barre3 South End

Bright, airy, and surprisingly spacious, Barre3 fits in perfectly with the other charmingly trendy storefronts that you see on Washington Street. Barre3 is a fusion of barre, yoga and Pilates, but we think it would be fair to add cardio to the mix too, because this workout is sure to have your heart pumping a bit more than the traditional barre studios in town.

RUNDOWN

WORKOUT

Barre3 puts its own twist on the classic barre workout with its signature 60 minute class. Each class follows a similar routine: a thorough warm-up followed by three 15 minute segments that focus on legs, arms and core. In addition to planks, lunges and glute bridges, you can also expect lots of squats and occasional Barre3 burpees. What we found to be the beauty of this workout is that core stability is a huge part of all three of these sections. Say goodbye to your comfort zone and hello to your abs & obliques, because you’ll be feeling them for at least a couple days to follow!

INSTRUCTOR

The actual barre space was void of natural light, but it definitely has a natural in instructor Julie Judson who brought the fire and the burn.  Friendly and welcoming, Julie took the time to introduce herself personally to any newcomers and inquire about any modifications needed for class. Julie had great energy and kept us motivated, as she worked out alongside the class and kept everyone’s form in check.

SPACE

For a chain, Barre3 acts surprisingly local, with flowers and plants from nearby Niche and Table & Tulip and bathrooms stocked with products from their neighbors at Follain. The front desk staff was upbeat, welcoming, and provided a full intro on what to expect and where everything was in the studio. There were plenty of cubbies and small lockers with keys available, even for a full class with lots of layers winter layers. No need to bring mats, as those are included, as is childcare during select class times. But we can’t end without calling out our favorite design element – the exposed brick in the studio space – so charming and an awesome touch.