ten things i learned during 100 pure barre classes

in april i earned my spot in the 100 club at pure barre asheville. that's 5500 minutes that i've spent at the barre! i was way too excited to sign my name onto the 100 club barre in the locker area and to have my name up on the chalkboard. 

i was also super excited to earn the coveted red sticky socks! PB sells socks in all kinds of fun colors, but you can only get red if you're in the 100 club. might sound silly, but i think it's pretty cool. 

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i've mentioned pure barre to you all several times, but i've never really talked about the experience in detail. so here are ten things i've learned during my time working towards 100 classes:

1. no one is judging you.  if you're new to PB it's easy to feel intimidated. don't worry about how you look doing something! the only person who will notice what you're doing is the instructor (because she's trained to help you get it right!). everyone else is going to be shaking in their sticky socks and way too busy concentrating on their own movements to notice what you're doing. seriously... i'm pretty sure a zebra could walk through the studio during class and i wouldn't notice because i'm too busy trying not to crumple to the floor. 
2. buy the socks.  i've only taken one class without the sticky socks and that was enough to make me never want to forget mine at home again. you will slide all over the place! buy a couple pairs and stash them everywhere. i try to keep pairs in my purse, car, and gym bag (and yes i still forget and have to borrow them way too often). 
3. get to class on time.  and on time is at least 10 minutes early. at the very least you've got to take off your shoes, put on your socks, sign in, and get all your equipment. you should really do a little stretching and it's always nice to catch up with your classmates and instructors.  **if it's your first class go earlier. you'll get shown around the studio and the instructor will go over some of the key movements and lingo with you**
4. don't be surprised if the instructor physically corrects your movement during class. sometimes it's hard to explain what you should be doing so if you're not doing it correctly the instructor will physically manipulate your leg or hips or whatever to the correct position. it's super helpful and i guarantee you'll notice the difference as soon as they do it. 
5. if the instructor does correct you, she's only trying to help you get the most out of your time at the barre. the instructors always cover the microphone when giving corrections to a single person. they aren't going to call you out in front of everyone, so relax and listen to what they're saying! 
6. pay attention! seriously, listen to what the instructor is saying! everything she says is designed to help you get into the right position and get the most out of your workout. pure barre is based on very SMALL movements so little things make a big difference. you need to know if your toes are supposed to be pointed or flexed, are you supposed to be flat footed, on your highest tip toes, or in between, etc. 
7. when they say to move 'just an inch' they mean it.  i'm not kidding. this isn't the kind of workout where bigger is better. you'll hear the phrases "make it smaller", "trace a circle the size of a dime", and "down an inch, up an inch" over and over... that's because it's important! if you can make the movement way bigger than everyone else, odds are you're doing it wrong!
8. dress the part. i'm not saying you need to go on a shopping spree at lululemon or anything. but you're gonna want some tights or crops that fit you well and that aren't see through when you bend over. form fitting clothing is best so that the instructor can see your lines and tell if you're doing things incorrectly. 
9. bring water to class. trust me. 
10. the instructors are amazing. so are your classmates. get to know them! make friends! cheer each other on! it's so great to see the same faces, check in with each other, and keep up with what's going on in each others lives. it creates a really encouraging environment and it's a really great thing to have. we cheer each other on and support each other. it's great to be a part of the pure barre family!