I was forever the type of person that made excuses not to exercise. Born with the innate ability to stumble and fall by tripping on air, I was not the type to want to try any form of exercise. Additionally, I am also not one to be motivated enough to want to get off the couch and move. After running the mile in elementary school and utterly falling flat on my face, I more or less avoided exercise like the plague. However, I ran across a Groupon to try these Pure Barre classes and, with one class leading into another, I was hooked.

Pure Barre is comprised of a 50-55 minute workout with ballet, yoga, and pilates incorporated into it. These classes promise results that are toned and to anyone's liking. But it is not the reason to stick around. Unlike some other fitness classes where the motivation is really driven by how much you dislike the way you look, Pure Barre encourages individuals to work at their own pace. While it is a class-setting, everyone is nonjudgemental.

At first, it is difficult to understand the terminology. "Tuck in" and "Squeeze Pulse" sound ominous enough to send any newcomer running because of the sheer fact that it requires something painful. I really didn't understand what it was that I was doing and definitely didn't put it together until the end of the class. But once you get the hang of the positional changes and push through the muscle shaking, you feel accomplished and alive for once. The burn is the ultimate prize because then you have real validation that you are doing something for you.

The focus is on yourself and how much you want to progress. The community is comprised of everyone for all ages and no one gives a shit if you cannot do every position in the class. I was impressed with how even the people that obviously danced in a former life can stretch out into a split can find a lot of joy in a class like this. The music is fire and upbeat to the point that it creates a tempo so that you can move along class with ease. I could not really tell why I appreciate a class like this, but between Pure Barre, Empower, and Reform, I look forward to getting off of the couch and moving. The feeling of accomplishment always brings me back for more.