Pure Barre is a ballet-inspired fitness regimen that centers on the barre (ballet rail). It is very efficient in burning fat and toning muscles, while improving your posture and balance at the same time. The technique was designed by dancer Carrie Rezabek Dorr in 2001.
Many gyms like Gold’s Gym have Pure Barre classes. If you’re thinking of giving it a try, take a look at its pros and cons below.
Pros
1. It Helps Your Body Become Lean All Over
Pure Barre’s motto is “Lift, Tone, Burn.” It’s able to achieve these things by focusing on isometric movements which basically trains small muscles, so you end up with a slender physique. Each session begins with a warm-up then transitions to upper body strengthening followed by workouts targeting the hips, butt, and thighs, and then the abs.
2. There’s a Minimal Risk of Injury
Pure Barre is a low-impact workout that does not put any pressure on the joints. You use your own body weight or small weights to lift and tone. There are no sudden or unnatural movement. Even pregnant women can do this workout.
3. It Helps You Lose Weight Fast
Pure Barre boosts your metabolism and even if it may not seem like a hard workout, it will get your heart rate up. It also burns fat and helps you build more muscle, which means you’ll be burning calories even at rest.
4. It’s a Fun Workout
In a Pure Barre class, music is playful and upbeat. You’ll probably find yourself singing along to the songs. There’s never a dull moment.
Cons
1. It Can Get Expensive.
Some gyms like Gold’s have group classes that may (or may not) offer Pure Barre. If you don’t have a gym membership however, a month of unlimited classes may set you back $100 or more. That’s not the only expense you should worry about. You could get addicted to this technique and then you’ll have to buy clothes and accessories.
2. A Systematized Workout Might Bore You
Pure Barre is a systemized workout that has been proven to work. But if you want a more spontaneous fitness regimen with lots of variations, it may not be for you. Every session is structured in a specific way leading into muscle memory that you’ll end up in a plateau real quick.
3. It Lacks Diversity
The cost of the classes tend to attract a certain demographic, similar to how yoga was a decade ago. But there are many studios aiming to diversify their clientele base. For now Pure Barre seems rather exclusive but hopefully will attract other demographic as well.
4. It’s Difficult to Do At Home
There are DVDs and Pure Barre equipment you can buy but these too are a bit pricey. And you need to purchase the barre too. Unlike yoga and Pilates that only requires a mat and a ball to do enough exercises, with Pure Barre you need to have quite a few things to get started.
Here’s a beginner tutorial for you: