Yesterday I went to Pure Barre for a morning workout with Ashley. This was my 3rd class but my first class with the instructor Ashley.
If you are looking for a deep muscle burn, her class will smoke your legs and keep them shaking throughout the 55-minute workout. I loved her style of teaching. Not only was her enthusiasm motivating me to dig deeper, but her constant encouragement during the workout kept me pushing my body to the limits. I learned more on technique during this class and I think my hip”TUCK” is finally improving. I can feel such a difference in my core strength in just 1 week of taking these classes.
I am still struggling a bit with my quads/hip flexors. They are extremely tight and I know it is from teaching tons of classes on top of taking Pure Barre. My rest days are seeming more and more important this week. So I have scheduled 2 off days from lifting/toning and I will be focusing on stretching and long walks on those 2 days off.
The variety of exercises in the classes are great, I really enjoy learning something new each time. Even the exercises that look easy or start off easy quickly change and I find myself questioning when it will be over! The burn is unlike a burn you get from lifting dumbbells… you will have to try it out to see what I’m talking about!!
My favorite exercise during Ashley’s class involved the tube band, you are lying face down on your stomach with the band around your ankles. We were working the glutes by extending the leg up and pulsing.. my butt cheeks were on fire and I actually walked out of there feeling a little more lift! 
As I continue to take the Barre classes I am finding myself more and more focused on my form and posture. The class flies by because my mind if focusing on so many things at once…… keeping my back straight and removing the arch, tucking my hips, pressing my arms into the bar, keeping my neck straight, breathing, keeping my shoulders down, toes pointed, feet flexed… as you can see each movement requires perfection and I am definitely striving for perfection. It seems nearly impossible at times but I am doing my best!!
Barre class is so different then the workouts I normally do, it adds a great balance and compliments my training!
May 15, 2014 at 12:13 am
I’ve never been to a barre class before but I’ve heard so many great things about it! The barre studios near me are so expensive so I think I will try some barre videos on youtube before going to an actual studio.
May 15, 2014 at 1:42 pm
Barre classes are awesome. They are totally different then the workouts that I do and I’ve seen so much strength improvements in my core with just 4 classes! I would try out a DVD it’s a good change of workouts
May 28, 2014 at 7:47 pm
I am in my 27th week of pregnancy & am obsessed with Pure Barre. What are you doing for ab modifications? I was given a print out but feel that I need to modify during the plank section, and at the end of class I sometimes lay there during the abs but feel that something else can be done its its place. Just checking around to see what others are doing.
Thanks!
May 28, 2014 at 7:53 pm
Actually I did not realize you alread had your baby until i dug deeper into your blog, still any insight will be helpful since you are a fitness instructor. I’m worried about getting diastasis recti.
May 30, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Britney, congrats on your pregnancy!! That is great that you are still exercising. It helped with my pregnancy sooo much!
I continued core work throughout my pregnancy, but I used an incline on a step box to do most of my ab exercises in the gym. For planks I held my hips a bit higher and also towards the end of my pregnancy I dropped to my knees for pushups/planks. There are certain exercises that I would start to do and if they were uncomfortable I would stop and do something else. The best advice I can give you is to listen to your body.
Also for Pure Barre, you can always stick the red ball behind your lower back when you do the core work from the seated position. That helps take some of the stress of your core!
I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I would be happy to help!