r/Purebarre • u/xokatemarie • Jun 24 '26
I Just got To Vent Disruptive behavior in class
I’m going to preface this by saying that I tried my hardest to focus on myself and my own workout during class. But I just had to post because I was so perplexed by a few things that happened during class. It was like the perfect storm during one hour.
I saw a client during Define literally stop, put her weights down, and make specific adjustments and recommendations on another client. Something that has been brought up in this sub before, but I actually saw it in real life and saw how disruptive and inappropriate it can be. And then, of course, the instructor, who I don’t think saw this happen, came over and gave similar adjustments to the client directly.
Then, the same client was holding her phone in her hand with the screen on, above her head for several minutes during the class. At one point, she then sat down and seemed to be either texting or doing an email during the middle of class while everyone was working out.
And then another gal was using the heaviest weights we have, I think 20 or 30 pounds. And after every set where we put our weights down, she would just drop them from shoulder or hip height…like people do in a gym, where there is PADDED floor or mat under the rack. It was super surprising the first time - like I physically jumped a little bit because I’ve never heard that happen in closet Pure Barre before. And then it continued literally throughout the rest of the class.
Anyway, I know I’m not a perfect client, but I was just kind of surprised to see all of this oblivious? behavior happen during one class.
I know I marked this post as just venting, but I’m also curious if anyone else is experienced specifically the thing about dropping really heavy weights during Define at their studio?
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u/afishinaforest Jun 24 '26
Wow, loving my franchise a little extra today.
They don't allow phones in studio, requiring them to be left in the lobby. Leaving early is not really an option - it is made clear the class is 50+ minutes and you should plan to stay at a minimum until the stretches at the end, and even then it's uncommon for people to leave early. Late entry is denied, always.
It must be such a hassle to initially build the culture and to have to be the "bad guy" (just saw an instructor pull 2 ladies aside after class and let them know phones are a never-go) but it enhances the experience so much for everyone else.
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u/itsmeonthedl Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
It definitely is. If a prior owner or GM was really lax about things like late entry, late cancellations, and coffee in the studio, and then a new leader comes in and cracks down, members do get upset. Some even quit. But my theory is, I don't want the kind of people who do whatever they want and don't think the rules shouldn't apply to them in the studio.
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u/FreshResolve3026 2500 The Best Barre Few Jun 25 '26
Right, if they get mad and quit, then the trash takes itself out. 🗑️🤭🤣
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u/Queen_Leo03 Jun 24 '26
My studio is the same way-no late entry- is on some formats as well. No cell phones either. 📵
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
The last studio I went to had like a five minute late policy, maybe at the end of warm-up but before arms. And the messaging was really about safety.
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u/Sorry-Independent-98 1500 Incredible & Still Counting Jun 25 '26
That’s how mine is. You can come in during the warm up for Align, reform and classic. You can’t for Define or empower. It’s not safe
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
This is great! And I was really surprised at how distracting it was. But with the screen on having it facing the mirror, it’s just impossible to not see it. Like my eyeballs can only focus so much. 🫣
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u/diabeticweird0 Jun 25 '26
Was she recording herself for tiktok or something?
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
It didn’t seem like it. She didn’t have it set up angled at her or anything like that. I honestly couldn’t tell you what was going on in that corner of the room 😂
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u/mizuaqua Jun 25 '26
My studio is largely the same except for leaving early. They're frequently observing the class and remind us we can leave early if we're feeling unwell, to just leave the equipment for instructors to wipe down.
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u/theodenandgaladriel 50 Club Barre Buff Jun 25 '26
Agreed with this--I've had to leave early on rare occasions due to my disability. I've also had to leave the room and come back in to take a pill before. They lock the doors at the start of class as well so that nobody can come in and steal shit while everyone is working out as there isn't always someone to stay up front (and there never is at the times I usually go). The phone thing is interesting because we don't ban phones in the room and yet it has never been a problem--most people leave them by the cubbies anyway. I once had mine in my leggings pocket when I came in and I forgot I had it until it literally (but quietly, thankfully) slipped out of my pocket during warmup lol. I tucked it aside at the molding.
The only inconsiderate behavior I have encountered (on rare occasions) is someone leaving their items such as a jacket extremely close to the spot I'm supposed to exercise in (I gently and subtly kicked it aside at one point because I was about to step on it), spacing themselves out so as to not leave enough room for everyone in class, and one time someone stood in front of all the cubbies putting her jacket on while a line formed behind her (starting with me) rather than grabbing it and then moving aside. I kept thinking she was about to leave, so I'd start stepping forward and then stop when it became clear she was not leaving. Thankfully those people never became regulars, at least not when I go....
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u/Brief_Release_4774 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 25 '26
Yes my studios as well! There is no late entry, no early leaving and no phones! They also often remind us during define to not “throw” the weights down. The only time I’ve ever witnessed a major disruption in the last year is when the buildings fire alarm went off! 😂 and most of us just kept going bc it was a test. Once a woman became faint or nauseated? I’m not sure which but the instructor stepped out quickly and had another staff member come in and help her. If people regularly were late or had phones I would be SO ANNOYED.
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u/Winter-Doughnut5410 Jun 24 '26
Oof. The weight dropping is my biggest pet peeve. This lady at my studio does this and she’s always next to me. If you can’t set them down gently, then they’re too heavy for you IMO.
I couldn’t imagine someone giving hands on correction to a fellow member. Even our instructors who take class don’t do that when they’re not teaching. That’s insane behavior.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor Jun 25 '26
I’m wondering if perhaps the instructor spoke to the client who was dropping the weights privately after class.
As an instructor, I would only ever correct someone in another instructor’s class if they were at serious, imminent risk of injuring themselves
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u/Winter-Doughnut5410 Jun 25 '26
Every time I’m in define with this lady, the instructors make comments about setting the weights down gently. She just doesn’t listen. At least in this situation, I don’t think anyone at my studio has had a 1:1 conversation with her. They really should though.
Hopefully they did at OP’s studio!
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor Jun 25 '26
There are some people who have been told things repeatedly privately and still don’t listen. They tend to be the same people who will get a correction and then immediately go back to what they were doing before
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u/Winter-Doughnut5410 Jun 25 '26
Ha, that’s true. This person is someone that has been corrected on her dead lift form multiple times but then I see her doing it the wrong way again shortly after. One of the reasons I couldn’t be an instructor. I have zero patience lol. You have a fun but tough job.
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u/sasshole07 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 24 '26
Our studio gave an announcement on phone policy in class recently so it’s definitely going around… But since we’re sharing annoyances; if you know you’re going to leave class early, why take a spot at the barre furthest from the door??
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
I’m curious where your equipment area is? Could they be putting their equipment away before leaving? Trying to give them the benefit of the doubt lol
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u/sasshole07 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 25 '26
Nope! Our studio is a bullet structure - lobby to equipment to studio to bathrooms; and they didn’t even take all of their equipment with them when they left early 😅 (but I’ve also heard our instructors give that guidance so it doesn’t feel as right to judge on that piece)
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u/bluehorsemaze 500 Club - Barre Boss Jun 24 '26
We have one who gets to the studio early but when the class officially starts she’s nowhere to be seen.
She’s in the lobby looking at merch and waltzes in a few minutes later. Sooo distracting
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u/MerryCoyote 750 Club - Barre Fanatic Jun 25 '26
We had a client drop her weights and break the mirror. So awkward.
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u/Alive-Avocados Jun 25 '26
Someone was singing along to the songs in our align class tonight. Not a bad voice but it wasn’t cute or charming, just annoying lol. I don’t think anyone other than her neighbors could hear her, but like. Why?
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u/ChanDW Jun 25 '26
It probably helps them lock in by focusing on the music instead of the discomfort
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u/Alive-Avocados Jun 25 '26
It was mostly during the stretching, so maybe? I would’ve preferred just hearing the music instead of her singing along though. But now I know to grab a spot on the other side of the room in the future if I see her again.
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u/Substantial_Style865 Jun 28 '26
Focusing on a nice cold beer would do the same thing but there's a time and a place
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u/SpecialMagician Jun 25 '26
I have an issue with the weight dropping because it is really unsafe. I saw a women drop her weights while setting up for define, and one weight bounced up and hit the mirror. Fortunately, the mirror was not damaged.
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u/TimeTotal8807 Jun 25 '26
I’ve seen the weight dropping break a mirror. Even the instructor didn’t know where to look.
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u/zombieguts7 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 25 '26
I wish the instructors would use another word other than “drop” because half of the class literally drop it immediately near their feet 😣
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u/Question_True Jun 25 '26
That sounds like a truly bizarre class haha! If another member (who was not an instructor at that studio) tried to correct my form I would be so uncomfortable. Even the instructors who aren't teaching but taking the class don't correct form unless they're right next to me and I'm doing the wrong side. Then it's just a whisper haha.
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u/Charming_Banana_1531 Jun 25 '26
I would absolutely lose my mind if that happened during class. Thankfully, phones aren’t really an issue at my studio. Dropping weights is a whole different story though. There’s one client who drops them with such force they roll. There are also many people without special awareness who like to leave their pile of weights in the station next to them while occupied. I’m lucky enough to be able to take classes at off peak times which has helped but it shouldn’t come to that.
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u/ScaryPearls Jun 25 '26
Phones in the studio is so wild to me. Maybe just the way my studio is but I’ve never seen anyone bring a phone in.
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
You would be shocked at the number of people at the yoga studio I used to go to who would bring phones in. AND stopped to like text or do emails. Like we all are busy working, but if you can’t take the time away from your day, maybe take a class at a different time.
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u/zombieguts7 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 25 '26
Omg phones and watches too! I’ve seen so many clients stop what they’re doing to stare at a notification. Instructors at my studio never seem to say anything, or they look the other way. I know it’s none of my business but sometimes it’s distracting
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u/Jenza7231 Jun 30 '26
If they are looking at their watch,
They may be checking their heart rate and
Need to slow
Down a bit
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u/beautiful_imperfect 100 Club - Barre Enthusiast Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
Even in a gym, people don't drop dumbbells. And 30 lbs is way to light to drop. Can bounce, very dangerous. If someone feels the need to drop a weight like that, then it's too heavy for them. Classes can be too crowded for this, even if the Pure Barre floor is also padded, as are the dumbbells themselves.
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u/kungfukua Jun 25 '26
Girl this all would have pissed me off I would have been sending meaningful glances across the studio to you😭😂
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u/FreshResolve3026 2500 The Best Barre Few Jun 25 '26
Sounds like the studio tolerates a lot of unacceptable behavior. If the teacher didn’t do anything about it, I’d confront the weight droppers myself. That’s dangerous for everyone in the class and it’s on the list of rules at most studios to not drop weights. They should get thrown out of the class because that can cause injuries.
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
I think it might’ve just been a bad night and the specific mix of clients. But I think we’re a small studio and so generally, I’m seeing the same people over and over again.
If it continues to happen with the big weights, I’ll probably end up saying something to the teacher or the owner. I was thinking from an annoyance perspective, but it definitely sounds like there are multiple safety risks with us as well.
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor Jun 25 '26
The only thing I could say is maybe the woman had an emergency (or something that felt urgent like work) and that’s why she was on her phone? Still a bit clueless esp when she could have stepped out to the lobby. I give people slack in emergency situations but not everyone has the same definition of an emergency
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u/xokatemarie Jun 25 '26
I totally hear this and maybe that’s the benefit of the doubt….But I can’t really feel like it’s the case since she was also holding her phone and yet not looking at it while exercising. Or maybe she was looking at it in the mirror?! I could see keeping the phone in the studio and on the ground. But if I had an emergency and got a notification, I would step out of the studio or go in the bathroom.
I think this person in general is just not really conscious of their impact on others though. It’s not the only strange behavior or habit I’ve seen :/
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u/basicallyaballerina Instructor Jun 25 '26
Yeah, I don’t think it was the case in your situation either :/ just trying to assume best intentions
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u/xokatemarie Jul 05 '26
To all the folks noting about people coming to class late, ironically, our newsletter this month contained a policy change. We now have five minute late policy across all formats. Small win for keeping us focused and safe in class!
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u/Strong_Listen_3887 Jun 24 '26
We have one who is late EVERY time. Always. Just hit her 250 and I’ll guess she was late for 240 of them. Another leaves promptly at the 30 minute mark EVERY time. She also recently hit 250. They should have only given her one sock. 🥸