Pure Barre. It’s like a ballet workout, right? There’s a ballet barre and you don’t wear shoes. It seems pretty gentle, but I’ve heard it’s good. It can’t be too hard since I’m not entirely out of shape, right? I like workout classes and trying something new. I know friends who have done it and say it’s really great. They’ve done 30 day challenges. I’ll try it. I can do this… right?
This post is sponsored by Pure Barre Elm Grove. All opinions are (humbly) my own.
It’s no secret I work out regularly and I always proclaim it’s for both for my physical and mental health. This summer I planned to have a rotation of running + my Expecting and Empowered postpartum fitness guide. Both workouts I can do from home, so very convenient for our crazy summer schedule. I had strategically not chosen to have a workout class to go to or gym membership this summer for time constraints, but when Pure Barre Elm Grove invited me to try a class, of course I said yes. It was actually a really good excuse to get out of the house for some me time. Fitness and sanity saver in one. Plus, I realized I was missing those structured workouts outside of my home! There’s something about being in the presence and energy of others that feels really motivating.
My First Pure Barre Class
I showed up for my first class not really knowing what I got myself into. Like I mentioned, I had heard of the workout and didn’t know much other than a little hearsay. I was warmly greeted and given a pair of the special socks and quick overview. The instructor described words like shake, tuck, hold, inch. She told me it would likely take 5-6 classes before I would really get the hang of it, but to feel free to ask questions after because the class moves very quickly. She would help me as much as she could during the process.
Woah. My mind was blown. I didn’t know this was going to be fast paced (why did I think it was slow??) or that it would take me so long to catch on. And the music with an upbeat tempo began…
She was right. Thankful for my dance background, I was able to (generally) keep up by watching her every move + studying those in class who seemed to be regulars. I tried so hard to focus on the elements of the right tuck of my pelvis, letting my seat sink heavy and keeping my hips aligned in the right way, only moving my body an inch when the instructor called for movement, placing my hands correctly on the weights and/or barre and not looking like a total fool as I could see myself in the mirror in the front of the class.
And the shake. During the movements, my body – legs to be exact – quite literally shook like trees. I tried to ground them, root them and make it stop, but it wouldn’t.
“Awesome shake, Lisa! Keep it up,” she said.
Oh my goodness. She can see me shake. The class can see me shake. Is that really good? I thought I was in shape?! I was slightly embarrassed because the shake got so bad that I wasn’t sure I could push through. And when I say shake, I mean my legs were trembling as I was holding my pose and ever-so-slightly moving my body those small inches as directly to the beat of the music tempo. Trembling. I had to take a few breaks.
(If you’ve taken a class at Pure Barre before, I’m sure you’re laughing.)
With some willpower and pride to keep in tact, I made it through the class. I was humbled at the experience. I shook. I sweat a little. I fell behind in the routine, but I made it. I was proud that I pushed through and really quickly recognized that these little tiny isometric movements were reaching muscles and parts of my body that I wasn’t already targeting in my other workouts. The owner, Alicia, told me that after about 14 classes I would really start to see some maximum results. She showed me her transformation from pregnancy to Pure-Barre-regular and I wanted to see what my own body could do. If Barre workouts would be delivering me extra results, I wanted to continue.
My Body After Barre
The first few days after my very first class I was really surprised at the soreness. Again, I felt like I was in shape so why would I be more sore from such slight movements? I was wrong. Humbled and wrong. Wrong and humbled. I continue to feel the burn in all the right places (hello booty!) and love that I can feel how hard I worked my body.
Fast forward to completing 7 classes and it’s safe to say, I know now what it’s like to drink the Pure Barre kool-aid. I love the workout and the burn. I’m hooked. I’ve felt my body get stronger already and have seen a very noticeable reduction in the amount I shake each class. Best of all, I’ve SEEN visible results in my abs. Hello, what mom of three (or any number of kids) doesn’t want to improve her abs??
I’m committed to working out at Pure Barre Elm Grove this summer and really truly working towards my best results. Because this workout will continue to be complimentary to my routine + due to my time constraints, I’ll be attending an average of 1-2 times per week. I’m really excited to share the process, along with my overall fitness updates. I love seeing transformations in others and hearing the inner details of what their schedules and workouts are really like, so I’m going to be sure to share mine!
If there’s one piece of advice I can offer it’s that no matter what you choose to pursue in the fitness realm, make it something you can push yourself with + see results from. It will keep you motivated, even if you show up to class or lace up for your run or bring up your fitness guide and aren’t excited about it. Once you start, you’ll keep moving. And the more you do it, the more of a habit it will become.
Thanks to Pure Barre Elm Grove, I’m sharing a promo code for a 2 Week Unlimited Class Pass. I think this is the perfect amount of time to sign up and try the classes (you can do anything for two weeks, right?) and it’s an amazing deal. The pass will sell for $55 — one drop in class alone is $18 — but if you use code LISAB, you’ll save $10.
2 Weeks Unlimited for $45 with promo code LISAB!
I hope you’ll accept the challenge and try the workout. And, I hope to see you there. I promise, if you shake or not, I’ll be be cheering for you!
XO