By Beth Treffeisen
A new type of workout routine is coming to the South End with the opening of Barre3 at 1511 Washington Street. One of over 100 locations across the country, this studio will be led by Jamie Golden, a local South End resident.
Barre3 is a functional training with a twist. It is rooted in four fitness disciplines, ballet, barre, pilates and yoga. Workouts work on creating strength and balance inside and out. It is known for creating lean muscles, a strong core and long-term postural benefits.
Golden, the studio owner, was drawn to the Barre3 workout ever since she tried it out and loved it.
“I was terrible with sticking with any workout but barre was one I could do,” said Golden. And after taking one class she said, “I was thinking ‘ok hold it – this is it.’”
Looking around Golden noticed that the class was very open and had a range in ages. One class she attended had both a high school cheerleader working on her balance to a 60-year-old who was wearing a knee brace.
“It is all about mind and body working together and not rushing through the movements,” said Golden.
It also spoke to her non-profit background that works on community building.
“It is not just a pop-in, work out and leave at the door,” said Golden. “It’s about working yourself in multiple ways from what you are eating to being part of the community.”
Golden has been in the process of opening her new studio for a little over a year and said finding the right location took a long time.
While the space is not huge it will have a reception area with a retail aspect, day care area, locker area and studio. Besides two columns that come down into the studio, the space is very open said Golden.
“Being in the city it is a very unique building,” said Golden. “I’m just playing with what is there.”
She decided to take the neighborhood approach and met with a number of the neighborhood associations from the Washington Gateway Main Streets to the Franklin Square / Blackstone Neighborhood Association to gain supporters and spread the word.
Recently, Golden has been doing a lot of pop-ups at local businesses to do free classes or as fundraisers for local community groups. The proceeds from a kick-tush donation class at the Reebok on Tremont Street will benefit the Ellis Memorial and there will be more coming later this month.
Golden said that through her donation classes she sees a wide range of people and wanted everyone to feel like they can be part of it.
“I want people to do it not because it is just a fab, but because they want this to be a life style,” said Golden. “I want it to be naturally part of your community, a mindful way on how your eating to how you treating the person next to you…I want my clients to come in and leave knowing each other.”
Golden believes the diversity of the neighborhood speaks to the way Barre3 works. She said, “It is not a one size fit all workout, just like the South End is not a one size fit all community.”
She said her staff is an electric group of people who mostly hail from the South End.
Barre3 can also be found online, where members can take part of classes remotely.
“I want people to feel connected to one another,” said Golden. “Boston is a community of neighborhoods and that speaks to how the brand is.”
Golden is aiming to open this upcoming mid to late July. Until then, you can look for her pop up classes by subscribing to her newsletter and following her on social media.
To learn more visit www.barre3.com/studio-locations/south-end.