I also use and love the Physique57 videos (got them on Gilt as a set, along with the ball). I have definitely noticed a difference.

I also go to Xtend Barre classes sometimes as well. Those are slightly different than Physique, but it's nice to have someone checking my alignment.

I like the barre classes/videos that use the music for the beat - it keeps me interested and at tempo. Some barre is more ballet inspired - quieter, more French, and music is used just as background music. That's not so much my thing.

Love Barre3! Sarah is killer. I find the ab workouts to be demanding yet at the same time, don't cause any lower back pain. I think the squishy ball is what makes it work for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i haven't tried either of these but i have done some barre dvds and it is the best sore. i can spend twice as much time at the gym and don't leave nearly as sore and worked out as i do from one barre dvd. i love it!

Can you suggest a few DVDs? I'd live to try them. And, at home, do you just use a chair?

i use the physique 57. i think its worth it to buy the full set if you like that style if workout but if you dont want to spend that much the full body 57 min and abs and arms are the two i use most. yes just use a chair, back of couch, countertop all can work.

Go to the barre3 website -- they have streaming workouts for $15/month. A few of them are free for you to try as well. So great, no need for a bar to be installed.

Anonymous wrote:i haven't tried either of these but i have done some barre dvds and it is the best sore. i can spend twice as much time at the gym and don't leave nearly as sore and worked out as i do from one barre dvd. i love it!

Can you suggest a few DVDs? I'd live to try them. And, at home, do you just use a chair?

i haven't tried either of these but i have done some barre dvds and it is the best sore. i can spend twice as much time at the gym and don't leave nearly as sore and worked out as i do from one barre dvd. i love it!

Where did you take it? Barre3?

I took my first class on Saturday- and it was great! I'm still sore!

P.S. If you're taller or shorter, you can make the 36" "legs" taller or shorter to fit. But 36" is pretty standard. With the "feet" attached it will be more like 38".

I'm not familiar with these programs, but whatever you do, don't spend $500 on an infomercial-peddled ballet barre. They're easy to build yourself from scratch, with one stop at the hardware/plumbing store. Ask for help getting the following pieces with threads that will fit together.

Traveling dance companies build their traveling barres out of 2" or 2.25" diameter steel pipe that's threaded on the ends for couplings. For one barre for one person, you need 6 elbow (90 degree) connectors, two T-shape connectors, and the following lengths of pipe (threaded on both ends): four 18" sections, and three 36" sections. If you want the barre to be usable by more than one person, make one of the 36" sections longer--anything from 48" up to 72".

Take two of the 18" sections and join them with a T coupling in the middle to form a 36"+ piece. The direction the third side of the T connector is pointing is "up." At either end, add an elbow connector with the spare end pointing "down." Repeat with the other two 18" sections. These two assembled pieces are the "feet" of the barre.

Pick one of the long pieces to be the horizontal "barre." If you're building a big barre for more than one person, this is the longest piece; otherwise it's one of the 36" pieces. Screw a 90 degree elbow onto each end, and face the other sides of the elbows "down." Screw a 36" "leg" onto the bottom of each elbow.

At the bottom of each leg, screw on one of the assembled "feet," by threading the upward-facing T connector onto the bottom of the "leg." You'll have to spin the "foot" round and round to make it thread onto the "leg." Repeat with the other "foot." Finish so that the "feet" are snug, not gorilla-tight, and oriented 90 degrees to the horizontal barre. Now you have a barre that will support you no matter what you weigh.

You can still spend $50 or $100 on the exercise DVD's, but no need to spend hundreds on a fancy TV barre if you or DH are the least bit handy. I don't know how much this much pipe costs, but I bet it's about $50 or so.

Good luck.

I am thinking about trying either Barre3 or Pure Barre. Any devotees and what do you think it has done for you?