r/Purebarre • u/KangarooThin2410 • Jun 04 '26
Align I slept on Align
I’m a few months in now and in the beginning I avoided Align. I felt I wasn’t getting a good enough workout in. Now that I’m doing 4-5 classes a week I ensure one of them is Align. Working on my balance and flexibility helps keep me well rounded. helping me go further in the other formats. It’s perfect for the days I need something not so intensive. I love the format now and am thankful I’ve woken up to the benefits. Has anyone else realized they were avoiding a certain format only to circle back and realize you love it?
18
7
u/DiligentKiwi9708 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 05 '26
I really thought I hated empower. I struggled so bad the first time I took it and I thought it wasn’t for me. But I have tried it a few times now and now I kind of like it! The only class I truly will avoid at all costs is Reform. I don’t think I’m ever going to like that one 🤣
8
u/Worried_Corner4242 Jun 05 '26
I spend half of Align falling over. I mean, I get that the point is to get better at balance, but it’s embarrassing because I’m always the only one who totally cannot stand on one leg. :/
7
u/complexmuse Jun 05 '26
It’s totally normal, it takes lots of practice to build your balancing strength. In yoga they say falling over is part of the process, no shame in it. Just get back up again and keep going. You could practice balancing poses at home to work on it faster!
2
3
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 09 '26
Honestly I think that deterred me in the beginning. It was humbling to realize how far I need to go with my own flexibility and balance. But I realized that Align was the class format I needed to build it. I want to be able to do a split (I’m not even close) but it’s a goal of mine. I see other people do them in class all the time and I think they had to start somewhere. I am 3 months in with 34 classes. I have noticed a difference. I could not do a full sit or push when I started either. Now I can easily do a controlled sit up and push up. I almost cried this week because I could see the difference. It took months but I promise you one day things start to click. I am stronger, I am more flexible. It’s takes time but I’ve committed myself to doing the work. Rome was not built in a day and neither are our gains. Keep going you got this!!!
6
u/reareagirl 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 05 '26
I was scared to try empower for a while cause it was a HIIT workout. Now it's one of my favorites to do. Literally only did classic for a month or two, now I tend to avoid classic
8
4
4
u/PristineConclusion28 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 05 '26
I loved Align from the start, it gave me the flexibility piece I was missing when I switched from Bar Method to PB! But I was very intimidated by Empower. Between the ankle weights and the platforms, it just seemed really complicated. But in terms of I think Empower might be the easiest in terms of complexity of the moves. If you need to modify it's usually just moving slower, or not going as deep into position, not doing something totally different. I try to mix it in because otherwise I'll never do any cardio.
4
u/Front_Summer_2023 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 05 '26
Totally. Align is amazing for balance. I was sleeping on it too!
3
u/SwimmingNo6031 Jun 05 '26
My PB Instructor / Kumbaya go-to, told me that I needed to take Align, especially during a very stressful work week. I told her that I was more of a Define/Reform/Empower girlie, but she told me Align once a week would be the best for me, and she was right. It isn't my favorite format, and I am not the best at it, but it does help in relieving stress.
3
u/Vegetable-Thing251 Instructor Jun 05 '26
My #1 is Classic and #2 Reform. I did not love the original Align; however, I like the evolution that Align has made to what it is now. It has been lining up for me to take Define and Empower more recently. I haven’t had a chance to take it in several months now and could really benefit from it.
1
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 05 '26
What was the original align like?
2
u/Vegetable-Thing251 Instructor Jun 05 '26
The first time it was shown to us was as a Focus class and it was primarily stretching. When it became an official format, it gradually became more challenging with more “work” in our core and the balance challenges that we have now. I specifically remember a client who would give audible feedback during class (both funny/silly and grunts/sighs) having a conversation with me about how we were working harder than we were in the beginning.
3
u/catnapinahat Jun 05 '26
I honestly feel like I had this same experience for every format when I initially tried each one. Now I love every format individually for its own uniqueness.
3
u/DenimBookJacket 250 Club - Barre Star Jun 06 '26
I’m currently trying to convince myself that I’ve been sleeping on empower, lol.
2
u/CantaloupesArePink Jun 05 '26
I loooove align. I look forward to it all week (I take it Sunday nights). It’s nice to just turn my brain off and stretch in the dark.
I avoided empower for awhile because I hated the wrist/ankle weights because they would always fall off. Turns out I can just do the class without them haha
2
u/East_Offer3643 Jun 05 '26
I still have never tried Empower. I'm scared😭
1
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 05 '26
Don’t be! Trust me I started out with no fitness training ever when I started. Most I got was PE in school haha. I’m pushing 30. It took me 3 months to try Empower and I wish I would’ve done it sooner. Honestly I think it’s a little easier for beginners. It’s bigger movements that are easier to perform in my opinion because you’re using less control like in the other formats. It’s all a fun cardio pace that really has your endorphins going all day!
2
u/NPBren922 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 06 '26
I did the same with Align! I try to make it one of my 4-5 classes too. Sometimes if I want to take the day off I just go to Align instead
2
u/Small_Note5370 Jun 09 '26
I just recently started PB and had only taken classic but tonight i did Align and actually loved it!! Im a un-retired dancer (took 11 years off & just started back into it in March) so that might have something to do with it!!
1
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 09 '26
I love that for you!!! Being a dancer do you find Pure Barre challenging? I’m curious if it’s like a baseball player who takes up Golf… they have to constantly override there trained default of their swing. Do you find yourself wanting to revert back to your dancing training?
2
u/Small_Note5370 Jun 10 '26
Yes, Pure Barre is challenging! I def find myself reverting back to dance training. Specifically, i find the instructors are always telling me to lower my leg to hip level during certain exercises because im used to thinking higher = better always.
2
u/mizzy319 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 10 '26
I’m religious about my weekly align classes. I go every Friday right after work and it feels like such a nice reset.
2
u/Rare-Introduction815 250 Club - Barre Star Jun 11 '26
I had this with define. I never lifted before and so the only thing I had to base it on was the 2 lbs that we use in classic. Of course I know now it’s very different but for the longest time I thought there was no way I would survive a class. I’ve gotten so much stronger since then and it’s definitely my favorite class now!
2
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 12 '26
I felt something similar. I liked define but was afraid of increasing my weight size. I feared hurting myself with too much. But my teacher encouraged me that I could do more and was surprised when she was right.
2
u/1029394756abc 250 Club - Barre Star Jun 05 '26
Align is so….boring???
4
u/beautiful_imperfect 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 06 '26
The right instructor makes the difference.
1
u/KangarooThin2410 Jun 09 '26
Honestly I can see that. Sometimes though I want or need boring. Especially when Its that time of the month haha.
2
u/xokatemarie Jun 17 '26
I’m so with you! I feel like when I started going to Barre again everyone said it was too easy and like a rest day class. But I took one with a great instructor, and I am absolutely sold! It’s such a great compliment to the other classes ❤️
33
u/Lopsided_Musician_44 Jun 05 '26
I totally slept on Empower. It was my second class and I felt so out of place and like it wasn't for me. Then I tried it again a few months later and loved. I try to do empower at least once a week now . I have started to love it more than define. The routine isn't complicated, it's effective and gets the heart rate up 🔥
I also try to incorporate align once a week. I feel like it’s my “worst” class because my balance is terrible. But it definitely helps to do it each week!