Pure Barre: 50th Class!

That’s me, Heather P., at 48 classes on my way to 50. The instructors at Pure Barre Cedar Park, my local studio, made this fun board to track student progress on the way to this first milestone, the 50th class. (Truthfully, it could be argued that the first milestone is really just surviving your first class, and I won’t argue with that. At 50 classes, we get to sign our names on a special board, though, which seems more “official” as far as milestones go, so let’s go with that.)

I consider myself fairly non-athletic, apart from dancing, so I was both surprised and proud of myself for making it this far at barre. Lessons learned?

1. It’s hard. There will be times when you may think you aren’t doing a very good job. The thing to remember when you’re just getting through it is that you’re still ahead of where you’d be if you hadn’t come at all. Everyone improves at their own pace, and you’ll get better as long as you keep trying– even on days when you can’t get through thigh work without a few breaks.

2. No one is looking at you. I’ve been trying to convince a few friends to come try a class with me, and they’ve been reluctant because they felt a bit intimidated. Trust me, barre classes are full of ladies in all shapes and sizes, of all ages and stages of life. You don’t need to feel self conscious, even though leggings may not be your usual go-to wardrobe item. Everyone in there is so focused on getting through their own workout that no one is paying attention to anyone else, let alone judging you. Don’t be shy.

3. You will find new friends at barre. There must be some bonding force associated with mutual suffering, because I have seen an amazing network of ladies who support and encourage one another develop at my studio. You may just be looking for stronger muscles, but you can find a lot more than that if you are open to it. Maybe that’s why Pure Barre has so many loyal devotees.