for years and would run somewhat regularly but after my first Pure Barre class, I was sore for a solid three days. Like it hurt to walk up the stairs sore.
Pure Barre focuses on overall toning your body, which I have really seen after taking classes regularly (3-5 times a week) for almost a year. My calfs and thighs have really slimmed down, I have finally found definition in my arms, and my stomach is so much flatter than it used to be. I'm definitely not "perfect" but I am in better shape than I've ever been thanks to Pure Barre.
Pure Barre has also been good for me in overall wellness as during class, all you focus on is class and what move you're currently doing. Pure Barre also promotes a healthy, well-balanced lifestyle, which I love as you're not always going to eat perfectly healthy all the time but it's important to have a balance. On Fridays, I've had teachers close class by saying "Now go eat some tacos" and the day before Thanksgiving, the teacher said to work hard and think of your favorite Thanksgiving food during the plank portion of class haha.
I also love how welcoming and encouraging the Pure Barre community is. Even if you don't know anybody in your class, there will always be someone to turn around before class begins and chit chat with you. I've run into neighbors, the moms of some old friends, and then other people from different parts of my life, which is always really fun! Whether it's bonding with the girl next to you over how hard that one specific move during seat is or the instructor encouraging you throughout class, Pure Barre is really community-based which I really love.
Pure Barre has its own little lingo, which can be really overwhelming when you first begin to take class. Definitely listen to your instructor as they will correct your form throughout class and will also answer any questions after class ends. When I started taking class, someone told me that it takes 20 classes to figure Pure Barre out, which I totally agree with as you just realize "oh,
that's what that means".
In terms of price, I have an unlimited plan, which means I can go to as many classes as I want in a month. That plan is typically $199 a month but since I am in a student, I pay around $150 a month. A single class is around $22 (depends on the studio) so if I go 5 days a week each month, I pay $7.5 a class, which I find reasonable for what you get out of the workout.
Since I do talk about fashion quite a bit here on Chic in Carolina, I figured it would be helpful to share what to wear to Pure Barre. I'm planning on sharing a few workout outfits on the blog soon but Pure Barre requires that your legs and midriff are covered (so no shorts or crop tops). Most of the ladies at my studio wear leggings with a tank top or short sleeve shirt (typically a tank). Wearing a long sleeve makes you too hot during the workout (I learned the hard way lol!) and sticky socks are recommended. I didn't buy sticky socks initially but they make staying in position a bit easier!
Have you tried Pure Barre before? Any more questions you would want me to cover? Let me know in the comments!
