(photo credit: pure barre)

It has been four months since my wedding, and let’s just say that I haven’t been working out and eating super healthy since the day after my wedding. With spring approaching and summer right around the corner after that, I figured it’d be a great time to amp up my fitness game and get in shape so I can wear those cute outfits and swimsuits.

I have heard wonderful things about barre classes, but never had the courage to actually sign up for them. To be honest, I truly didn’t know what to expect. Would I get a good workout? Will it help me with my weight loss goals? Will the class target my problem areas? After researching extensively for about a month – and going back and forth in my head about whether or not to sign up for it – I took the plunge and signed up for Pure Barre in San Rafael.

If you’re looking for a new class, definitely give Pure Barre (or a class like it) a try. There are studios all over the country and they offer a great introductory class called Behind the Barre. It’s a 75 minute class where the instructor breaks down the choreography and you can ask questions and learn modifications for each move. In this class, you’ll learn about the small (dime-sized) movements that really make your muscles burn and shake. The instructor will show you how to use certain parts of your body to get the best minute movement and burn. Pure Barre’s motto? “Lift. Tone. Burn.” If you’re out of shape like I am, then you’ll feel those three things at the end of the Behind the Barre class, for sure.

If you enjoy that class, Pure Barre currently has a new client special: unlimited classes for 1 month for $99 (you can pick a studio, create an account and purchase online). That’s the offer I claimed before even signing up for the introductory class.

I had my first real Pure Barre class yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I will be back on Wednesday, then again on Friday and Sunday, giving myself the goal of four days per week of lifting, toning and burning.

Do you have a favorite barre class that you attend? Let me know in the comments!