Class Review: Barry's Bootcamp — Glitter for Breakfast

That's right. After living inches from a Barry's and be curious/terrified for years, I took my first Barry's class! Class may have been about three weeks ago, but I still feel a buzz when I think about the fact that I did it. I had build Barry's up to be this impossible class, suspecting I'd fail. In reality, when it was over, I was definitely ready to keep going.

Dear 18%, WTF?! The rest of you, thank you, ilysm.

Studio: Chelsea Location

Barry's is a well-oiled machine. From super-friendly staff at the front desk who assured me I'd be ok and told me to take things a little slow and not worry about anyone else, to the stunning locker room, no detail is overlooked. On that note, shortly after signing up, I got an email with a nicely-designed infographic going over the basics, assuring me that I could do it, and listing an email address to reach out to with any pre-class questions. A+ for customer service.

Instructor: Alec Leddy

Alec was one of my favorite instructors at Cyc and it broke my little spinning heart when he left. In fact, Alec is the reason I finally bit the bullet and came to Barry's. Not only did I miss Alec's class, but I knew that with him, I'd feel safe and knew that we wouldn't be asked to do anything that could hurt us. As per usual, Alec delivered a killer class. He is clear with instructions, keeps you motivated without berating anyone, and as a DJ has great music. I can't speak to other Barry's instructors, but I was so impressed by how seamlessly Alec cued/taught class. (For those who don't know, at any time, half the class is doing "floor" while the other half is on the "treads." Basically, two classes are happening at once.) Nearly every time I got/racked my weights, Alec would pull his mic to the side and give me some words of encouragement.

Music: A

I don't remember anything specifically, but I remember really liking it. To be honest, I think Barry's might be the one class where so long as it's upbeat, I could listen to anything. You're so focused on what you're doing and waiting for your next cue, that the music is more of an afterthought.

Class: Full Body

Barry's is basically a class in two parts. Half of the time you're on the floor using dumbbells for strength exercises and the other half of the time, you're on the treadmill doing a combination of sprints, jogs, and walking at various inclines. (There is also an option to do double floor.) I chose to start on the floor and ease into it. Since running is what kicked off my hip issues, I was very, very nervous for the treadmill portion. I pushed myself but stayed mindful and though I made it through fine, I was feeling it the next day (and not the good kind of pain).

I wasn't sure what it would be like to change stations throughout class. Would it be hard to maneuver back and forth? Would getting weights take forever and waste time? I'm pleased to say everything was so smooth. Ok, my partner (or spot opposite) was super sweaty and I could have done without the pool I would return to when I'd go back to the floor, but aside from that, the back and forth was easy peasy.

This was a full body class and we had 3 sets in each spot. Alec would demo for floor and give the speed/incline for tread and then you'd be off. It was really easy to follow along and the few times I got lost, I'd just glance at the person in front of me, which brings me to one of the most unique things about Barry's. ... NO ONE CARES WHAT YOUR ARE DOING! Seriously. Before class I read a zillion reviews online, trying to figure out what I was really in for. One thing that kept popping up, was that you can totally go at your own pace and no one will be judging you or even looking at you. I was skeptical, this is NYC after all, someone is always watching. Instead, just as reported, no one seemed to pay me any mind. After the strangeness wore off, I found it incredibly liberating, and hoped that it didn't bother my neighbors when I occasionally needed to glance over to make sure I had the movements right.

Overall: Loved

All in all, I loved class. With my bad SI-joint, I don't think I can go regularly, at least not until I find a new PT who can help me figure out how to run again, but I would certainly be up for going again or going and doing double floor. When I get back from Ireland, I'm going to look into a PT rec I recently got and see what we can sort out. [If anyone knows a good PT for hip/joint issues who will help me be able to run again, do tell!]

Have you been to Barry's? What's your "scary" workout class?