I love working out – like really, really love it. In fact, I used to be a pretty hardcore runner – at my running peak, I was hitting 45 miles per week (ironically, during law school, which was arguably the busiest I have ever been…well, until kids). I even kept running while I was pregnant with Blair, and started tapering down to 10-20 miles per week until the last few weeks of pregnancy, where I started walking more.
I remember how badly I was itching to get back to running after having her two years ago, and I ended up hitting the pavement just 4 weeks post-baby (oops? I just couldn’t wait any longer!). I ended up training for a half-marathon as a way to get myself back in shape after Blair, and it was great. I also got hooked on the 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts and give them credit for helping me get in amazing shape last Summer!
We kept running recreationally after the half, but last December, after finding out I was pregnant with Baby #2 and in the midst of a big move, running kind of fell to the backburner. I was feeling pretty horrible in the first trimester, and didn’t know our new area very well, which led to very little running. Once I hit the second trimester and started to feel better, we started adding in a bit more running – usually just 3 miles at a time. We were living right across from an awesome park/recreational trail, so it was super easy to go for a run in the evening. Then, we moved to our new house, which is a nice neighborhood with sidewalks, but I don’t love running on sidewalks because I’m super clumsy and had a nasty fall several years ago – so I didn’t want to attempt it while pregnant!
So, it’s no surprise that I was really looking forward to getting back to regular workouts after Blakely arrived. In fact, I was so impatient, that I attended a special Pure Barre exhibition class only three weeks postpartum. And that’s where my love of Pure Barre began. I had actually been wanting to try it for several years, but with juggling a new baby, a long commute to and from work and the nearest studio being 30+ minutes away from home, I just never got around to it.
Now that I have more time (ironically, with two kids!), it felt like a good time to start a new workout routine. I also love running, but it’s incredibly hard on my body and I always hurt because of how many miles I logged every week. So, I decided to sign up for the Pure Barre Bounce Back After Baby package, which is 3 months of unlimited classes. I figured if I went at least 3 times per week, getting the unlimited package would be worth it – but I didn’t realize how much I would really LOVE it and want to go every single day! While I technically could go 7 days a week, the closest studio is still a bit of a drive from home and I probably should give my body a little break in between anyways.
I’ve been going 3 times, sometimes 4 times per week and it’s amazing how quickly you see and feel results! Coming off nine months of doing very little in the way of toning, I was shocked at how quickly I started seeing definition in my arms, legs and abs (and shocked at how sore I was, too!). I’d always heard about the 90-second plank at the beginning of a PB class, but didn’t realize how challenging it would be post-baby. I can tell I’m getting stronger because holding the plank all 90 seconds has gotten slightly easier (but it’s still no walk in the park, that’s for sure).
I also started incorporating Pure Barre Platform, which is a lot more high-energy, and adds some heart-pumping cardio to the workout. I’ve always been a bit of a cardio queen, so Platform is a nice balance. And it’s HARD. As someone who has trained for and run many half-marathons, I thought my endurance was very high (well, it might have been when I was running 45 miles a week. Ha!), but Platform classes are truly challenging – which I love!
If you’ve been looking for a workout that’s super challenging, I highly recommend giving Pure Barre a try. I think my favorite part is the fact that I want to keep going back, despite how sore I am after every class. Also, seeing results so quickly makes you want to take even more classes…and that’s how you become a #PureBarreAddict.
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