Happy Hour at the Barre

In my quest to find ways to shake up my workout routine, I decided to give Pure Barre a try. Since I stopped teaching Zumba classes, I’ve been a regular participant in various HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), boot camp, and kickboxing classes. I really enjoyed and saw moderate results with those workouts, but after two recent injuries that resulted in a visit to an Orthopedic Specialist and subsequently the emergency room, I’ve been in search of a high intensity yet low impact workout that I’d enjoy and delivered results.

I’ll be completely honest, I had envisioned Barre classes to be something of a mediocre workout and too “easy” for my taste. After trying a Barre class that’s offered at our fitness facility at work, I quickly realized that it was quite the opposite. However, that class is only offered once per week and not always conducive to my schedule. So, when an ad for Pure Barre popped up in my news feed offering a complimentary Foundations class, I decided to give them a try.

So, what exactly is Pure Barre? Here’s the long and short of it taken directly from the company’s website:

Taught by our highly-trained teachers, Pure Barre features four group class formats that deliver an effective total body workout focused on low-impact, high intensity movements that lift and tone muscles to improve strength, agility, and flexibility for every body.

The Pure Barre studio I visited is very clean and the staff is amazing! Everyone was so friendly and made me feel welcome as soon as I walked in. My instructor, Emily, was great and very attentive to everyone in her class. Pure Barre keeps their classes relatively small to ensure that their instructors can interact with each student – helping with their form and encouraging them along the way. As a Group Ex instructor, I pay close attention to these things and I can tell you this what sets apart the good instructors from the really great ones.

The Foundations class was a 50-minute introduction to the basic movements of Pure Barre and their techniques. I got a solid workout and even broke a sweat! It’s a challenging but effective workout that targets some of those smaller muscle groups that are often underused and underdeveloped. You know, the ones we forget about until that next day burn kicks in 😉

Contrary to popular belief, Pure Barre isn’t just for the ladies – it’s a challenging workout for men and women alike! The moves/techniques are a lot harder than they look and can help anyone, whether beginner or advanced, take their fitness game to the next level.

The Stratford Road location in Winston-Salem, NC has a variety of classes that are offered at various times throughout the day/week. Plus, you have the option of attending classes at the location at Reynolda Village, which is not only convenient but provides more flexibility if you have a busy schedule.

Bottom line – I loved it and I’m now a member! Check out their website to learn more plus sign up to take advantage of their introductory offer at a location near you: https://www.purebarre.com/