Pure Barre 101: What You Need to Know Before Your First Tuck

Have you wanted to try barre-style fitness classes but don’t know where to go? Do you wonder what that type of workout would be like? Are you afraid you won’t be able to do it? If you’re like me, I answered “yes” to all of those questions. So when Pure Barre Westport, Fairfield, and Darien partnered with FC Moms Blog, we thought it would be a great idea to give you a quick run down on what to expect in a Pure Barre class. I have been taking classes at the Pure Barre Westport studio for the last 2 weeks and here’s what I thought I’d share about the experience so far…

1. Pure Barre is…

Pure Barre is a low impact, 55-minute workout that tones your whole body. The workouts start with a full body warm up and then focus on thigh, seat, and ab work, concluding with a cool down. The movements are meant to work your muscles until they are fatigued, resulting in lots of shaking! Embrace the shake – that’s how you know it’s working.

2. Pure Barre is for everybody and every body.

The best thing about this type of work out is that the movements are tiny (I mean teeny tiny, itty bitty movements) and it’s low impact. It’s a safe and effective workout that literally anyone can do, women AND men of all ages. It’s even safe for pregnant moms, too. The studio provides all the equipment (mat, ball, and tube) and the instructors will happily walk you thorough any modifications you may need if you speak with them before class. The class is hard, but it would not be effective it were easy, right?

3. You’ll leave class speaking a new language!

“Tuck right, tuck left”, “up an inch, down an inch”, “hinge forward/backward”, “lift”, “bend stretch, bend reach”, “your final 10”. There’s definitely a lingo to a Pure Barre class and after a few classes you’re hips will automatically tuck once your instructor says the word. The class moves fairly quickly but the common language that all of the instructors use helps to keep you on track. I’m a very visual learner and found that both hearing the directions and taking a quick peek at what the instructor was doing was enough for me to quickly catch on and anticipate what was coming next.

4. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

As the old adage goes, this is not something you can expect to completely change your body in 55 minutes. You won’t walk out looking like Gisele. I am on class number 7 and I still can’t make it through the warmup! I don’t say that to scare you off, but to help you understand that you may not be able to do everything at first and that’s ok. For me, I am definitely stronger in my warmup ab work, but still struggle when we get to the warmup plank work. And the instructors are great about helping you correct your form so 1. you do the movement correctly and 2. so you don’t hurt yourself.

5. You’ll see and feel the results of all that hard work every day.

While you may see results in as little as 10 classes, this is a commitment you need to make to yourself, a commitment that the instructors will remind you of, just when you think you can’t hold your heels up any longer. To help you stick to this commitment, Pure Barre offers tons of different classes every day of week, at all times of day in the Westport, Fairfield, and Darien locations so there is certainly a class that would work into your schedule (I prefer the 6:00am classes).

6. You’ll want to look the part.

There’s definitely a Pure Barre look – sticky socks, yoga pants, and tees or tanks. And lucky for us, each studio has a retail section where you can shop for new barre clothes. There are plenty of tops and bottoms to keep you inspired and keep you coming back.

7. You’ll celebrate your successes.

While each class ends with a recognition of your hard work, the instructors and studios go beyond to recognize monumental achievements. There is special recognition for clients who take 100, 250, and 500 classes. That’s right, there are Pure Barre patrons who have taken that many classes. And good for them! Slowly but surely, I’m working my way towards my first 100 and I will be so proud once I get there.

8. You’ll become an addict.

You’ll want to come to barre every day. If you miss a day, you’ll feel incomplete (just kidding — but not really!). Your day will not be complete until you’ve tucked on your toes. I’ve committed to a four week journey with Pure Barre and am looking forward to feeling even stronger, getting leaner, and feeling better overall. I will say that I am definitely feeling stronger and less sore after each work out. Be sure to check back in 2 weeks when I give my overall update. Till then, I hope to see you at the barre!

This post was sponsored by Pure Barre Westport and Fairfield but the opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting our sponsors.