Crash Course: Lava Barre is a high-end boutique barre studio located in Clarendon. Their “Lava Burn” class is a 45 minute express version of their signature hour-long Lava Barre class, but with less stretching and quicker transitions. Expect all of the traditional leg, thigh, and booty blasting action found in other barre classes, served with a side of upper body weights and abs. You will definitely feel the burn, so come prepared to have a sore derrière the following day. Check out a full list of class times and types at Lava Barre.

Lava Barre has been on my list to crash for quite some time now. I have heard rave reviews from so many friends and readers that it was impossible not to make the trip to Clarendon to see what they were oogling about. First things first, I had to find the place. Easier said than done! The studio is seriously tucked away, located on the second floor of the inconspicuous, no frills building you see above. There aren’t any discernible Lava Barre decals from the street, so you have to know where you’re going. Watch for the big “Saffron” sign – a dance studio located in the same building – and you’ll be going in the right direction. If you are driving (as I did) don’t park in the lot adjacent to the building (which would be convenient) – the studio recommends trying to find metered parking behind the Northside Social coffee house or on the street.

When you enter the building, the first floor hosts the Saffron dance studio. I was greeted by a group of ladies whirling about in bellydance costumes and scarfs. While I would love to go back for a crash, something told me that was not the studio I came for this evening. I found a flight of stairs and was thankfully transported to the calm, spa-like oasis of the Lava Barre space. It is really beautifully decorated, with calm lighting, fresh cuts of flowers, and the kind of furniture I’d be happy to host in my apartment any day. One thing that struck me right off the bat – it is teeny tiny and gets crowded quickly before class. There didn’t seem to be a lot of space to store belongings, so I ended up just piling mine in an empty corner.

There are two bathrooms, one with a baby changing station stocked with rows of diapers – and the front desk is located to the right. When I signed in, I was greeted with a calm and sincere “Hello, we’re so happy you’re here, how was your day?” by Lauren, one of the owners. Talk about classy – I was really impressed with the level of sincerity and interest. Made me feel right at home and like we were old friends. Love it.

There is only one barre studio space and classes are capped at 15 students, so the entire experience from start to finish feels very personal. The studio itself was really lovely, with small topiaries hanging out outside the windows, gleaming wood floors, and fun artwork hanging on the walls. For our class, we wasted no time and got right down to work. We only had 45 minutes and the we were going to use every minute to tuck and lift, and tuck and lift. One thing to note: wood floor is incredibly shiny and beautiful, but also very slippery, so remember to bring socks with grips on the bottom. You can buy them at the studio or find them at any athletic store. I got mine from Lucy.

Things that I loved about Lava:

• The small class size
• Personalized attention from the instructor that helped me correct my moves and get the most out of each lift and tuck
• The entire space – although tiny – is beautiful
• Lava Barre is a welcoming place for moms with their prenatal workout program, baby changing stations in the bathrooms, and a child care option during class

Things I wasn’t so keen on:

• The price. Barre classes in DC are some of the city’s most expensive workouts – I have yet to figure out why exactly that is. If you have an idea, please let me know, because I continue to be baffled with $24 – $25 classes popping up. It’s fun to go occasionally here and there, but at least for me, it’s not a cost effective way to get in shape on my budget.
• The tiny space is beautiful (see above). But it can also feel crowded, especially when we were all taking off coats, boots, and milling about before class started. Not a huge deal, but something to consider.

Thank you to the lovely ladies at Lava Barre for hosting my crash! And a huge thank you to Amber (not pictured) for joining me for her first barre experience (after 2 back to back spin classes…beast!).

What are your thoughts on barre being a “luxury” workout?

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Hold me closer, tiny dancer, because I’m about one pointed toe away from feeling ready to kick line with the best of them.

After tucking and plié-ing my way through the DC barre scene, it’s time to report back with my findings. I’ve successfully completed one class at each of the district’s barre studios and have written full reviews about my experiences. Check the barre category over to the right to see all of them. To help sum everything up, here’s a list of the need-to-know essentials.

• The Bar Method DC: Most extensive class schedule in the area. Two classrooms. Intense focus on form. Showers. $24 drop in rate. {Metro Center}
• Biker Barre: Beautiful space next to excellent dining options. Full-body workout. Cold scented towels after class. Shower. $22 drop in rate. {Eastern Market}
• b.fit: Darling boutique studio in the heart of vibrant dining district. Challenging class. Small, community feel. $22 drop in rate. {Logan Circle}
• Barre 3: Incredible designer space on the waterfront. Two classrooms. Child care. Shower. $25 drop in rate. {Georgetown}
• Xtend Barre DC: High-energy class. Burpees included. Brand new studio. $20 drop in rate. {Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center}
• Epic Yoga: Yoga class with classical ballet moves added to the mix. Focus on balance and flexibility. Showers. $18 drop in rate. {Dupont Circle}

 Things I really enjoy about barre workouts:

1. You won’t leave a sweaty mess, so it’s the perfect workout to sneak in during office hours or before happy hour.
2. It’s given me a new appreciation for the essentials of good posture. Go to one of these classes and you’ll remember to stand tall the rest of the day.
3. The focus on targeting the hard to reach leg muscles is wonderful cross-training for my running.
4. I now realize the power of two pound dumbbells. They may be hot pink, but after 100 or so reps, they deliver sore arm muscles every time.
5. I’m not a dancer. I’m not graceful. I can’t always touch my toes. But for an hour during barre class, I can have a lot of fun doing my best to pretend.

What do you like best about barre workouts?

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Crash Course: The ballet barre class at Epic Yoga is not your average barre class. It’s heavy on the yoga with a sprinkle of classical ballet moves thrown into the mix. Be prepared to test your balance, flexibility, and focus. Click here to check out the schedule.

I crashed Epic Yoga’s martial-arts inspired Red Sun Yoga class last week and liked it so much I went back to try their popular barre yoga. My previous post features a full photo tour of the gorgeous Epic Yoga studio space and has more information about the instructor, Emma – so be sure to check it out!

According to Epic Yoga’s website, the barre yoga class is a “yoga-based class that incorporates ballet barre work, cardio and Pilates.” The reality is that it’s a yoga class first and foremost. The real difference happens when the class turns up the heat by adding in classical ballet moves like relevés, tendus, and thigh burning pliés. Have you ever tried doing chair pose while on your toes? Or spring from a lizzard lunge into a one legged relevé? Exactly. The ballet just amplifies and adds to what is already a challenging and fun practice.

Don’t be intimidated by the fancy French terms. Yogis with no dance experience will feel right at home, as Emma has seamlessly integrated all of the ballet moves into basic yoga sequences. If you can flow your way through a guided sun salutation, you’ll be just fine. But don’t think that means you’ll feel comfortable. Even without any barre work or the familiar yell of “tuck! tuck! tuck!” you’ll hear in other traditional barre classes, this class is sure to break a sweat. I was shaking within the first 15 minutes as we started in on side planks, lunges, and leg extensions. I thought it was a really fun way to switch things up, and made me acutely aware of how far I have to go on increasing my flexibility and grace.

Two things I really liked about this second visit to Epic Yoga:

1. They are now offering lavender and peppermint infused cold towels after class – similar to my obsession at Biker Barre. I wish this blog had smell-o-vision so you could get a good whiff. These are oh so wonderfully refreshing after a sweaty class. Hooray!
2. The women’s locker room was much warmer than the first time I crashed. The space heaters were blazing and it was nice and toasty. My toes thank you, Epic Yoga!

My friend Amy stopped by after work to join me for this crash (thanks Amy!). We try to meet up every week or so for a workout date, and the 8 p.m. yoga barre class was a great fit for our schedules this time around. By the end of class, however, we were both starved for dinner and needed to refuel. Luckily there’s a Sweetgreen just a few blocks away from the studio – one of our favorite spots for a quick and healthy bite. Yum!

I have an unfettered obsession with their Santorini salad, so despite the excellent choices and the delicious sounding seasonal salad on the menu, I caved and went with my stand by. But I’m not totally boring! This time I branched out by adding in some warm grains and avocado. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Would you try the barre yoga class or stick to the traditional barre method?

*Epic Yoga waived my walk-in fee, but opinions are entirely my own.

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Crash Course: B.fit is a tiny boutique barre studio nestled into a Logan Circle loft apartment. It has a welcoming community feel and each class is kept small so instructors can focus on whipping you into tip top barre tending shape. The studio is not afraid to use and get creative with props like big/small bender balls, free weights, and resistance bands. Prepare to be challenged – classes aren’t just about looking pretty and playing ballerina for an hour. They’re about sweating, shaking, and relevé-ing your heart out. That’s a good thing! Click here to see the full schedule of beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes.

According to their website, b.fit bases its barre technique on a blend of:

strength training, Pilates and ballet-barre work in a high-energy, core-strengthening workout that isolates muscle groups, using precise, targeted reps. The method is based on the concept that fitness-savvy consumers are constantly in pursuit of new and challenging, results-oriented techniques.

I found it to be one of the most targeted, challenging barre classes I’ve taken in DC. It was a quality 60 minutes of great music, high energy, and butt-kicing ballet moves.

Studio

The studio entrance is located on 14th street in-between Salon Blu and Churchkey. You would miss it if you didn’t know where to look – the only signage is that tiny orange “b” on the door. See it? Head upstairs to the third floor and enter this door with the cute orange rug outside.

The studio is very small and intimate without feeling too cramped. Sign in at the front desk area and head straight back to the galley hallway where there are storage cubbies for your belongings and one makeshift changing area. It can get tight back there, but luckily it’s bright and inviting enough to make up for the lack of space.

There are no showers at b.fit, and just one bathroom. I said it was cozy, right? It is located inside the studio area and is just as cute and clean as the rest of the space.

And the crowning jewel of the space is the studio itself, with its gleaming hard wood floors and stunning bay window. It has a very similar look to Biker Barre’s barre studio, actually. It feels like you are working out in a chic studio apartment, which I think helps make the environment more welcoming than if you were in a more traditional studio. I mean..just look at how beautiful it is. Drool.

Class

As I mentioned, I found this class to be one of the most thorough and challenging of the four studios I’ve visited. Like other studios, we started with some aerobic moves to get the heart rate up and then picked up weights to work on the arms. Unlike other studios, the free weights were five pounders. I told you they mean business!

My arms were toast after just a few minutes, but I never felt that the weight was too much. It was just enough to make me sore the next day. We then moved to the barre to work on leg and seat exercises. You can’t see it in this photo, but we have rubber bands around our legs and are working inner and outter thighs. We did something similar at Xtend Barre and the bands are a guaranteed killer burn.

Okay here’s a better shot. See those elastics around our legs? My IT band and inner thighs are panicking just looking at it.

This leg-in-the-air move works the “seat” area and is really hard, no matter what class you take. I appreciated that the instructor walked around to make adjustments because at this point in the class, you just want to keep your head down, close your eyes, and breathe until it’s over. With one leg in the air, I had a hard time making sure my hips were level and was corrected more than once. It’s hard but I learned quickly to keep that hip in check!

After all of the leg and seat moves, I was more than ready to take it to the floor for abs. In every barre class I’ve been too, the leg lifts and scissor kicks on the floor are always the hardest. I’m just not that flexible and end up shaking like a leaf within 10 seconds or less. I definitely, definitely don’t look as cool, calm, and collected as our instructor. And my leg was definitely, definitely not as high as hers. But hey, a girl can dream.

We also used those evil resistance bands to do ab work. For one move, we tied them to the barre and used them as leverage to do leg lifts. This worked the arms, abs, legs….heck the whole entire body. Very awesome and something I have not seen in other barre classes.

And after a few last stretches – we were finished! I didn’t look at my watch once during the entire class. It was entertaining, challenging, the music selection and volume were spot on, and I had an excellent time.  

Instructor 

Jenna teaches the “pre-brunch” 9:30 Sunday class. She gave us a disclaimer that she views the class as one last chance to work hard before the end of the week. So don’t expect to walk into a sleepy class. I appreciate that Jenna is approachable without being overly perky and in-your-face enthusiastic. She was obviously there to work hard and make sure we did the same. I loved that. She also had an excellent feel for when the music needed to be turned up to help us push through those final leg-shaking reps. I’d definitely go back to her class again.

Be sure to check out my other barre studio crashes:

• Biker Barre
• Barre3
• Xtend Barre
• The Bar Method

Have you tried a class b.fit?

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