Chronicles of Trying to Get Back to Fitness: Barre3

It was that news that The Sopranos’ James Gandolfini died of cardiac arrest during vacation in Italy that had me springing into frenzy. I haven’t been doing yoga for a few months now; I’ve pushed my cleats onto the back of my closet. Despite mindful effort towards eating healthily, I think I’ve been nutritionally deficient than ever and well, I am slowly becoming a slug with brown hair and well-drawn lipstick.

I knew I needed to jumpstart my activity and I knew the quickest way to do that was to run. Or haul my bottom to the gym of my building, or have a quick lap at the roof deck pool. But I didn’t and I haven’t until after living like a sloth, I finally hauled myself, and two other friends, to Barre3 to jumpstart myself.

And man, it felt good. And painful.

Viel, our Barre3 trainer, assured all of us that it wasn’t going to be excruciating. As I had been to a couple of Plana Forma classes last year, I got to thinking that I can endure any 60-minute training that targets the muscles that are rarely used while running, chasing soccer balls or healing my soul on a yoga mat. Barre3, as I discovered is a mix of ballet, Pilates and yoga. It couldn’t be that scary, yes?

The Pros:

• Situated at The Spa building in BGC, Barre3 is incredibly convenient to many women like me, who likes doing things in one go. We were seriously thinking of getting a Swedish massage after our class but hunger got the best of us after so :D
• Like The Spa, the ambiance of Barre3 is far from ‘military,’ an adjective I reserve for gym-like, highly-exhausting classes such as Plana Forma and Urban Ashram’s yoga classes. While there is nothing wrong with being military, I like my physical activities to be on the soft and relaxing side. 
• It smells like The Spa, too.
• Clean, nice bathroom. I don’t think there’s a shower though.
• The lockers can fit my huge gym bag. Most gyms don’t.
• Clean mats, Pilates balls and weights.
• Viel told us to take all the breaks we want. Of course, that would mean a student can just forfeit her class and sit out the entire class {and what is the point?} but as someone who hadn’t been doing anything active for so long, I didn’t feel guilty when I stopped at some of the counts. It were those moments that I realized how unhealthy I’ve been.
• One can drink water, too, at anytime.
• Barre3 concentrates on the legs, the tush and the tummy. Viel told us that most women who go there are actually women who just gave birth and wants to go back to their pre-pregnancy body. I would think this is a perfect thing to go to if you’re not looking into getting thinner, but just toned {and active}.
• One class at one time. Crowded yoga/gym places turn me off, and I really like it when I walk into somewhere that doesn’t feel like SM for active people.

The Cons:

• If you’re not the type who likes places near shops, well, this ain’t for you.
• If you think Php 700 {which is pretty much the average nowadays} is too much for one session, you may find the fee expensive. However, Barre3 offers packages with attractive perks {like spa treatments, wee!}, then it makes sense.

Barre3 is located at The Spa building at Bonifacio High Street and has branches at Rockwell, Alabang, Trinoma and Eastwood. Soon to open are the Shangri La Plaza and Greenhills Promenade branches!
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