Who Knew Moving One Inch at a Time Could Hurt So Good

The first time I went to a Barre3 class was in the middle of a Monday afternoon. I had scored a Groupon deal and just started working for myself - so a new workout in the middle of the day was the perfect way to celebrate my new life.

When I pulled up to the building in the very stylish Classen Curve, the parking lot was filled with black Land Rovers and shiny white Escalades. Already I felt out of place. I wasn't sure what to expect from a class with a bar but my experience with pilates, yoga and modern dance kept me from being too terribly intimidated. I signed in, placed my shoes in a cubby and found my way to the studio. I grabbed the necessary equipment: a squishy ball that I would later dominate with my inner thighs, a strap and two 2lb. weights that would eventually feel like like 20x their size.

Once we got started with the warm up I was completely distracted and hypnotized by all the perfectly pedicured toes in the class. Every single woman (and one man) there had perfect feet. Smooth cuticles and zero corns. One lady even had a dainty and surprisingly classy toe ring. It made me all the more self-conscious of my own feet which resemble those of a teenaged gorilla. My toes will never be deserving of any type of ring. As I moved up to the perfectly manicured hands I spied lots of diamonds and stacked ropy gold and silver bracelets. The women who didn't have loads of bling or makeup on were the kind of effortless beauty that comes from generations of estates with family horses and hunting dogs. Everyone just looked so ... kept. And these women might possess magical powers that transcends money because they just. don't. sweat.

So when my friend Danielle invited me to come take a class with her I was enthusiastic to go back. Because despite feeling like an odd duck amongst the ladies who lunch the workout is pretty much killer. I never knew moving just an inch at a time could hurt so good. The class itself is like a combination of pilates and ballet with just a bit of yoga and stretching thrown in for good measure. And if you're doing it right ... you'll most definitely sweat.

With a friend next to me at the bar I didn't feel like such a black sheep. Or maybe it was my new Lululemon leggings that gave me the confidence I needed. Or perhaps I figured my hair would distract anyone from noticing my ugly gorilla feet. A few elegant squats and one inch leg raises later, I was feeling the burn. I left the class with my muscles feeling like jelly - but in a good way.

Afterwards we chatted with the owner, and former soccer athlete, Andrea Mason. She blew me away with her kindness and passion for Oklahoma City and what she's doing here with Barre3. She told us about how she grew an entire inch after practicing Barre3 - a workout she started doing in Portland during her first pregnancy (and the rest is history). She was super gracious with her time, answering our questions before beckoning over her husband, former NBA player turned artist, Desmond Mason, to take our picture together. I restrained myself from telling him that I was a huge fan as I handed over my camera to him. I kept myself from telling him that I was the designer for the Hornets when he played for them. That I was responsible for the billboard of him slam dunking a ball so hard that it appeared as if the billboard itself was shattering from the impact. That said billboard that was taken down in New Orleans because it was just too destructive. The one that folks in Oklahoma thought a tornado had hit. Instead I shook his hand and told him how to press half-way down on the button to focus and then all the way to shoot.


From left to right: Barre3 owner Andrea Mason, me, Brigette, Danielle (who kindly took the photos of me above). This photo above by Desmond Mason. 

If you have $20 (or 3 classes for $30 for new students), and need a challenging, yet calm, workout then get a pedicure and hit up Barre3 Oklahoma City.

You can find them here:
Online: Barre3 | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram: @Barre3OK
In person: Classen Curve at 5800 N Classen Blvd, Suite #2 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118

Disclaimer: Barre3 provided this class to me on behalf of my friends at Engage OKC. I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. All words and opinions are obviously my own.