Since its start in 2001, Pure Barre has become the most popular barre studio in the United States.
Mixing elements of ballet and Pilates, Pure Barre offers a unique group class experience that keeps fitness interesting.
Aside from being unique, Pure Barre classes can improve all aspects of your life.
Whether you have fitness goals to improve your coordination or lose weight, Pure Barre has the tools to help.
But what results will you actually see and feel after a month or so of Pure Barre classes?
After taking Pure Barre classes for at least 30 days, you might expect to see the following results:
- Improved balance and coordination
- Increased muscle definition
- Fat loss and improved body composition
- Improved muscular endurance
- Better flexibility
- Improved cardiovascular health
I asked two experienced and certified barre instructors about the results you’ll see after attending Pure Barre for a month.
Here’s what they had to say.
Improved Balance and Coordination
Ballet requires a high level of balance and coordination, but you don’t need to possess both before you start attending Pure Barre.
Depending on your goals, you can take a more cardio-focused class or a class that focuses on slow and controlled movements.
If your goal is to improve balance, the slower classes may be a better choice.
In the beginning, it’s common to feel uncoordinated during class, and you may make mistakes.
Your instructors will be there to ensure you’re performing the movements correctly and make any necessary adjustments to your form.
If you stick with it long enough, your entire body will get stronger and you’ll notice the improved balance and posture during your daily activities.
When discussing the benefits of Pure Barre classes for balance, Caryn Campanelli of Forged Soul Fitness said:
“After a month, a beginner may start to notice they feel more steady on their feet and are more aware of their bodies.”
Feeling like you have more control of your body is a significant component of having better coordination and balance.
It will help you be more agile and coordinated in your daily life, and it can start after just a couple dozen sessions at Pure Barre.
Increased Muscle Definition
Everyone has different goals for their physique and how they want to look.
Some people want to look muscular and bulky, and others want a lean physique.
If the lean physique is what you’re after, Pure Barre can help you achieve it.
You won’t put on excessive amounts of muscle, as the classes typically only use 2lb or 5lb hand weights.
But you will notice that your muscles become more defined after taking Pure Barre classes.
As a certified barre instructor, Kelly Bryant has worked with studio members of all backgrounds and fitness goals.
She promotes barre-style workouts as a way to increase muscle definition, saying:
“Barre is an incredible way to integrate the use of every muscle in the body. This full-body workout tends to give people a more toned physique.
“Some of my female clients enjoy this component because there is no risk of ‘bulking.’”
During the 55-minute class, you’ll go through a wide range of different exercise movements that target your entire body.
According to Kelly, you’ll feel the burn in your legs, core, and arms. She says:
“Barre targets areas that many people are looking to improve. More specifically, the thighs, butt, belly, and back of the arms.”
Unlike some other fitness styles like HIIT, Pure Barre focuses on short and controlled exercise movements. Every move has a purpose.
Pure Barre also tends to utilize very high repetitions with light weights.
If you’re worried about bulking up, Pure Barre is perfect for you because it can help you build lean, functional muscles.
Fat Loss and Improved Body Composition
It’s no secret that professional dancers maintain an athletic physique year-round.
Dancing is tough, and Pure Barre is no different.
The group fitness classes are challenging, and it’s possible that you’ll lose weight if you do them regularly.
It’s estimated that you can burn up to 500 calories in a 45-55 minute Pure Barre class.
However, Caryn Campanelli mentioned that there is more to losing weight than doing only barre workouts. She noted that:
“The sweat-inducing workout…burns calories which helps create a calorie deficit that can help someone trying to lose weight when paired with good nutrition.”
Pure Barre workouts are only one piece of the puzzle.
You’ll need to eat a balanced diet and stay in a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, but barre classes can help burn excess calories so you can achieve your ideal body weight.
Pure Barre also offers Pure Empower classes for those looking to burn more calories.
These classes are more intense than a standard barre class, so they can help you accelerate your weight loss goals.
Improved Muscular Endurance
Pure Barre focuses on improving your muscular endurance because it uses high repetitions during class.
Many of the movements also have very short ranges of motion, which gives you that burning sensation in your muscles.
When asked about the style of workouts at Pure Barre, Kelly Bryant said:
“At a barre class, you can expect to use low weights (or no weight) and perform high reps. The focus here is muscle endurance.
“Some classes are more cardio-intensive, and some are more focused on slow and controlled specific movements.”
While the movements are controlled, they aren’t easy.
You’ll have to push your body to overcome the soreness that accumulates during class.
But as you take more classes, you’ll notice improvements in your muscular endurance.
And when your muscles are able to handle longer periods of exercise, you’ll notice improvements in your daily life, including:
- Reduced fatigue when exercising
- Improved sports performance
- Reduced chance of injury
- Better aerobic capacity
- Easier time doing daily tasks, like lifting heavy objects
Pure Barre recommends that you take at least 3-4 classes per week to reap these benefits.
Better Flexibility
One of Pure Barre’s biggest selling points is its ability to improve your body’s mobility through low-impact exercises.
The ballet-inspired workouts will help you become more flexible without having to do a lot of static stretching.
When you start a barre class, you’ll go through a series of dynamic stretches and functional movements.
These warm-ups will target your hips, hamstrings, and other muscles that tend to be tight for many people.
Pure Barre is geared toward people of all backgrounds, so you don’t have to worry about being put into uncomfortable positions or stretches.
As long as you can hold onto the barre, you can attend a class with no issues.
For those with a very limited range of motion, your Pure Barre instructor will offer comfortable alternatives if you can’t perform a movement.
And if you have any underlying medical conditions, they can show you how to adapt difficult movements to better suit your needs.
Improved Cardiovascular Health
During its initial creation, Pure Barre wasn’t considered an intense cardio workout that would drastically improve your cardiovascular health.
However, the studio has added more cardio-focused workouts like Pure Empower that are more intense than standard classes.
Marketed as “cardio + barre,” these classes utilize additional pieces of equipment not found in traditional barre classes such as step platforms, resistance bands, and hand weights.
These classes are also more upbeat with loud music and a different selection of exercises.
Kelly Bryant mentions the atmosphere of barre classes, saying:
“Overall, barre is a fun way to workout. Many of my clients love it because it is set to music, the instructor is engaging, and the movements are enjoyable.”
Even though the Pure Empower classes are more challenging than your standard Pure Barre class, they’re worth it.
The benefits of having a stronger heart and better cardiovascular health cannot be understated.
A healthy cardiovascular system can result in more energy, lower blood pressure, and reductions in chronic pain.
You’ll also have better athletic performance, which will help if you like to do other styles of workouts in addition to barre.
Pure Empower classes may seem overwhelming at first.
However, if you do them consistently, you’ll begin to notice all of the awesome benefits that come with a strong heart.
Wrapping Up
Pure Barre offers a good change of pace for those looking to try something new and move away from standard group fitness classes.
You’ll improve your cardiovascular health, gain more muscle definition, become more flexible, and have fun in the process.
Best of all, these classes can be taken by anyone, no matter your age or experience level.
Results typically take at least a few months to really accumulate, but you’ll begin looking and feeling better in no time. Even just one class can make a difference!
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Hope this helps!