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| - I came to Barre Life while I was visiting family in Oakville. I'm a Pure Barre addict, so I HAD to find a barre studio during this trip. Barre Life had a great introductory special: unlimited classes for two weeks for only $40. Yay! So the studio is very nice and clean on the inside. The outside is not much to look at, though there is plenty of parking. The lobby is spacious, they have retail, and the front of the house staff are friendly. There is also a large women's locker room--always a plus.
I took 3 classes at Barre Life: Sculpt and two level 1 classes. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety that the studio offers--I think it's great that there are different classes depending on what you're looking for (beginner, advanced, more ballet-oriented, etc). I enjoyed Sculpt the most, as it was somewhat similar to what I'm used to at Pure Barre. I like a more fast-paced and intense class as well as using different props, such as weights, balls, and resistance bands. I also enjoyed the music, which was upbeat and current.
What prevents me from giving a higher rating is related to the instruction. During one class, I was actually discouraged when I challenged myself to hold a pose--I was told by an instructor to stop when she saw that my thigh muscles were shaking. Also, I never saw any of the instructors go around the room and adjust people's forms, and I could see that several people needed adjustments, including myself. I found this to be problematic because if you don't have the correct form, you could easily injure yourself--especially your back. Maybe other instructors are more conscientious about that, though. All in all, there were more positives than negatives, but the instructor contributes heavily to the experience in my opinion. I would still try Barre Life when I visit Oakville again, since it is still a great workout.
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