Barrecore review 2025

My experience with Barre and Barrecore

I have never been a dancer, nor have I ever taken a ballet class. Barre, you might think, is not for me. But I absolutely love it.

I started with floor barre classes in one of the old Digme studios several years ago, and when they closed last year I began to explore Barre across London. The first time I tried Barrecore, I took a friend, and we laughed the next day at how much our abs hurt.

Why Barre is so Humbling (and effective)

The thing about Barre — and in this way it’s very similar to Pilates — is that it’s humbling. You can squat your own bodyweight? Great. Now try lifting your leg at a certain angle and pulsing. That will teach you humility. I will never forgive Barrecore for the number of standing pretzels (if you know, you know) they’ve put me through. It’s extremely effective, though, and whenever I do Barre regularly my posture is noticeably better.

As a runner, I also find these workouts fantastic for injury prevention. All the stabilising muscles you forget about until you get injured are suddenly forced to work. It builds a brilliant foundation for high-intensity, high-mileage runs.

My two gripes with barrecore

My two gripes with Barrecore are:
(i) they removed instructors’ ability to pick their own playlists. Classes used to feel more personal (and more fun), but the music has become a bit dull;
(ii) they shut several central London studios, including Angel and Oxford Circus, which makes it much less convenient for me.

barrecore class types

BarreSIGNATURE is their classic class, usually 50 minutes which covers the whole body.

BarreSCULPT incorporates bands into the workout to make the burn a bit stronger.

Mat Pilates is a newer addition and does what it says on the tin!

who barrecore is actually for

Pretty much everyone. Runners get stability work they desperately need; Pilates fans feel right at home; strength-training folk enjoy the burn without the impact; and total beginners can take all the variations they want without feeling singled out. I think Barre is a great addition to most fitness routines.

final thoughts

I’d recommend the studio to anyone. It’s great for beginners, and they always offer variations to make a move easier or more challenging. If you want a tough workout, try Michelle Carter Stark (she holds absolutely no prisoners). I also like Hannah Edgar and Mani Sidhu’s classes.