I first heard the term “barre” (spelled with an ‘e’ that is) during my junior year of high school. One of my high school’s top female swimmers frequently showed up to my English Lit class following a morning workout at Pure Barre. I never really had any interest in it since I thought cardio would suffice as my daily routine. Fast-forward three years later, I gave into the temptation for toning and attended my first Physique 57 class. I absolutely (and painfully) loved it – definitely worth trying.
Price-wise, your first Physique class can be purchased under their “New Client Special,” which provides two beginner classes for $36 (which usually is the price of one boutique fitness class). Or, if you’re feeling extra determined, a package of eight classes approximates to $175, which turns out to be $22 per class. The closest studio is located in Soho, around a 15 minute walk from campus.
Upon arrival, the studio’s atmosphere is completely identical to that of similar boutique classes: clusters of young working women, most in their 20’s and 30’s, showcasing their edgy workout leggings and lululemon headbands. The receptionists are friendly, and kindly provided me with a tour of the studio. Luckily, I attended the class with my older sister, an avid Physique 57 member, so I was able to follow her along. I do highly suggest you attend the class with a friend since these types of classes can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re a beginner!
Finally at 7:15 PM, the previous class ended and a crowd of rosy-cheeked women departed from the studio. Our instructor, Kerrie, greeted us and had us start out with some warm-up stretches on the bar. This gradually led to us doing a series of movements and positions while squeezing a medicine ball in between our thighs. Not bad, I thought…but, I definitely spoke too soon. The simple movements transitioned into incremental workouts for specific parts of your body: weight exercises for arm muscles, various crunches and planks, intense thigh and glute sequences. Kerrie was very patient with newbies like myself, and she made an effort to repeatedly help me perform the right move. Their method, “Interval Overload,” is meant to target particular areas of your body in time increments. After each set of toning exercises, Kerrie dedicated 2-3 minutes of deep stretches to relieve any pain.
What I loved the most about the class was that it pushed my body more than my typical 45 minute treadmill performance. At one point, my legs were literally shaking during one of the thigh exercises on the bar. Your hamstrings will be on fire, your butt will kill, your abs will be in pain, and your upper arms will be sore the next day. BUT that’s when you know you had an incredible workout. Plus, the period of stretching in between each set of exercises minimizes the soreness felt the next day. The class is NOT about burning calories, instead it focuses on strengthening and toning all your muscle groups.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this class! It’s so different that your typical SoulCycle, Flywheel, Barry’s, etc. You’ll blow off some steam from a crazy week of midterms and will definitely leave the class feeling invigorated with an extra touch of self-confidence. So instead of forcing yourself to some crazy juice cleanse or no-carb diet, give Physique 57 a try and enter the barre world. You got this!