I’m a HUGE fan of barre-based workouts. Not only do I love taking them, but they are also one of my favorite classes to teach (I’m a certified group fitness instructor in case you didn’t know ☺). Today, I’ll be giving my review of Pure Barre, a barre-based fitness class.
Pure Barre classes focus on muscular endurance, using body weight along with some resistance equipment (light weights and resistance bands). It is a total body workout that concentrates on constant muscle engagement through small contracted movements, working until muscle fatigue.
First, let me tell you why I love Pure Barre:
~The music. I’m obsessed with the playlists, which consist of high-energy electronic dance music (my jam).
~The flow of the class. You’ll start off with a quick warm up, move onto upper body, lower body, core work and finish with a nice stretch. There are also small stretch breaks in between. This format doesn’t change, so you’ll always know what to expect.
~It never gets easy. While the format of the class remains the same, the actual workout routine changes frequently, so your body is constantly being challenged.
~Mind-body connection. Throughout the class you are directed to really focus on the muscle you are working. As a fitness instructor, I know how important the mind-muscle connection is for results, so I appreciate that this is emphasized in the class.
The cons to Pure Barre:
~The instructions can be very difficult to follow, especially if you’re new to the class. To maintain the quick pace of the class, most instructions are given verbally, and depending on where you in the room, it can be tough to see the instructor when they are demonstrating the moves. Ideally, the instructor will come over and correct each person’s form, however this is tough to do during a packed class. Just like anything else, the more you take the class, the more you will get the hang of it. Also, most studios offer a free “Breaking Down the Barre” instructional class that can be very helpful.
~Not enough upper body work and cardio. While the classes are a total body workout, the focus is definitely on lower body.
Pure Barre recently released Pure Barre Platform, “a new fast-paced class designed to optimize cardiovascular results and increase total body strength. This heart-pumping class combines quick bursts of high intensity, yet low impact cardio work with periods of lower intensity muscle-sculpting movements. These 55 minutes of high energy, fun and intense interval training at the barre will help you burn calories, jump-start your metabolism, and increase your overall endurance. It is the perfect cardio complement to your Pure Barre class to help you achieve even greater results, while still holding onto the traditional pieces and parts of a Pure Barre class that we all know and love.” Read more directly from their website here.
I saw snippets of the platform “jumps” on social media and was excited to try it out! I took my first Pure Barre Platform class last week and I walked in expecting a traditional Pure Barre class with some cardio mixed it. My initial thoughts: It’s very different than the traditional Pure Barre class.
The movements are BIGGER, and more exaggerated. Almost everything you are taught in their traditional class is thrown out the window. There are no “tiny, little movements” and there are no “tucks.” The class is less strict about form and is more focused on fast-paced, large movements.
I LOVED the platform jumps, but wasn’t a huge fan of some of the other platform work. I also didn’t expect the platform to be used the entire class, which it was. Had they kept the traditional class, but added in just the platform jumps for a cardio element, I would have LOVED the class. Here are my final ratings:
Pure Barre traditional class: 9/10.
Pure Barre Platform class: 6/10.
Keep in mind that these are my thoughts of Pure Barre Platform after having only taken it once. If I continue to take the platform class, my option could change, however I plan to stick to the traditional Pure Barre classes and get my cardio in on my own time.
Have you taken Pure Barre or Pure Barre Platform? Let me know your thoughts!
Be well,
Tina
