Barre3

This was my first Foundations class and wow — amazing! Shannon kept up the energy as we moved in a very mindful way. Loved it, I’m still sore 2 days later.

The quality in instructors has taken a huge hit. I use to be an advid barre3 customer and found it valuable to shell the 150 a month for unlimited classes. Literally would tell anyone who would listen to me about this place! Lately the instructors are quiet and don’t know what is going on, it’s like they are scared. People were yawning in class, I didn’t break a sweat once and we did zero abs. Classes use to focus the last half of class on some form of ab workout. It’s sad I really loved barred 3 at a time. I’ve been doing cycling and in 45 minutes burn more calories and feel better about myself then I did at barre. Also, wouldn’t hurt for the staff to say goodbye!

I love barre3! Great work out, studio and instructors! Highly recommend.

I attended The Barre in the Park event put on by Barre3 on a bit of a whim and was impressed with the attitude of the trainers. They handed out coupons for a free class, so I figured I’d see how the studio experience was.
All of my interactions with the staff there, from a phone conversation to checking in to meeting my instructor were so positive and wonderful. My class was led by Noor, and she was amazing! I’m not the type to spend much money on exercise classes but I can guarantee I will be back for a killer workout here!

As a ex-​ballerina, I have tried all of the barre studios in my native Salt Lake City, and while staying in Portland I decided to give Barre3 a shot after walking by. From the start, the entire staff I met were super nice & really personable. I had read some reviews that the classes were jam-​packed, but there were only 6 or 7 of us in my first class at 5:15 on a Tuesday. I also read a few reviews on the classes being either too hard/​not hard enough or nothing like a «usual» barre class, but I got a good sweat on, and a great leg series. Working out it what you make it; the instructors (Julia is fantastic btw) have little to do with the intensity of your workout, you really have to push yourself with resistance, especially during an isometrics. The only thing I did notice that was congruent with some of the other reviews was the microphone clarity, which was fuzzy. Luckily the huge mirrored wall helps cue the next exercise in the series, so it wasn’t difficult for me to follow. I bought the intro 3 class for $ 40 deal which I thought was a great deal compared to the other barre studios around town.

My friend and I purchased the Barre3 deal on a recent trip to Portland – we’re both barre fanatics in our respective cities. The woman at the front desk, as well as the teacher, were extremely friendly and welcoming when we arrived, which was great!
As many people have noted, Barre3 isn’t so much of a «barre» workout as it is a mix of yoga/​Pilates. However, the class was still tough! We did a killer thigh set at barre. I’m more of a traditional barre girl, but they seem to have a huge following in Portland (apparently this is where they started).
I’m detracting a couple of stars for the following reasons:
1) Instructor clarity. While the instructor gave good cues and was very friendly, she was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to understand – not sure if this is a function of the microphone, not enunciating, speaking too quickly, or a combination of the three. I found myself looking around the room to see the next move, rather than following the instructor, since I couldn’t understand her.
2) Hardly any ab work. While our core was engaged for the entire class, we didn’t really have much of a formal abs section – I left wanting more.
3) Very crowded class. We took class at 4:30pm on a Friday, and it was packed! I barely had any room at the barre, and one person even had to move to the center of the room for some exercises. Class sizes should be a little smaller.

Dear Barre 3,
I am a big fan and have been going to Barre 3 classes for about 4 years now. The clean facilities and friendly staff remain constant but I really feel like the person attention given to cleints by instructors has fallen off significantly. I’m not sure if the instructors now are not taught to correct form or if they are intimidated but I really don’t see that happening much anymore. I just attended a small class with 5 people in it. I was feeling really lazy and my form was terrible, the instructor never came over to assist me. For me, the lack of personal attention is the norm now.

I love this place. Quality classes, friendly staff, awesome environment. Sure some classes are full — but people usually are good to share the space.
I’ve been a member here for almost a year and love it.

Even though I’ve been doing Pilates and other group exercise classes for years this class is not that easy. The staff here are excellent and Bonnie, the instructor, really has great form and was really good with instruction. She also has great energy and the flow goes very quickly. If you’re looking for a great body workout in 45 minutes this would be the place. I look forward to coming back.

Dear Barre 3–
I do love your classes, but took a real snooze fest of a class just recently. Seriously there were people yawning. Please please give us some variety (create classes with different goals) and add a little more cardio/​pep into those classes. Also that 2^nd studio is uncomfortably crowded. I love smelling my neighbor’s foot and admiring her pedicure, but maybe paring down the number of peeps in that class would be helpful? I hate to be critical and sound like a jerk, but some changes would be much appreciated. I do love you and would like to keep supporting you, but am super close to going on strike… Thanks.
PS– For Barre 3 customers– don’t fear the Pearl studio– parking is surprisingly easy (metered street) but like many things in life– not free…

It was not as fun as I had hoped for. It was very hard and fast-​paced for an out-​of-​shape beginner.

When I think about service, ambiance, upkeep, and amenities of this studio I’m pretty impressed. In the Pearl aka bougie district of downtown Portland, I used my passport to prana pass to check out one of their classes for free. I came in around 9:30am to drop in for their 10am and was told it was full. They suggest I waitlist for their noon class and check in around 11:30 to see if I got in. Luckily, people dropped out and I scored a spot. I definitely recommend calling in to reserve (or online) a spot.
I’ve always wanted to try the Bar Method which has also taken SF by storm. Described as ballet meets yoga/​pilates and sworn to kill your muscles I was curious to see how intense it was. True to it’s reputation, the class was challenging, but not in the way I thought it would be. I didn’t sweat balls like I would if I did HIIT or if I lifted weights. Instead it was the oh-​my-​god my arms and legs are trembling from holding/​pulsing in this position for a minute. I heard what happens is your large muscle groups get exhausted, give out, and then your secondary/​smaller muscle groups take over and start working. This is suppose to sculpt leaner muscles. Honestly, I have no effing clue if this is true or not, but what I can say is they really work your legs and your arms. Surprisingly, I was not sore the next day, but the workout wasn’t good for my back (a weak spot of mine).
Overall, beautiful space. Showers, shampoo/​conditioner, towels, blowdryer, lotions, lockers, water, etc. were readily available like a nice gym. *thumbs up*

If I wasn’t running, I used to spend my time in a yoga studio. But since discovering barre3 about a year ago, and getting more consistent about attending in-​person classes over the summer here in Portland, that’s beginning to change.
Many other reviewers have expertly covered many of the great features of barre3: attentive instructors, kick-​ass workouts, more of a variety of body types than you’d expect, childcare (at this location), and so on. So let me direct my comments primarily to the runners out there: GET HERE NOW.
Many of us runners have hidden weaknesses that present in our various injuries. (I’m speaking from experience here.) I still remember the moment in the orthopedist’s office where he evaluated me and then said «Ah, yeah, typical runner — weak core and glutes.» This to someone who’s practiced yoga for about ten years, completed a teacher-​training, and run multiple half-​marathons. Not quite what I thought I’d hear!
My problem? I’d ignored important stabilizer muscles. They’re hard to activate as they’re buried beneath the bigger, showier muscles like the gluteus maximus or the outer abdominals. But those big muscles work only so long; some recent studies suggest that the glute max starts to fatigue after about seven miles, and if the glutes medius and minimus, along with your pelvic core, aren’t strong enough to keep your hips in alignment… well, you know what happens eventually. Running doesn’t really strengthen other muscles like the hamstrings or the deeper abdominals; it uses them, but use doesn’t equal optimization. The typical runner like me with the weak glutes, hamstrings, and core might look strong, and might be fit, but just can’t cultivate those deeper muscles without other deliberate work (work that even my yoga practice wasn’t prompting me to do).
That’s the kind of work you do in barre3. It’s tough. You have to first fatigue the big muscles so the smaller ones and stabilizers can take over. There are a lot of very small movements, but in that tiny range of motion lurks amazing potential for pain, shaking — and strength. I’ll admit I was skeptical, but now I’m a convert! During my last half-​marathon I kept waiting for the usual hip and knee pain to kick in at the appropriate mile markers… but it never happened. I’ve been going even more consistently since then, and I feel stronger, lighter, and often quicker on my runs now.
This workout is an amazing one. It’s worth driving (if you can) to catch a class with the instructors you most like as they all have their own style and creativity (or not) with sequencing. Do reserve in advance online as classes can fill up; I don’t usually have a problem except with the most popular teachers. And if you can’t afford regular studio visits, you can join barre3 online for $ 120/​year and have access to dozens of workouts from 10 – 60 minutes emphasizing various aspects of the body. However you do it, do it!

This is a great facility and an awesome workout. I tried this studio for a month after purchasing a Unilocal deal and was hooked. The instructors are helpful and upbeat. The studio is clean, welcoming, convenient, and comfortable. I also found the workout to be much more challenging than I expected. The reason I’m giving less than 5 stars is that the classes I need to attend (e.g early morning and weekend) fill up so fast, sometimes several days in advance. if you have an unlimited membership, it makes it hard to attend enough to make it worth the expense. Also, if you have time restrictions due to work (which I do) it’s hard to get a consistent routine. It’s great that the studio is doing so well, but it’s inconvenient to have to fight for spots in class. I plan test some other barre studios to see how quickly they fill up.

I have been practicing Barre3 since November 2011 and it has done more for my body than anything else I have ever done. It makes so much sense that barre3 started in Portland: Portlanders leans towards a healthier, more balanced lifestyle, and that is what barre3 embodies. For me, my journey with barre3 has been about physical fitness, connecting with community and nourishing my body from the inside-​out. It allows me to balance my family life, work life and self-​care.
To summarize:
1. Great, attentive teachers
2. Full body workout in 60 minutes that gets to ALL of your muscles.
3. Fantastic childcare
4. Friendly staff
5. Come 3 times a week and you WILL develop and long and lean physique and what my hubby calls the «barre3 butt».
They also have online workouts for $ 15/​month. All you need is a yoga mat, small exercise ball and light (1 – 2 lb) hand-​held weights.
NOTE: Also check out their Barre3 App. It has mini workouts and great recipes.

I’ve been attending Barre3 classes at this location for about 3 weeks now, and wow — it really is an amazing workout! As a fan of yoga, who has dabbled in pilates and has done quite a bit of cardio and strength training in the past, this really does have it all. While my goal is to still make it through a class without taking more than 1 or 2 breaks, I’ve already lost inches and I can actually lift things and move around with much more strength.
You’ll spend your hour working legs and butt (up an inch, down an inch… and hold!), combo work with weights for your arms, planks at the bar or on the floor, core work, and of course, stretching.
The thing that stands out the most to me about Barre3 is that it really can be for anyone and everyone. There are some really skinny women, some average, and some (like me) that could lose a few more. There are younger and older women, and not everyone wears Lululemon!
The cost is a bit up there, but if you are able to attend 3 – 4 days a week, it really is worth it and averages about the same as a yoga studio or higher end fitness studio. Give it a try!

When I lived in the Pearl I used to walk by the studio thinking I could never do that. I’m really glad I gave Barre3 a try — the Pearl studio is always clean, the staff is always friendly, and the instructors are always top notch. This is a hard workout, but one that you can modify if needed for injuries, limitations, etc.
Sometimes I would say the classes can get a bit crowded, as my first time at the Pearl studio I had someone’s foot in my face during some postures and no where to actually move without putting my foot in someone else’s face. Overall I enjoy barre3, but when the classes are that over packed, I’ll choose a different location. When people crowd at the back (as I do being a beginner and wanting to remain a bit separate while I learn the moves), I might have preferred a little more intervention as to where the late person should setup. But like I said, with a crowded class, that is difficult — so I will opt for the less crowded times/​studios.

Today, when I was leaving barre3, a woman stopped me on the street. I’m not particularly social, and am known experience «stranger danger» at completely inappropriate times. Like when random people stop me on the street to ask me about my workout. Luckily for her, my defenses (and stamina) were down post-​workout, so I engaged her, and it pretty much exactly summarized my thoughts on barre3.
«Do those classes really work? Do you like those classes?»
«Uh… Yes? They work for me.»
«I only ever see skinny women in there.»
«No, there are women of all shapes in the studio. Some guys, too.»
«Is it expensive?»
«Yes, but I think it’s worth it. You should go inside and talk to them about it.»
I used that transition to flee to my car where I could happily introvert away. But, now that I’m in the comfort of my own home talking to strangers on the internet, I’d like to expand.
I happen to love the classes. I started because I was looking for an alternative to the «Cardio Kickboxing Ab Blastapalooza» classes my gym was offering. Mostly, I was pretty certain that I was going to wind up with some pretty spectacular injuries if I kept doing super-​speed weight lifting with poor form. What I found initially in barre3 was a workout that still gave me that awesome, full-​body blastapalooza feeling, but emphasized proper form. Importantly, I felt like I wouldn’t accidentally hurt myself in this class.
And I didn’t! But marathon training and poor genetics conspired against me and landed me in hip rehab and eventually surgery for 6 months (see, people, this is why I can’t do cardio kickboxing ab blastapalooza — I’m that girl who finds creative ways to injure herself). The day I got my surgeon’s ok to work out again, I scheduled my first barre3 class in months. Since then, it has taken the place of most of my PT. The barre3 classes build the butt, core and leg muscles that I need to take the strain off my hip joint, and it’s saving the other hip from a similar fate in the process. This is amazing. The weeks I do barre3 are the weeks my hip feels the best.
Another reason I think barre3 works for me is that I am ruthless in my selection of instructors. I am centrally located, and will drive to any of the 4 locations (they’re pretty much equidistant) to take a class with an instructor I like. Not everyone has that ability, but do know that the instructor can make or break a class. Give it a shot with a few different instructors if you have a bad go the first time around. Ask at the front desk or ask other class goers. Have a strong background in yoga? Prefer more pilates? Want to do more ballet moves from your childhood? Find an instructor (or more likely, several) who teaches in a way and with moves that you are comfortable. I promise there’s at least one out there for you.
On the subject of skinny women, sure, there are some «skinny» women. But what I see are strong women. There are women with jaw-​dropping flexibility. There are women with amazing balance. And they all look to me like happy women when they’re in the classes. And hey, we even get some fellas in there, too!
Finally, yes, the classes are expensive. Although they aren’t out of the range of many other barre, dance, or yoga studios in town. And you don’t have to bring anything with you — no mat, no weights, no towel. The facilities are clean, well-​kept, and don’t smell gross (this is important to me). I am a graduate student with a very limited income, and I go to barre3 multiple times per week because it’s worth it to me. This may mean that I wear Gap Body instead of lululemon, but it’s all the same to my muscles.
Tl;dr: Give it a shot. Try a couple of instructors. Envy other women’s lululemon pants. See if it’s worth it for you.

I’m a huge fan of Barre3, and the Pearl studio is a lovely and central location. The workout is engaging and tough, the instructors knowledgable and helpful, and the entire community incredibly friendly.
One of my favorite things about the Barre3 workout is the focus on alignment and posture – I always leave feeling taller and going to these workouts has definitely improved my posture.
I’ve practiced at studios in Portland and in Seattle, and while I have favorite locations and instructors at each area, all of the studios are clean and well maintained, with friendly staff and instructors, and I’ve always felt welcomed by the barre3 community.

I was going to Barre 3 loyally for a while before I went to the Pearl location — it’s even closer to my house! The reason for this was that I was super intimidated by the thought of people walking by and being able to see me working out. I’m just not graceful enough to want that on display. I have now been to classes at both studios in the Pearl location and like them both. Working out with a window is even nice due to the natural light aspect.
The Pearl Barre3 location is is just as wonderful as the southeast studio and as I expected provided the same butt kicking workout.
As I said in my previous review of Barre3 SE I cannot say enough about the quality of workout Barre3 provides. Legs, Bum, Arms, Core, no muscle group is left unworked. As someone who has tried many different types of work outs this has been my favorite and I have actually seen results. They really focus on form and getting rid of momentum which is I think what kept me from seeing results in the past.
It’s spendy which is the only downfall in my book but really, it’s worth it. It’s the olé’ you get what you pay for catch ²⁰⁄₂₀ for someone such as myself with limited disposable income. The instructors are helpful, knowledgeable, and super nice. Classes are aimed to give you the best work out for your time. If you’re looking for something to get you excited about exercise and shake up your work out this will do the trick.