Member Spotlight – Pure Barre

This week’s member spotlight is Old Town Pure Barre. After more than five years in the neighborhood, the studio just went through a much-needed makeover – the only thing that’s the same is their classes and community. The studio is shiny and new and has a more modern feel.

Pure Barre is a collection of 45 – 50 minute total body workouts that will increase your strength and flexibility, lengthen and tone your muscles, increase your endurance and burn fat. At the core of their technique is a thoughtful series of low impact, isometric movements that are designed to produce results. Because the class is no stress for the joints, it is appropriate for all ages (16+ officially) and fitness levels. With each class your muscles will shake and you will get stronger than you were the day before.

Pure Barre has three different class offerings – Pure Barre Classic, Pure Reform (resistance training based barre class), and Pure Empower (fusion of barre and HIIT). Together these classes will strengthen and lengthen your muscles, increase your flexibility, improve balance and coordination, increase your stamina and rev-up your metabolism. In addition, there is a learned technique and mental focus that comes with taking Pure Barre, and that provides a meditative quality as well.

There are so many things that set Pure Barre apart. First, their community: Pure Barre Old Town is one of the most supportive, warm and welcoming communities you will ever walk into. They are all about building confidence and strength, and helping each of their clients be the best version of themselves – whatever that may look like. The staff is there to cheer you on during good times and lift you up when life gets hard.

Second is the technique: The technique is thoughtful, safe and effective – clients see and feel results in as few as 10 classes.

Third is the music:  All of the classes are driven by motivating music to help you with each challenge you’ll encounter, and make the class fly by.

Fourth is the teachers: The teachers, aside being passionate, are highly trained and are there to answer questions and help you learn the technique. They also spend individual time with clients, checking and adjusting their form, positioning and posture when needed, to help them get the most out of their workout.

And finally, anyone can do Pure Barre – whether you have an injury, , regardless of your age, if you are pregnant or postpartum, from those just starting to work out, to professional athletes – there are clients in every camp. This is because aside from being non-impact, any movement in Pure Barre can be modified or intensified to meet each individual’s needs. While you will be in a group class, the experience is individualized and is all about you.

Like the studio itself, Old Town has really become all about community and improving itself.

Owner Rachel True says, “We have loved how Old Town has grown and developed in the (almost) six years we have been open and from when I first moved to Old Town in 2007. Old Town has the best of everything in the city, all close together, so you can walk out your door and within blocks do everything you’d ever want – from having a great meal, to a great workout, to heading over to the beach, or even just running errands. The OTMRA has helped take that a step further by strengthening the community and bringing us all together to help make Old Town the neighborhood it is today.”

Rachel continued, “Pure Barre has changed my life and has changed the lives of so many of our clients as well and I am so grateful for that. If you are new and local we’d love to invite you in for a free Foundations class to show you what we are all about – this is our introductory class for new clients: we keep the class sizes small, introduce you to the basic movements of Pure Barre and help you discover the benefits Pure Barre has to offer.”

If you haven’t been in for a while, visit us this weekend, September 21st and 22nd, it’s our grand re-opening in addition to the Old Town Crunch N Brunch!  We’ll have retail sales, membership specials, and discounted $15 drop in classes for OTMRA members.

Class schedule:  www.purebarre.com/il-chicago-oldtown