Burn baby burn: The best barre classes in London
Are you looking for a low impact, high intensity workout to add to your fitness routine? Barre has you covered
If you think barre classes are easy, think again. Based on ballet principles, the aim of the game here is small, controlled movements – and trust us when we say they will test both your physical and mental stamina. Barre also follows similar principles to Pilates, and when that fitness craze took off in the 2010s, barre soon followed, proving to be a great alternative to the former when you’re looking to blow off some steam.
Australian-Italian fitness guru and founder of Paola’s Body Barre, Paola Di Lanzo, started practising barre years ago in an effort to diversify her fitness routine. Having spent her career as a personal trainer, she was looking for something challenging that wouldn’t put her body under the pressure of weightlifting and HIIT classes – and barre was the answer. So, what can first-timers expect? “Barre is a dynamic and versatile workout that blends elements of ballet, Pilates, and yoga,” explains Di Lanzo. “It focuses on small, controlled movements that target specific muscle groups, enhancing strength, flexibility, and balance. Each class typically involves a combination of exercises performed at a ballet barre and on mats, using your own body weight and sometimes light hand weights or resistance bands.”
Engaging small but mighty muscles that are often missed during other fitness sessions, barre promises an array of benefits, such as improved muscular endurance, increased flexibility, and enhanced core strength. “The low-impact nature of barre makes it suitable for people of all fitness levels, reducing the risk of injury while providing a challenging workout. [It also] promotes better posture and body awareness and is particularly effective for those aiming to tone and sculpt their bodies.” Ready to try it? Here are the best barre classes in London – just don’t forget your grip socks.
Paola’s Body Barre, Chelsea, Fulham and Kensington
Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, Paola’s Body Barre (PBB) is one of the leading barre studios in the capital. Founded by renowned fitness expert Paola Di Lanzo, this class follows the signature PBB method which has reaped rewards for hundreds of students over the last decade. Expect to get sweaty and see some serious results, all while practising your pliés alongside Di Lanzo’s loyal pupils, otherwise known as ‘PBB Angels’.
The brand began as a studio on a residential street in Fulham. Having outgrown that studio within a matter of months, Di Lanzo relocated to a larger space just off Bishops Park which remains the flagship studio – and sees 2,500 slots filled every month. There are several classes to choose from, including the high-energy, calorie-scorching Signature session and the glute-focused Peach. You can also book the signature classes at Chelsea’s KXU and Kensington’s Studio Fix – but be quick, spots are often limited.
From £30 per class or £210 per month, visit paolasbodybarre.com
Barrecore, across London
Barrecore first opened its doors in Chelsea in 2011 with the aim of bringing something different to London’s fitness scene. Today, it boasts 13 studios across the UK and counts Claudia Schiffer, Rita Ora and Jourdan Dunn as fans. Rooted in precision, endurance, and mindfulness, Barrecore’s high-intensity, low-impact workouts aim to strengthen major muscle groups via isometric contractions, eccentric contractions and active stretching, thereby also preventing injuries.
From Barre Signature – a foundational class suitable for beginners where you’ll be introduced to the famed ‘Barrecore Shake’ – to Barre Form, an intense workout focusing on technique and improvements, there’s an array of hands-on classes to help anyone achieve their fitness goals. The newest addition to the schedule is Barre Glide: a reformer Pilates-style class which challenges brain and body endurance while fostering control and stability. Barrecore also offers prenatal classes to boost pelvic floor health and tailored fitness during pregnancy. We’re sure you’ll be feeling the burn in no time…
From £28 per class or £220 per month, visit barrecore.com
Psycle Barre, across London
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Psycle is all about spinning – not so. The fitness brand also offers HIIT, yoga, and reformer Pilates, as well as barre classes which were added to the schedule last year. Inside the studio, the Signature 55-minute session will make your muscles burn, sculpt the body and challenge the mind. Through the use of gliders, bands and weighted balls, this full-body workout aims to strengthen the muscles in your legs, bum, arms and abs.
The offering doesn’t stop there. Other barre classes at Psycle include Glide and Sculpt which, as the names suggest, uses gliders and resistance bands to push you further, The advanced Deep Burn, meanwhile, requires fitness fanatics to have completed at least 30-40 Signature classes before attending as this class turns up the intensity and increases the shake with heavier weights and no rest. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
From £26 per class or £95 per month, visit psyclelondon.com
Bodyism, Notting Hill
Famous for its pancakes (some say they’re the best in the capital) and its community-led, members-only ethos, Bodyism is more of a wellness sanctuary than a gym, offering an array of classes from sweaty cardio sessions to controlled breathwork and yoga classes. The 3,800 square foot space features three studios, and you’ll find the barre classes hosted downstairs in the subterranean, mirrored fitness studio. Book the classic Bodyism Barre for a full-body workout focusing on posture, maximising core strength, and improving flexibility, or turn things up a notch with Cardio Barre. Prepare to get sweaty in this dynamic class infusing low impact cardio and expansive movement with an energetic, fast-paced soundtrack. The class targets the entire body with a blend of body weight exercises and Pilates equipment, such as resistance bands, light dumbbells, and more.
Membership from £300 per month, visit bodyism.com
Frame, across London
Founded by friends who wanted to make fitness a little more fun, Frame – with locations in King’s Cross, Shoreditch, Victoria, Hammersmith and Angel – has plenty of exercise classes to tempt even the most wary. From dance parties to Pilates and pregnancy-safe sessions to personal training, Frame is guaranteed to make you sweat. And, for those looking to squeeze a few low impact, high burn classes into their fitness routine, you’ll find Frame’s barre classes will do the job nicely.
In this challenging class, dedicated instructors help you keep things small and controlled to test both physical and mental stamina. This is also great for those looking to perfect their posture (you might even gain some height) and expect to feel DOMs in your glutes, quads, core, upper body and back the next day. Plus, the team switches up the choreography every two months so you can easily monitor your progress and enjoy new moves and playlists regularly.
From £16 per class or £125 per month, visit moveyourframe.com
