Living
WELLNESS ib yoga + barre THE DETAILS: Classes are offered in 45- and 60-minute formats and are limited to just six students each. Each begins with a whole-body warm-up. Next up comes core work through isolated abdominal exercises and plank variations, then arm, thigh and glute work. Every barre class ends with stretches and a period of quiet reflection.
WHY TRY: “Our barre classes are unique because we offer yoga and barre fusion classes in which we combine some of the yoga postures along with barre exercises,” says Irina Burdock, founder. “Our classes are also limited to six people, so the instructor can give each student attention and assist with the alignment.” COST: $20 per session
Raise the Barre
Find the right workout to channel your inner ballerina | STORY: Amelia Pavlik |
Pure Barre THE DETAILS: This 55-minute class begins with 15 minutes of warm-up and arm work, followed by 10 minutes of thigh work and a stretch to lengthen your muscles. Next up: 12 minutes of seat work, 10 minutes of ab work and a cool down.
WHY TRY: “Classes are designed around moves strategically designed to tone your body in record time,” says Katy Bayless Gibson, owner of the Virginia-Highland and Decatur studios. “Also, we offer a free Breaking Down the Barre class once a month. It’s a 75-minute class that covers technique and what to expect from class, and it allows time for any questions.”
FlyBarre, Pure Barre, Pink Barre—these days, there’s a barre studio on every corner, it seems. How do you choose the one that’s right for you? To take some of the guesswork out of it, we’ve gotten the scoop on four options, all of which use tools such as the ballet barre, light hand weights, bands and small exercise balls to sculpt your body. Read on to find your best fit.
COST: $23 per class
FlyBarre THE DETAILS: From FlyBarre 60, a one-hour barre class, to POWER 45, a 45-minute express version, each class is uniquely choreographed by FlyBarre’s instructors. Core and abdominal work is integrated throughout the class, while each muscle group (think upper body, thighs, glutes, etc.) is worked in a block of songs.
WHY TRY: “FlyBarre is a high-energy, light-weight workout where you can expect the muscles to burn, resulting in a leaner, stronger total body,” says Cassie Cresta, regional marketing director and instructor. “We also offer an indoor cycling class format, Flywheel, that provides the perfect cardio complement to our FlyBarre classes.” COST: $15 for first class/$25 after
Pink Barre THE DETAILS: This 55-minute format kicks off with a warm-up including planks/ push-ups and a series of arm exercises. Then comes three thigh exercises followed by a stretch, Barre Connect (a mini cardio portion of class), two seat exercises, a few series of core and back work, and a cool-down/stretch.
WHY TRY: “Pink Barre was created by a physical therapist, so we’re very focused on proper set up and alignment,” says Hannah Swihart, studio director. “Ensuring each client is feeling the work in the correct muscles is very important to us.” COST: $12 for first class/$23 after
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FlyBarre 1180 West Peachtree Street N.W., Suite 106, 30309 404.865.3976 flywheelsports.com Pure Barre 1402 North Highland Avenue N.E., 30306 404.883.3882 purebarre.com/ ga-virginiahighlands Pink Barre 996 Virginia Avenue N.E., 30306 404.435.8501 pink-barre.com ib yoga + barre 511 Edgewood Avenue S.E., 30312 770.756.6395 ibyogabarre.com