Pure Barre

I attended several classes at Pure Barre Bethesda with a friend in November. I had had back surgery in June. I thought all was fine with my back so I bought a 10 pack of classes. The next class I took I hurt my back and could not take this class again. I was in pain for several weeks. I called the studio in December to ask if I could transfer my 10 pack of classes to a friend. I had to call several times, but the answer was no, all I could do was spend the money on merchandise. I asked to speak with the owner but she never called me. I am very disappointed. I understand that I paid for the classes but I was not physically able to continue and had found a friend who would happily buy the classes from me. The classes and teachers themselves were great. I would just recommend making sure you are in good health before you take this class. It would have been nice to receive a call from the owner herself so I could better explain my situation.

Love, love, love Pure Barre!!! Bri’s class yesterday was awesome! Double rings are back!!! I do miss Rocky though!!! She was always smiling and happy and a double ring maniac. Great workout, fun, friendly atmosphere. I just wish they would add more times on Saturday and sunday… a brunch class, if you will. Really tones you and you leave feeling great! Try it!

Got a deal for a few classes and have been here four times with four different teachers. Maybe I’m just slow, but the classes seem confusing and chaotic.
It’s really hard to follow along several reasons. First, the teacher moves around the room but wears a microphone so it can be hard to tell where she actually is to copy what she’s doing. Plus you’re not always facing her. It’s the most confusing when you’re facing the back wall and she’s facing the front wall. You look over your shoulder at what she’s doing but if everyone on the front wall is doing something with one leg, you might be tempted to mirror it, but that would mean you’re using the wrong leg. They explain the moves, but very quickly. This may be fine for some people, but it takes me a a few seconds to understand the alignments they are blurting out. Lastly, when you’re not sure what to do and look at what everyone else is doing, everyone else is doing something slightly different from one another! Feet pointed in different directions, knees bent or straight, different motions or directions, etc. You don’t know what’s right and you don’t know where the teacher went. My suggestion is to pick someone in the beginning who really seems to know what they’re doing. Remember what they’re wearing (since you won’t always see their face) and copy that person when you’re lost.
The stretching is useless. The poses are held for literally about 5 seconds each. As soon as you settle in to a pose (or maybe even before that) they’re on to the next one. If you take the time to drink from your water bottle, you’ll completely miss something.
Also the canned motivation such as «You’re stronger than you think» gets old really fast. Another thing I found totally bizarre is that they dim and turn off the lights at the end of the class. I would think it’s to cool down, but we’re still exercising the whole way through. I guess they think that a cool-​down means core work lying down?
I prefer the barre class at Next Phase, even though they don’t have an actual barre. The moves are more «dance-​like» and the classes are at a better pace and moves are explained better. Better prices too!

Overall this is a good studio — it’s easy to get into any class time you want and it’s an effective workout. However, I recently stopped going to this location for a couple of reasons (I now go to PB Dupont). My favorite teacher recently left: she quickly knew my name, was always friendly and put a lot of effort into switching up her classes with great music etc. I’ve found that even after taking other instructors classes many, many times some have still put zero effort into learning my name or applying corrections to me in class… which I have to say I found discouraging. They also no longer validate parking which is a $ 5 increase to every visit (unless you have the unlimited package). Certainly still a good workout but for me Dupont is a better choice!

They always validated my parking until yesterday. They say they will only validate for auto-​renew clients and not for those of us who pay for packages as we go and don’t like to have our credit cards on file. The parking was really convenient and paying another $ 5.00 per visit in Bethesda is just really kind of annoying, especially since I’m now a second class Barre client.

Great workout, friendly staff, wonderful teachers. Really feel this workout every time.

Wow — a few days later and I’m still feeling the burn! I’ve taken several classes here and all the instructors are great but Mary Beth’s class is amazing!
As an Equinox member I’m sometimes lulled into a false sense of fitness security with their barre classes, which while great, don’t target specific muscles as effectively as the isometric exercises at Pure Barre. I love the boutique fitness vibe here and everyone from the instructors to fellow clients are very friendly. If I didn’t live in Georgetown I would at Pure Barre Bethesda everyday. If you are nearby sign up for a class ASAP, your abs [and glutes and arms and thighs and boyfriend/​husband] will thank you later. Highly recommended!

I tried my first Barre class ever at Pure Barre Bethesda. The studio is very cute. The lobby/​check-​in area is pretty small but has a cute boutique with clothing for sale by Beyond. I didn’t get a very warm welcome from the lady at the desk. There were three other new clients who arrived after me but were given the three available clip boards to fill out the waiver ahead of me. After filling out the waiver I was told the instructor Naomi would give me new clients instructions and get me set up. When I went in she was in the middle of giving the instructions to the other three new people so I joined in. The instructions were good, nothing to difficult. The class was definitely hard. A lot of sitting low, tilting and tucking and a ton of repetitive movements. It definitely engages those small twitch muscles! The thing I didn’t like about the class was the pace. I felt we moved very quickly from one thing to the next. This may be ok once you’ve done it more but for a new person it takes time to figure out what the heck we are supposed to be tucking and lifting now. The stretching went by in micro seconds literally so that may has well been left out! I would have liked to be given more options to alter things for someone brand new to this type of workout. There were lots of options to make it harder but not as many to make it easier. In general I didn’t feel a warm welcome by any of the staff and the class members was pretty quiet as well. I am not really a fan.

Love this studio and the location is great! Free parking makes it so easy, and shaves time off of my day since I know I won’t need to spend 10 minutes looking for parking, unlike other studios in the DC area. Pure Barre workout is amazing and all of the instructors here are great Highly recommend!

Let me start out this review by saying that I am a huge purebarre fan and really enjoy this workout method.
I decided to check out this studio when visiting family in Bethesda, and let me just say that I was not at all impressed by this particular studio. I walked in and mentioned that I was a new client and the girl at the desk gave me a clipboard of information to fill out — which is totally standard. When I gave it back to her I was surprised when she didn’t ask if I had done barre before, nor did she offer a tour of the studio. I was immediately turned off but how unfriendly and unhelpful she was.
The class itself was fine. The instructor, Dixie, was fine but literally did not correct anyone’s posture, nor did she bother to introduce herself or ask my name.
Also why in the world do they have a single bathroom for men? Why not make them unisex, considering men are not frequent customers???
The validated parking is probably the best thing this studio has going for it.
Overall, I definitely wouldn’t make a point to go to this studio the next time I am in town (which is unfortunate, because I visit for a weekend every couple months and would love to get a workout in!).

Thays Lizaso is such a great instructor! She makes me feel motivated. I love her sayings, «You’re stronger than you think» and «squeeze that ball like you’re gonna pop it.» She is always keeping an eye on my form, which I constantly forget about. She has a great music playlist to keep me pumped. Great addition to the Pure Barre Bethesda team. Best part of my day!

I purchased a two-​week Living social deal to see what PB bethesda was like. I’ve done pure barre in other locations and had really good experiences. During my two weeks, I attended about 6 or 7 classes and most of them were with the same instructor. On the first day, she asked if any new clients were present and when I identified myself, she asked if I’d ever done barre before and I said «yes.» After that she never asked me my name or spoke to me again. I actually really enjoyed the workout, but it’s awkward being in a class with the same instructor all the time when she doesn’t even know your name. She did seem to know other clients’ names, though, so maybe it was just me. Also, there are no shower facilities, and I like to workout in the morning and shower/​go to work, so it’s not the most convenient for me in that sense. After my two weeks were up, I asked if I could do the new client special thinking that the instructors would warm up given more time, but since I’d done the living social deal, that was not an option. I really did want to like it here, but for the price, I was not yet convinced it was worth it to go here over other barre studios, so I won’t return.

I really enjoy my workouts here, more so than B. Fit in DC. I’m not much into exercise, but I knew I needed to tone up for the summer, especially after trying all of these great DC-​area restaurants approved by Unilocal.You will sweat, but not to the extent if you were doing high-​impact cardio, which I like. Barre makes me feel graceful, which is not something I typically feel during exercise. Though I do have years of previous dance experience, you really need to know nothing about ballet to have a good workout here and to enjoy your experience. Just make sure to buy some sticky socks – you will need them, especially with the carpet in the studio, or you will slide all over the place. You don’t necessarily need to buy the ones that they sell at Pure Barre – I found some cheaper ones on Amazon.
I purchased the $ 100 new student unlimited classes for a month deal (though now there’s some LivingSocial deal for 2 weeks for $ 35…too bad I didn’t wait and just get that). I did 3 – 4 classes a week for two weeks and was really starting to notice changes in my body. Unfortunately, I recently sustained an injury to my foot/​ankle (not related to Barre). The staff was very nice and understanding to my situation, and are going to let me resume the rest of my remaining two weeks once I’m all healed. Apparently, they don’t typically do this, so I was very grateful that they were understanding. I can’t wait to go back once I can walk again.
The free parking validation is awesome. Just hand your card to the girl at the desk once you arrive and check in. The only thing that I wish could be improved upon is the layout. The waiting area is tiny. I went to a 5:30 class on a Friday, and quite a few people (5 – 7) had just come from work and were still in their work clothes. Our class had to start late because there are only two bathrooms, and both are inside the actual studio, so the women who had to change into their workout gear had to wait until the previous class was done before they could change. I wish they would’ve just changed at work so it didn’t hold the rest of us up since I had plans immediately after class was supposed to end around 6:25.
Other than that, I really wish that I could afford to continue to come here after my month is up.

Love it here!
Parking: Easy as can be– they validate for the lot in front of the store. There is also on street metered parking.
Facilities: Some shopping as you enter. Cute lighting and friendly front desk staff. Cubbies to store your items during class. Two bathrooms that are well kept. Studio space is always clean. Equipment is clean and kept tidy.
Staff: The staff is here is wonderful! They clearly believe in the power of Pure Barre and its hard not to be motivated by their good attitude and high energy. Also, everyone from the barre-​tenders (front desk– witty right?) to the teachers take the time to learn your name. This is so helpful for personal corrections on technique. I find each instructor to be so terrific, but my first class was with Naomi and I’ll always appreciate the time she took after class to help me with the hard to get techniques. They truly seem to care about each individuals progress which makes it motivating to come back.
Class: The 55 minutes fly by. This is coming from someone who would never say that about any hour long workout before I found Pure Barre. Every class runs through the same order of activities, but each class mixes it up by doing different exercises to keep things fresh. Music is always playing that goes along to the pulse of the current exercise.
Cost: It is a little pricey, but for the amazing results, small class sizes, and individual corrections given it is well worth it. Of all the things to spend money on, shouldn’t your health be the first?
Scheduling: Couldn’t be easier– you can do it in store, over the phone, online, or there is an app that syncs with your calendar. They offer many class times that can fit with any schedule.
Overall– a must attend!

UPDATE 4÷17÷14: They did send me a post card thanking me for coming (all handwritten to me) so I will give them props for that personal touch. But not enough for another star to be added.
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I went to my first barre class ever (in general, not just at Pure Barre) this past Sunday and had no idea what to expect. All I have heard is that it can give you a great workout (and hopefully body) and that it was a mix of Pilates, ballet, and yoga.
I personally hated the class just 3 minutes in and probably won’t go back. I will give one more star because of the instructor. She was very sweet and helpful (I won’t lie — her bod was AWESOME) and I am pretty sure this is the style of all of the classes, not just hers.
You’re wondering why… Well, it was like taking a class with Richard Simmons in short. It was so high energy that I was cringing. Look — I am all for high energy during work outs to get motivated but this was another level. It was too much «AND UP! AND UP! JUST LIKE THAT!» for me. I actually wanted to walk out of the class just 3 minutes in since I knew I already hated it. Another thing that struck me as odd is that we would do certain movements that burn, followed by a stretch. But as soon as she told us to stretch a certain way, we would move on to another movement in less than two seconds. How is that stretching anything?!
It was a typical women’s group fitness class but on steroids in terms of the high energy and this just isn’t the type of class for me. I heard not all barre classes are like this (like at Equinox) so maybe I’ll try it again elsewhere…

I’ve been going to Pure Barre Bethesda for about a month now. I just got home from my 6^th class. I’ve taken classes with 5 instructors and each of them teaches differently. Some are easier, some make me hate myself for going to class… it is a nice mix.
About the studio:
Parking is super easy. They validate and there are always places to park. There is also street marking on the meter.
The studio is always very clean, nicely lit, etc. They have a cubby for your shoes and coats. A receptionist is always at the front and can easily view the door and cubby for safety.
One of the nicest things about the studio is that all of the receptionists and at least half of the instructors know my name and knew it from week 2. I can’t express how much that means to me. I’m currently relocating yoga studios, with one reason being that none of the teachers have made an effort to learn my name in over a year… Pure Barre knew my name after 3 classes. This might not seem like a big deal to some people, but I really appreciate the genuine effort to learn my name.
As for the classes:
The classes follow the same order of warm-​up, arms, legs, seat (behind), abs, a little more seat and back, then a cool-​down. There is stretching in-​between each section. Although the order is the same and many moves are the same, you do get variation for the seat and legs and sometimes abs that is different from the last class you took. That helps keep it challenging and interesting.
I still know I am not doing some moves correctly, but I ask questions after every class to learn and try each time to make sure I shake and push myself. In class, I don’t think about anything else in my life. It’s a great mental focus on the physical demand of class. Bottom line-​if you don’t feel yourself shaking, you’re definitely not doing it right!
One thing you might notice is that all of the classes are a level one type class. I heard an instructor say that they are only doing the level one for now because they just opened. I suspect that in the future, they will offer a more advanced class. As always, if you need more of a challenge, then you have to make one. Squeeze harder, lift higher, etc. Each class is what you make of it.
What helped me understand the moves that go on during the fast-​paced was attending a free workshop with co-​owner Mary Beth. She went through most of the moves to explain what to do in classes. It was really helpful. She took questions, made the workshop interactive, and demonstrated many of the moves I did not understand during class.
My reason for going to Pure Barre is to tone and strengthen. There isn’t much talk at the studio of strengthening, just toning and slimming. That’s where my strong yoga practice fills in that desire to become strong, not just thin. Yoga and Pure Barre are a great combination for getting healthy, fit, slim, toned, strong, and happy.
If you want to try Pure Barre, you should. It’s expensive, but I really do enjoy it. Check out the Pure Barre website for their technique tip of the week to get a better understanding of some of the moves.