I love our instructors, and I love the variety of formats.
The quality of the workout.
Really great workouts
The variety mostly, and good instrucotrs.
Keep with the same schedule. Many of the classes switch around either instructor or class type.
The teachers are helpful and knowledgeable
I love our instructors, the community, and the class format options!
Let me begin by saying that the workout itself is excellent. I truly enjoy the variety of formats and how well they complement one another. Unfortunately, over the past several months, many of the recognizable instructors have left, and the schedule has become quite unpredictable. Many of the newer instructors appear to be relatively new to Pure Barre, which has, at least in the short term, impacted the overall quality of instruction. Additionally, most people value routine, and having a reliable schedule, with consistent class formats offered at the same times, is important. Recently, both the formats and instructors seem to shift from month to month. Compounding this issue, the schedule is often not released until just a few days before the start of the new month. As a result, the culture and social aspect of the studio have been diminished. Groups that have worked out together consistently for years are now split across multiple classes, as they have had to adjust to new times and formats that better fit their needs and preferences. The scheduling of classes only 10 minutes apart has also created challenges. Transitions between classes feel rushed and chaotic, leaving little time to connect with others before or after sessions. This has also contributed to increased congestion in the parking lot. Now that class times are aligned with the neighboring YogaSix studio and remain closely staggered, the experience of arriving at and leaving the studio feels more stressful, with large numbers of people moving in and out at the same time. I understand that new ownership often brings changes; however, there appears to be a disconnect between the culture and needs of the local studio community and the local and remote leadership responsible for shaping the overall experience and maintaining the quality of the workouts.
Not the same with new owners who never come see studio. Best teacher let go. I drove 15 minutes out of my way to take her class! Schedules not updated for classes next week. Considering quitting but I'm trying to give it a chance. Do love new to our studio teacher Myrtle as she has same energy I love and she gives me hope that things will pick up and I'm praying another class will be added before 12.
The variety of classes. Thank you for bringing reform back.
I love the consistency of the workout, the music and most staff. While change is never easy, the transition to the new leadership has been smooth and easy. I do wish that there was less turnover of front desk staff as no one ever seems to know my name.. and I've been a client for many years. I also have found it disappointing that my milestone classes were barely recognized or celebrated. I'll chalk this up to the ownership change (milestone was last summer), and hope that my next milestone will be celebrated like the others I see occurring now.
The instructions are great. Clean place and great location in lake Oswego
The coaching, the workouts, and the environment.
I like the consistency of the workouts - that all the formats follow a professional, well-thought-out corporate choreography that the instructors must follow. So every class I take is worth my time and effort because Pure Barre has taken the time and effort in providing a professional workout plan and has provided the necessary training for its teachers.
The atmosphere, the challenge and meeting people.
challenging workouts
I LOVE a good bar class. I have been taking bar classes for the last 20 years, starting with the Dailey Method in 2006, in Marin County. I had the benefit of learning the method d from Jill Daily herself. Needless to say I received top notch instruction and coaching from her over many years and understood the profound transformative potential of the workout. My body changed from a "sack of potatoes" to a lythe, athletic, feminine figure, and I received compliments on my figure regularly. I had never felt so confident about my body, and it changed everything about my experience of life. When we moved to Lake Oswego, I was very sad to loose the Daily Method but thought Pure Barre could be a replacement for it. This was when Pure Barre opened in Lake Oswego in 2019 I believe. I was quickly frustrated by the quality of instruction offered then, and lost interest. Last Spring, May 2025, I got inspired to give it a second chance and began taking classes at Pure Barre Lake Oswego again. I was pleased to discover the teaching had improved and the classes seemed worthwhile. I am glad that I am still taking classes there now, and feel the benefits still gaining momentum in how I feel and function. That being said, Pure Barre Lake Oswego could be much better! I love the little studio, and all the teachers who give so generously of their time. The problems that I perceive are totally fixable, and I would just absolutely LOVE Pure Barre Lake Oswego if the teachers could do these things: 1) 50 minutes is brief. I was trained on the 60 minute model, and appreciate that in that time a full routine can go very deep into all of the positions, resulting in a true muscle burn which indicates body transformation, throughout the entire sequence of exercises, and yet still has time for extended stretching and lengthening of the muscles. I feel a muscle burn only rarely at Pure Barre, with the exception of thigh work, and have only worked out hard enough to be sore the next day twice since May. Once was when I fist started taking classes in May and another time was taking two classes back to back. This is frustrating because I know that working deeper into the positions and into the muscles is how true deep change happens in the body. I have taken Pure Barre classes that offered that kind of deep work. They are the exception rather than the rule and only happen when the teacher is able to move her class quickly between positions so that no time is lost, awkwardly transitioning from one sequence of exercises to another. This seems to be the biggest achilles heal for the workout, how much time is just lost in space as teachers slowly demonstrate a new position, a new piece of equipment, or just to stand in the middle of class and talk about random things wile everyone is just standing around. I think every single transition between positions could be MUCH more efficient, for ALL of the teachers at Pure Barre Lake Oswego. If they achieved greater efficiency it would improve the over all caliber of what is offered by a large margin. A continuous flow is desirable AND achievable, and provides a far more deeply engaging program in which focus, intensity, and cardio vascular benefits can accrue with each and every class, for each and every student. 2) I have been very surprised by how little education the teachers provide through out class. I don't; blame the teachers because it is not in the culture at that studio. I can not tell you how many positions the teachers demonstrate, with no explanation as to where to be focusing, which muscles are targeted and how to safely support yourself in the position. As an example, the position "fore arms, face up" is totally baffling and is tought on a regular basis, and I have not heard a single teacher explain it. Because I used to teach at the Daily Method for 4 years, I know what I am supposed to be doing, and can benefit from the exercise when instructed to get into position. But I look around the room and see women just going through the motions in total misalignment, sinking into their shoulders, core pooching out, low back straining, and just miserable looking. My 20 year old daughter was taking class with me at Pure Barre over the summer and one day after we had class and had that position I asked her what her experience was with it. She explained she had no idea what she was supposed to be doing or where she was meant to feel the engagement. This reflects what I see when I look around the room, and is just one example of what I mean about there being a lack of instruction. I regularly see women in poor form, causing themselves more harm than good in some instances. Sometimes I think there is no instruction because even the teacher doesn't really know what she is supposed to be focusing on. This is just one example. There are may other exercises that are similarly poorly taught and executed. I believe this stems from a lack of understanding, and that the teachers could all benefit from a deep, hands on, embodied education on all of the positions, from beginning to end. 3) I appreciate the true, clean, deep work a good classics class can offer. As I mentioned before, I have come to embrace the focus and burn that accomplishes body transformation. As such, I have found the other styles of class taught at Lake Oswego unfocused, and not conducive to the improved toning or sculpting a more focused class can offer. Maybe they are different somewhere else, but in Lake Oswego, I prefer not to take them because I could get the same benefit (cardio vascular boost) taking a hike or a bike ride. As an unlimited member, I am frustrated by the very few options I have for getting 4 classic classes in a week. This is my goal, has been since the beginning, but I rarely can achieve it because Classics is not on the menu consistently enough. All that being said, I am very glad to be taking class at Pure Barre Lake Oswego. It is offering me the support and structure to improve my mobility, strength, toning, and flexibility. It is simply that it could be so much better. I have many more suggestions I'd be happy to offer. I know the deeply transformative potential of the work because I've lived it, and I am very happy I am on the path to finding a stronger more resilient physique. The fruits of working out there are out weighing the frustration I often feel, and I will keep showing up, loving it when teachers make progress toward a more fluid, focused, deeply engaging class. Thanks Pure Barre!