Studio name: exhale
Locations: New York City, Hamptons, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Bermuda, Boston, Chicago, Stamford, Miami, Atlantic City, Turks + Caicos.
Cost per single class: Varies by the city but starts at $25 in cities like Stamford, Atlanta and Boston and can go for as much as $37 USD in New York and $40 in the Hamptons.
I had always wanted to try an exhale Barre class after I discovered this brand a few years ago. I was immediately impressed with the sleekness of their site, the appearance of their seemingly posh interiors, their connection with luxury hoteliers, and the list goes on.
Knowing I was going to be in New York for a short trip, I immediately looked up the schedule of classes offered at all of their New York City locations.
Timing wise, I found a class at 11:00 am on a Monday morning near the location of our lunch reservation. Coincidentally and fortunately for me, the class was going to be taught by none other than exhale Barre co-creator and exhale co-founder Fred DeVito!
Exhale and Its Interesting Past
Fred got his start in fitness at an early age but it wasn’t until his wife started teaching at the famed Lotte Berk Method in New York that Fred would be introduced to the barre workout and the many physical benefits it had on clientele.
He became the first male instructor at the studio and has been instrumental in making sure the Lotte Berk Method legacy lives on. The doors to the popular studio eventually closed and left many students and teachers wondering where they were going to practice barre next.
This created opportunity for some followers of the method. In fact, that studio produced a number of familiar franchises we now know and love today. You might be familiar with Tanya Becker and Jennifer Maanavi. They were also followers of the Lotte Berk Method and would go on to create Physique 57. Meanwhile, after spending 16 years teaching the Lottel Ber Method in New York, Fred, along with his partner and two other colleagues went on to create the mind/body/spa company exhale.
Exhale in its Current Form
Exhale is unique in that it is part fitness studio, part spa, offering both boutique fitness classes and spa therapies at any of their 21 locations around the United States and the Carribean. They’re now known as just exhale, (they dropped ‘spa’ from their name recently). Side note: they’ve also recently partnered with World of Hyatt to offer guests a reward program.
First Impressions
I must say, the studio is among the nicest I’ve ever stepped into. It didn’t hurt that the location I went to had a glamorous Central Park South address. Upon entering, there was an entire retail shop to pass through featuring both exhale branded and non-branded merch.
I was greeted by a friendly face at the front desk who directed me to the studio. Though I didn’t get to explore the entire facility because I wasn’t there for any spa treatments, I could smell the delightful scents from the treatment room and yoga studio as I walked down the hallway.
The washroom and changing areas were first class. It is a spa after all. Among the usual staples like showers, lockers and bathrooms were vanities outfitted with top-notch products to help you freshen up.
The studio was a beautiful, naturally-lit, carpeted room with ample space for everyone to comfortably work out. I actually couldn’t believe I got to take a class in that nice of a setting. I can only imagine what it would be like to have it as your regular spot.
The Workout
There was some familiarity with the exercises during class, such as knee lifts, reverse push-ups, forearm and sidearm planks etc., but there was much to discover with this exhale Barre format. For one, I considered it to be one of the most challenging classes I have ever taken. That’s a good thing!
Fred had us working our tails off for the entire hour, with little rest, but just enough time to stretch out after certain sections of the class.
Here’s how an exhale Barre class is typically formatted:
- Warm-up
- Planks and push-ups
- Upper body (arms)
- Thighs
- Seat
- Abs and core
- Prone and pelvic tilt (back and thigh dancing)
- Final stretch (savasana)
The Final Verdict
If I lived in New York or any other city with an exhale, I could see myself going regularly. I loved the class format, the pace, the attention Fred was giving to all of the students in the room and the general ambiance of the place.
Though it was a tough workout, I felt accomplished (and completely exhausted) when class finished. I consider that to be a good thing.
If you’re interested in learning more about exhale or their exhale Barre class specifically, they have a brand new subscription-based streaming service so you can take classes on demand.
Posing for a photo with exhale co-founder and exhale Barre co-creator, Fred DeVito.
Have you ever tried an exhale Barre class? What did you think? Leave a comment below.
