Grace here! Serena and I have done 3 classes of Pure Barre and 1 class of Club Pilates because we wanted to try something new, exercise, and have new adventures together. It’s honestly been a blast for me, and we have more adventures to come.
I don’t think I need a disclaimer, but Serena and I are just sharing our thoughts for fun. We didn’t get asked to do this, and we don’t have any incentive to share either.
Pure Barre
What were your initial thoughts before joining?
Grace: Before doing barre, I had no idea what it was. I just thought it was kind of like ballet? I remember seeing an ad to try it out for free, and it ended up being really easy to sign up for a class. There weren’t any fees or stipulations, just sign up and come. I think the ease of sign up made it really accessible and interesting to me. I knew I didn’t want to go alone, and I was happy when Serena decided to go
Serena: I didn’t know what to expect! I’ve never done a fitness class so I watched the video that they told us to watch upon enrolling and it looked like a mix of HIIT and ballet. I was really excited to try something new (and at no cost?! What a steal!) and I’m not someone who will do things like this by myself so thank you to Grace for introducing this to me!!
What did you think after your class(ses)?
Grace: After our first class, I was surprised at how much fun I had. I think a big part of it had to do with our amazing instructor, Olivia, at Central Park South. The studio had a good amount of space. The manager at the front was really nice, and there were little amenities like dry shampoo, mints, and hair ties. We were given a BOGO deal after our first class, and Serena and I ended up signing up for that too. I honestly had a great time doing their “Pure Barre Define” class that included heavier weights. It was also nice to be able to go at your own pace with some instruction.
Serena: I was amazed at how much fun I had. Initially I was afraid I would feel super self conscious but everyone is minding their own business. If anything, seeing others motivates you to really put in all your efforts for a good workout. The moves felt, as they said, low intensity, high impact and I love a good sweat. Three classes was a good amount (we were reeled in after the first class) and I was ready to try something new after them. Everything about the studios was nice: the amenities, the music, the air conditioner, and the friendliness of the instructors. If you’re looking for a great way to spend 50 minutes, look no further!
Would you recommend this? Why or why not?
Grace: I would 100% recommend Pure Barre especially if you go after your first class to get the membership discount. Looking back, I would be interested in doing a membership in the future once I start working. I think it was around $25 for a 50 min class with their discount if you did a 4x/month membership? It’s honestly a good deal for a group session, and I think going with a friend makes it much more fun.
Serena: YES! No other words needed.
What did you learn about yourself?
Grace: I learned how much fun it could be doing a workout led by an instructor. I’m not a big gym-goer, but being surrounded by other women and getting some guidance was a huge motivation. When I’m on my own, I can stop and sometimes I don’t continue. I also learned how many fun free exercise trial classes existed after this.
Serena: I’ve always been someone who works out alone so I wasn’t sure how I would feel to workout with others in a class setting. Like Grace, I learned that I really enjoy being led by an instructor, receiving feedback on how to correct my form, and having a rhythm to follow along to. I also learned that my body is capable of doing more than I thought! I’m excited to try out other fitness classes and see how they compare.
Any tips or advice for anyone interested?
Grace: I would say buy your own grip socks. If you don’t have them, they’ll be selling for $20 for a pair there. Serena and I ordered a set of 2 for $8, so we were good to go. We also ended up using them for our pilates class, so it’s been more than worth it. Also, don’t be afraid to take a break in sets if you need to, I certainly did.
Serena: JUST DO IT. You won’t regret it, and if you do, it’s only an hour of your life that you’re giving up. But seriously do your body the favor! If you’re feeling shy, grab a friend (glad Grace is my fitness buddy!).
Interested? Sign up here!
Club Pilates
What were your initial thoughts before joining?
Grace: I was very intimidated by the machines? I wasn’t sure how it would work using them. But I was excited to learn and use a new kind of equipment.
Serena: I heard from some friends about Club Pilates and how stress relieving it is but also how costly it is. Club Pilates is a name I’ve heard of more than Pure Barre, and after participating in the Pure Barre classes, I wanted to know what other fitness classes are available out there. I also wanted to learn what the Reformer was all about!
What did you think after your class(ses)?
Grace: You should come early to get dressed because they jump in and before you know it, you’ll be on the Pilates reformer machine. It was really confusing? We had trouble understanding the instructions without a visual. I saw myself and the other ladies looking around. They also didn’t have us next to each other which I would’ve preferred since we came together! After we got the hang of it, I actually really enjoyed the added resistance the machine gave. I didn’t enjoy the core work we did by lifting our neck and shoulders though, it felt easy to strain yourself. Our instructor also didn’t seem that happy to be there or to explain things to us even though we were all brand new to reformer Pilates. The music was also super quiet, but I guess we need to hear the instructor.
Serena: Throughout the first class I was confused for a lot of the time. I was looking at other participants and they were looking at me and we were trying to figure out what the moves should look like. The instructor was much less involved in providing us with individual feedback and she had an undertone that said “You should know how to do this” even though it was our first time! I was also disappointed that the music was playing for little mice to hear. It would have been nice to be able to exercise to a beat. I enjoyed using the equipment, especially the Reformer! The intro class was only 30 minutes compared to an actual class that would be 50 minutes, and I was surprised when it was over because it felt so short!
Would you recommend this? Why or why not?
Grace: I don’t know if I would recommend the Tribeca branch or this teacher at least. Maybe the one in Midtown? But overall it was fun to try it out, it is VERY $$$ though. More than Pure Barre by double? They do have many more classes like 40+ throughout the week which is awesome though. I didn’t like that they didn’t offer much of a discount (just a small discount off the enrollment fee) compared to Pure Barre. I also felt like they can come off really strong trying to sell you the membership?
Serena: I would recommend trying it out if you’ve never been to a pilates class before. It was nice to learn how to use a Reformer, which I’ve only seen in pictures prior to this. However, I wish I had a better experience. The instructor really makes or breaks it. Also they really try to hard sell you to enroll as a member, but the prices are still on the steep side.
What did you learn about yourself?
Grace: I learned that the teacher can really help or hurt your experience. I also would like to do more reformer Pilates if it was a reasonable class price? Maybe if I was working and had more of the money I could see myself doing 1x/week? Other than that, I’m glad I tried something new with one of my best friends!
Serena: I am more of a visual learner rather than an auditory one and need to see how to perform the move before I do it myself with confidence. Music enhances the class too!
Any tips or advice for anyone interested?
Grace: I would recommend watching a video on reformer Pilates. Also don’t feel bad for being confused. I’m pretty sure we were all confused. It’s part of the process. Also don’t feel like you have to buy a membership since you took a class, it’s a trial class for a reason!
Serena: Have an open mind and if you are unsure about how to do something, ask! The instructors will help you and you don’t want to risk getting an injury. It would also be a good idea to arrive 10 minutes earlier just to orient yourself, change your clothes if you need, and get to know the equipment.
Interested? Sign up here. up here.
Closing thoughts
I would say we both had a lot of fun. It was free, easy to sign up, and who knows we might actually do this in the future. I think that we’ll keep exploring different forms of exercise and give future reviews on them. I also found it fun to explore the area and some of our post workout lunches have been my favorite part of the day (along with the class, of course).
I would recommend trying out these classes with friends, and if you find yourself loving it then signing up for a few classes or a membership would be an awesome addition to your life!
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