The Class: Cardio Barre combines barre work and light weights in an upbeat, no-impact workout designed to burn fat and lengthen muscles. The 60-minute class consists of high-reps of exact, isolated movements meant to tone and elongate the entire body. The unique combination of cardio, ballet, and strength training will leave you feeling fit, centered, and refreshed.
The Appeal: An impact-free, intense cardio workout that sculpts and lengthens muscles while burning fat? Sign me up!
The Instructor: Our instructor, Vlada Gorbaneva, was full of energy and very friendly and approachable. She kept her eye on everyone in the class and frequently walked around to adjust our bodies to make sure we were getting the best out of the workout.
The Space: Cardio Barre Dallas emanates clean, airy vibes. The lobby area is open and lit brightly by natural light. Two spotless bathrooms line the back wall, along with large cubbies for personal items. The studio is partitioned off from the lobby by glass windows, allowing natural light into the brightly lit, mirror-lined space. The floor is thickly carpeted (which made groundwork comfortable) and two ballet bars stand bolted in the middle of the floor. Weights are provided, but you are expected to bring your own towel.
Who’s There: Friendly women of all ages and body types.
How It Went: The class began with some basic stretching, getting us loose for the workout. We then started working on isolated muscle sets, beginning with our calves, hamstrings, and quads. A combination of pliés (set to the fast-paced rhythm of the music,) calf-raises, and yoga leg-extensions left my legs burning. This part of class had the most ballet feel to it. We then moved onto our abductors and core. Here, the class took on a Pilates vibe as we alternated between leg lifts, crunches, and bicycle crunches. Moving onto arms, we did a set of barre push-ups before working moving on to triceps extensions using light weights. We finished out the workout with planks, before cooling down with relaxed stretching. I left sweaty and content, feeling refreshed after a solid workout.
I loved spending time focused on targeted areas–I really felt the stretches deep in my muscles and could actively feel them strengthening. Also, the instruction level at Cardio Barre Dallas was individualized and greatly improved the quality of my workout. For example, during the yoga leg extensions, Gorbaneva spent time minutely adjusting my form to ensure that I was safely working the correct muscle group. I found the hardest part to be the ab work, as we’d frequently have to “double-time” our crunching to keep-up with the pace of the music.
The Aftermath: I felt energized and a little sore for the rest of the day, but really saw the impact of the workout the next day—especially in my quads!
Loved: I love that I could get in an intense cardio workout without putting impact and stress on my problem areas. My shins particularly grateful.
Hated: Though the studio is called CardioBarre Dallas, it’s actually located in Southlake. The 40-minute drive from Highland Park took almost as long as the workout!
Cost: A single class costs $18 while the monthly-unlimited package rings in at $169. Classes can also be purchased in increments of 10 beginning at $170. Private training is also available for $80 per session.
Difficulty Level: Having never done a barre workout before, I took the Intro class and still found it to be challenging. I liked that I could adjust the workout’s difficulty throughout the class to fit my abilities by either adding or subtracting weights or modifying my body positioning.
Bottom Line: This is a great workout for those looking to tone muscles and burn fat. The upbeat instructors and state-of-the-art studio ensure a great workout. I highly recommend it!
