Pure Barre Archives

Apr 03

The Bar Method Dr. Phillips location exterior in the morning.

These Instructors, Students and Studio Owners Will Convince You to Try 5 a.m. Barre Classes

By Melissa Feeney Barre Culture 2 Comments

I assumed until recently that the 6 a.m. time slot was the earliest class available in some barre studios. To my surprise, not only do 5 a.m. classes exist, but some people swear by them.

I first discovered that 5 a.m. classes existed when I went on a trip to Orlando. It wasn’t until I started searching for studios near my hotel that I learned of Pure Barre’s 5 a.m. option. Gasp! 5 a.m.?! I must admit the first thought that popped into my head was, “but how?” To me, 6 a.m. seems early, and the times that I’ve tried to wake up at the crack of dawn to go to a class at that hour have been a real struggle. So how was someone supposed to wake up even earlier?

All that is to say that you shouldn’t knock something until you try it. So, in an effort to understand the motivation behind why someone would willingly choose this time slot to work out at, I surveyed instructors, studio owners, and students who teach, offer and take 5 a.m. classes, to understand their motivation. Here is what I found out.

The Bar Method Dr. Phillips location in Orlando

Early morning at The Bar Method’s Dr. Phillips location.

The first question I had to ask was of all the classes available throughout the week is 5 a.m. your most preferred time slot?

To my surprise, 100% of teachers who teach that class said that ‘yes’ it was their most preferred time to teach at and 75% of students said it was.

Well then, how early do you perceive 5 a.m. to be?

On a scale from one to ten, with one being ‘unreasonably early’ the average response was a 7, meaning that people did not perceive the 5 a.m. time slot to be that early, all things considered.

Pure Barre Toronto exterior in the early morning.

Early morning at Pure Barre.

What is the main driving factor for going to class at 5 a.m.?

“The community! We have had the same group of intense clients who support and encourage each other– we call this group ‘The Breakfast Club.’ They look after each other and hold everyone accountable!” – Mary Leonard, Pure Barre Hendersonville, TN

I started going to 5 a.m. to be able to double classes, one [Pure] Empower and one barre (classic) a day. After doing it once I thought to myself, ‘this isn’t bad and I got my workout in early.’ For others it allows them to get a workout in before the demands of their jobs… like teachers or people in the medical field enjoy that time.” – Danielle Uhlman., Pure Barre Orange County client

How often would you say you attend 5 a.m. classes?

The answers range from a few times a year to 4-5 times per week. It seems those that go to 5 a.m. classes, go often.

What other time slots do you usually work out at?

Responses for this question were really all over the map. Any other time you could think of was mentioned. Some liked early evening workouts, while others opted for 9 a.m. It really just depended on scheduling and availability.

Pure Barre Hendersonville

What time do you set your alarm for?

The earliest someone listed waking up for was 3 a.m! Though generally, most responses landed between 3:30 – 4:00 a.m., with the latest being 4:30 a.m. For a 5 a.m. class, I’m guessing they live close to the studio.

In order to be ready to jump out of bed and be out the door in a short period of time, most respondents said they packed their bags the night before, so they didn’t have as much to do when they woke up.

How easy or difficult is it to wake up for a 5 a.m. class?

On a scale from one to ten with ten being ‘incredibly easy,’ the average listed was 8 out of 10.

Approximately, how many other students are in the class with you at the time?

The average listed was 12.5, or about 10-15 students, which seems considerable when you think about how early it is. Mary Leonard, an instructor at Pure Barre Hendersonville, TN said she typically sees 14-16 students in her classes, with there being about 12 regulars on average! She also mentioned that her classes often have wait lists. Especially the 5 a.m. class on Friday morning.

How long have you been going to 5 a.m. classes for?

Responses ranged from one month to a few months, to a year, to a few years!

Do people usually eat before or after class?

Half of the respondents said they usually eat after class, with the other half answered that they eat before and after class.

“I go back to the house and grab a light breakfast and either watch tv or do anything that needs to be done around the house or for the day.” – Danielle Uhlman, Pure Barre Orange County client.

Have you noticed an improvement in your overall fitness/well-being as a result of going to this class specifically?

“I’m more motivated, happier, and have a feeling of accomplishment already by the time I get into the office!” said one respondent.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of going to 5 a.m. classes?

“Work out before your brain knows what your body’s up to, and before your body reaches its point of tiredness at the end of the day.”

“Do it! You’ll be awake afterwards with so much energy and you already got your work out in!”

Anything else you would like to share about your experience with 5 a.m. classes?

“Our 5 a.m. ladies are warriors! They are women who “want it all” and are attaining it with dedication and drive.” – Rachel Phillips, Owner, Village Barre

“These clients did not know each other before starting at Pure Barre. The 5 a.m. group have shared their stories with each other and have developed friendships beyond the studio walls. Out of the 9 clients who have reached their 250 class milestones, 8 of them are Breakfast Club Members! – Mary Leonard, Pure Barre Hendersonville, TN instructor.

Why did you decide to offer 5 a.m. classes?

“We wanted to provide options for all clients! 5 a.m. classes allow for enough time to go home, shower, and get to work or drop the kids off at school! Many of our clients love getting their workout done in the morning to start their day off right!” – Mary Leonard, Pure Barre Hendersonville, TN.

In Summary

After talking to studio owners, teachers and students, I concluded that there isn’t a sweeping consensus for why people like 5 a.m. classes. It’s hard to draw any conclusions when people attend for different personal reasons but I think Rachel Phillips, owner of Nashville’s Village Barre sums it up well. “Our clients prefer a 5 a.m. class because it does not interfere with their regularly scheduled day. They can sneak out of the house, take a class, and be home before anyone else is awake. Then they don’t have to take time away from their families, at night, to hit the gym.”

Unfortunately, the earliest class option in my city is 5:45 a.m., which to be fair still seems incredibly early to me. My goal is to take more 6:00 am classes this summer as the days get longer, and I find myself waking up earlier.

If you’re an advocate of 5 a.m. classes, leave a comment below and let us know what you love about that time slot.

Oct 26

A Review of Pure Barre’s Pure Reform Class

By Melissa Feeney Exercises, Most requested, Pure Barre No Comments

There’s a new addition to the schedule of classes at Pure Barre locations across North America. If it’s not already at your local Pure Barre, then it will most likely be making its debut soon, as more instructors are trained to teach the new class format.

Pure Reform joins a roster of classes that also include the classic Pure Barre class and the cardio-driven Pure Empower.

The rollout of the new class offering coincided with a brand new marketing campaign called Pure Effect, that included a website redesign, and an upgrade to the iconic red logo.

What is Pure Reform in a Nutshell?

Touted as a total body workout that targets, shapes, and defines all major muscle groups though resistance-based strength training, this 50-minute class is intended to merge the elements you know and love from the classic Pure Barre technique with moves that challenge your strength, coordination and balance.

Props for this class include two sliders, which are small round disks to help you (you guessed it) slide easily across the floor, plus two sets of resistance bands or bungees.

Resistance bands hang from the barre at Pure Barre before a Pure Reform class.

Workout Breakdown

Similar to the other Pure Barre class formats, Pure Reform follows a familiar series of exercises. You begin with a warmup in the middle of the room, then it’s back to the barre for arm work, thighs, seat, core/abs, and finally a cool down/stretch.

During the warmup, standing exercises are replaced with full body exercises on the floor. Instead of balls, tubes and weights, we used sliders. For instance, while holding a plank, the sliders under our feet helped to glide our legs apart and back together or toward our hands. This actually made the plank sequence a little more enjoyable, because you had a greater range of motion.

Maybe it’s because I’m used to more vigorous warmups that I really enjoyed the pace of the first few minutes of class. It was much less intense than a classic Pure Barre warmup, in my opinion.

After the warmup, we made our way to the barre to work on a series of arm exercises. This was the first section that required a lot of concentration and coordination. While doing bicep curls, our legs were pulsing.

Pure Reform from Connie Popwell on Vimeo.

The middle section was a bit of a blur, but I do recall making our way back to the floor again for another plank section. This time the difficulty was turned up a notch. Picture your feet are on the sliders. You then need to lift your hips, while maintaining straight legs in one swift motion toward your hands, then back down again.

During the ab section, we were laying on our backs about one foot away from the wall with the resistance bands around each thigh while in a tabletop position doing crunches. This move on its own is tough enough, but with the extra resistance from the bands, it adds another layer of difficulty.

The class concluded with thigh dancing just like at the end of a classic Pure Barre class, but we had a resistance band handle in each hand, and were pulsing with our arms as we tucked left to right.

Resistance bands hang from the barre at Pure Barre before a Pure Reform class.

My Impressions

Three words come to mind when I think about how I would describe Pure Reform. Resistance, balance and control.

Resistance, for obvious reasons, because the workout is inspired by resistance training, and for the use of resistance bands so that your muscles work against a weight or force, which increases muscle strength. Balance, because during certain wobbly exercises our balance was put to the test, like during side plank. Finally, control because there is a lot of focus on core and leg strength.

I’d recommend this class if you are looking to mix up your Pure Barre classes, or if you are cross-training for a sport or race.

Jul 16

Barre City: Denver, Colorado

By Melissa Feeney Barre City Spotlight, Barre3, Pure Barre, The Bar Method No Comments

When you’re a city that’s surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, there’s no shortage of gorgeous ski resorts, golf courses and hiking trails. However, as much as there is an abundance of outdoor activity to keep you occupied, people in Denver head into any of the two dozen barre studios in Denver and the surrounding area.

From familiar chains like Pure Barre, The Bar Method and Barre3 to local favourites like Barre Forte and The Ballet Physique, Denver offers residents more than two dozen options to choose from.

So what makes Denver a barre-loving city? Let’s explore what Denver has to offer.

Why is Denver Considered a Barre City?

It’s (partly) home to Pure Barre

Not only will you find a handful of Pure Barre studios throughout the Denver area, but the city is also the home to their corporate headquarters. The head office is where they run operations for the company, for the nearly 500 locations across North America.

Though there is a corporate training facility in Spartanburg, SC, Denver is also home to a training center for instructors and studio owners.

Photo via Instagram: @nmallmendinger

The studio is like a second home for regulars

When I went out to Denver in early February, I got to see first-hand how passionate locals are for the barre workout. At every studio I stopped into you could see how connected the community was with their local studios. It wasn’t just the workout that was drawing people in. Regulars were gabbing with each other before class and were hanging around the studio up to 30 minutes after a class ended to connect with the owners, instructors and other students. Classes were full and some even had wait lists.

There’s a studio on every corner

Okay, I’m exaggerating a little but boutique fitness studios are everywhere in Denver and barre is right up there in popularity with yoga, pilates and crossfit. No matter which part of the city you are in, you are most likely a stone’s throw away from a studio. The high concentration of studios is even more obvious in the suburbs. In Highlands Ranch alone, there are four different studios within a few miles of each other. When I visited, Studio Barre was just about to open their doors in Highlands Ranch.

Barre Studios in Denver

Pure Barre – Plaza at Cherry Creek
Pure Barre Belmar – Lakewood
Pure Barre – Highlands Ranch
Pure Barre – Greenwood Village
Pure Barre – Littleton
Pure Barre – East 29th Avenue Town Center
Pure Barre – 32nd Avenue
The Bar Method – Denver-Stapleton
The Bar Method – Cherry Creek
Barre3 – Highlands Square
Barre3 – Cherry Creek
The Barre Code – Downtown Denver
Barre Forte – LoHi
Barre Forte – Southmoor/Cherry Hills
Barre Forte – Highlands Ranch
Barre Forte – Westminster
Ohana Yoga and Barre
The Ballet Physique – the first independently-owned barre fitness center in Colorado.
Flex Yoga & Barre Studio
The Barre Standard
Whole Body Barre
Arvada Barre Belle
Studio Barre – Highlands Ranch
Barre Beauty – Aurora, Co.

Barre Forte’s LoHi location.

Barre Forte’s Southmoor/Cherry Hills location.

The Barre Code Downtown Denver location.

The interior of The Barre Code Downtown Denver location.

The Bar Method’s Denver-Stapleton location.

Barre Forte’s Highlands Ranch location

Jun 13

Pure Barre Owners Attempt to Break the World Record for Largest Barre Class

By Melissa Feeney Barre Culture, Barre News, Pure Barre No Comments

It was September 2017 and organizers of the Barre on the Bridge event in Cincinnati were being awarded with the Best Pop Up of the Year honour at Pure Barre’s annual Owner’s Conference. A few months earlier, studio owners from 5 local Pure Barre studios in the Cincinnati area rounded up just over 1,000 participants to help them break the world record for the largest barre fitness class ever recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The third instalment of this event aims to be the biggest yet, with local celebrities on hand, including Cincinnati-native and San Francisco 49ers Tight End, Garret Celek.

Barre on the Bridge event 2017

The event was created in 2016 when Pure Barre owners from the Oakley, Kenwood, Mason, Fort Wright (KY) and Westside locations wanted to come together for one goal, which is to have fun while increasing awareness about the benefits of barre fitness.

In addition to breaking a new world record, the event will also benefit Dress for Success Cincinnati with donations being accepted in the way of women’s clothing, accessories and cash at any of the Greater Cincinnati Pure Barre studios throughout the month of June and at the event on June 30.

Participants who can take any of the three classes being held that morning will also be treated to treats from local vendors including The Weekly Juicery, Whirlybird Granola and Paragon Salons.

Want to Attend Barre on the Bridge?

Here are all the details you need to know!

The event is free and open to the public!
When? Saturday, June 30 – there are three classes to participate in: 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 a.m
Where? Purple People Bridge over the Ohio River, which connects Newport, Kentucky to downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.
Bring your own mat, plus water and sunscreen for good measure.
Even though the event is free, organizers suggest registering for the event in advance, which you can do so on their eventbrite event page. Walk-up participants are of course also welcome.

Apr 28

Big Girl at the Barre: My Journey to the First 100 Classes

By Daniella LeCointe Barre Culture, Exercises, Pure Barre 3 Comments

For a long time I never understood people who loved working out. For me, it was another way I stressed myself out. I was inundated with a million methods that were touted as the “right way” to lose weight.

All the focus was on aesthetics, so for a big girl, all I did was get frustrated. Adolescence sprinkled disordered eating habits like confetti all over my experiences and I watched almost helplessly as the pounds kept piling on. Forever on a diet (or breaking my diet), I had no concept of proper nutrition was always preoccupied with losing weight.

I found myself driving everywhere and could barely hit 5,000 steps for the day.

I always saw very pretty, thin girls with their perfect ponytails whipping around as they looked to be the face of fitness. Even now, it can be difficult to find true balance after the starvation habits I learned from social media. I resented the women who, in my mind, represented all that I was not–graceful, athletic and in control.

I moved to Texas from New Jersey for a fresh start. It was supposed to be an easy transition. Get a job, get an apartment, make friends, etc. We all know that is rarely how things work out and in hindsight I was woefully unprepared to deal with the emotional toll of leaving my close-knit family, finding a job as a recent graduate with “no experience” and getting acclimated to a totally different lifestyle.

I used to walk all the time, living and working in the northeast. I would consistently be in the 8,000-12,000 steps range. I found myself driving everywhere and could barely hit 5,000 steps for the day. I joined a big gym chain and went once a week for my favorite class, Pop Pilates, which got cancelled. I stopped going to the gym and ballooned from a size 16 to 22. I needed to make a change.

I learned about Pure Barre from WWE Superstar Nikki Bella. After months of hearing her talk about it, I decided I was going to give it a shot. I found a studio 7 minutes from my apartment and thought I had nothing to lose.

My first time walking into a studio was met with a myriad of emotions. Most of them were smothered by nerves. Almost every girl had a flat tummy, fantastic legs and looked so confident that I felt insecure. I gained so much weight that it felt like I was rolling into the studio.

“How can I help you?” I was greeted with such a cheery smile that it immediately disarmed me and focused me on why I was there. “I needed to lose weight and my current big gym chain was not cutting it,” I told her. I asked a couple of questions and peeked at a class and signed up to take a free session the next day. I had taken Pilates for about 10 years (on and off) so I was familiar with the movements to a degree. I just had to give it a shot.

Ill-fitting, old leggings from college stuck out like a sore thumb among the Lululemon and Fabletics. I wore an oversized wrestling shirt and tried to feel graceful among the pretty backless tops with fabulous straps that surrounded me.

Class started and my teacher, Brandi, was relentless. I felt like an uncoordinated creature who was pretending to be human. I lunged and shook, I gasped for breath at the intensity. After a moment I started to find my rhythm. I listened to the on-the-fly corrections my teacher dished out and tried my best to adjust.

I became so focused on my movements that when I looked around I noticed that all of the girls had their brows furrowed, lips in a thin line, focused on making it through the set. It clicked. We were all the same! Yes, some of the girls are clearly advanced and athletic, but this hurts the same. No one was judging me or even noticing me. We were all working hard.

When we were finally released from the intense set, collective eyes brightened as we earned our stretch. Small smiles accompanied sips of water. We all struggled, we all sweat, we all survived.

At my other gym, I would feel so defeated after an hour long cardio class I barely got through, that it would take me weeks to feel motivated to go back.

After class was done a few girls asked me how my first class was. We chatted amicably, and I relished in the community. The energy was so genuine that despite my soreness I was excited to come back. At my other gym, I would feel so defeated after an hour long cardio class I barely got through, that it would take me weeks to feel motivated to go back. This time I was eager. When the barretender asked me if I wanted to purchase my intro month I told her to sign me up for the year. I knew this was the place for me.

While I wish I could tell you a massive weight loss story as well, I will say that this part of my journey really isn’t about that. I haven’t mastered my diet in a realistic way and I have years of damaging habits to unlearn to truly get to the next level. However, in the 9 months that I have taken barre, I have lost 14 pounds, dropped from a 22 to a size 20, seen my stamina increase, can twerk with sophistication (thanks to the seat exercises) and am no longer winded to run up the stairs. Also, I am almost to a full split.

My 100^th class was my favorite class. It came a day after taking a Breaking Down the Barre instructional. I was sweating so much, and it was a bigger challenge because I was doing everything way closer to correct. A few of my favorite teachers happened to be in my class, as well as some of my favorite barretenders and classmates. I smiled and laughed when it was over. I had achieved something that I often doubted my capabilities on. I have signed in, warmed up, kicked butt, cooled down and repeated—100 times. Now, working out is a huge part of my life. I plan my schedule around barre. From a goal of going to the gym once a week to feeling weird if I only hit my barre studio three times per week. I am a part of the barre community and I am better because of it.

About the author

Daniella LeCointe is a writer and fashion enthusiast. She spends her days as an assistant and her nights on her dreams. You can follow her self love/fitness journey @_missclaudine on Instagram.

Jan 18

How to Ensure Your Barre Socks Last Longer Than a Few Months

By Melissa Feeney Barre Culture, Barre-inspired fashion No Comments

Barre socks, grippy socks, sticky socks, whatever you call them, you most likely have a pair in your gym bag. The majority of studios require you to wear a pair to class either for hygienic reasons, to help you with your balance, or to keep your feet warm. You can find branded barre socks like those sold at your local Pure Barre, Barre Code, Pop Physique or Bar Method or non-branded socks like those sold by Sticky Be Socks, Tavi Noir, BarreSocks, grippysox etc.

Tavi Noir founder Charlotte Hobgood.

Sticky socks are expensive and we want to make sure they last longer than a few months. That’s why we reached out to Tavi Noir founder Charlotte Hobgood to learn how she keeps her socks in optimal shape.

As a general rule of thumb follow the washing and care label before you wash your socks but follow these other tips to ensure they maintain their grip.

How to Maintain the Health of Your Barre Socks

Turn those socks inside out.

Not only will this ensure they don’t lose their grip but you will also be giving them a better clean.

Wash on cold and the gentle cycle.

You can put your sticky socks in the washing machine but avoid hot temperatures. This can cause your socks to shrink and can shorten their lifespan.

Put them into a laundry bag inside the washing machine.

For an even gentler wash, put your socks into a bag specifically designed for the washing machine, to avoid sock pilling.

Don’t use too much detergent.

Using too much detergent for your laundry load size, can cause fungal growth and can even have them smelling like mildew.

Air dry your socks or put them in the dryer on low heat.

To keep your socks soft and grippy, avoid throwing them in the dryer. Always air dry your socks on a drying rack, or line dry them.

Do not bleach or iron.

No need to iron your socks, just let them air dry.

Only wear your socks during class.

Though it’s tempting to wear them around the house, if you save them just for class this will ensure they last longer.

Do you have any other tips for how you maintain the health of your socks? Leave a comment below.

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