Vacationers seeking intense workouts always welcome at Barry’s Bootcamp

Posted December 4, 2016

By KATY VIDAURRETA

Looking for an intense workout while on vacation?

Barry’s Bootcamp is your answer. The self-proclaimed “best workout in the world” will leave you exhausted. The hour-long class consists of both running and weight training and is an example of HIIT training, high- intensity interval training.

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Workouts underway at Barry’s Bootcamp (Photo by Katy Vidaurreta).

Barry’s Miami Beach studio is located in Sunset Harbor, an up- and- coming neighborhood in Miami Beach.

The studio is located walking distance from The Standard Hotel as well as many restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, and other workout studios. Barry’s Bootcamp also has a location in Midtown, located about 15 minutes from the Miami Beach studio.

I have been walking past Barry’s for years and always thought that it was very intimidating but, after doing some research on its website, I was much more confident and that’s when I decided to try it out.

The instructors are very insistent that, although running is a big part of the workout, you don’t have to be a good runner to start. They want to help you become a good runner and if you’re not interested, you can skip the treadmill and do double weight training.

I took my first Barry’s class in October and have never been worked so hard in my life. Throughout the class I was told to run at unimaginable speeds then moved to a bench for weight training then it was back to the treadmill. After three rotations, I was finally done and I felt amazing. I had completed 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weight training and walked out with a smile on my face.

I could not believe it. I loved it so much that I purchased a class for the next day at the front desk before I left the studio.

When I bought my class online, I was given the option to buy a protein shake from Barry’s signature FuelBar that would be waiting for me after class. There were so many options, all with clever and original names and a variety of different ingredients. After reading through all of them, I ordered a peanut butter banana shake with vanilla protein, which tasted amazing and made me feel invisible.

My favorite thing about Barry’s is that every day the classes focus on a different part of the body making it easier to go multiple days in a row because the muscles that are sore from the day before wont be worked until the following week. I took my first class on a Monday, which was arms day, and I could barely life my arms on Tuesday but went back for another class on Tuesday to work out my legs and had no problem doing so.

Even though I go to Barry’s in Miami, you don’t have to be in Miami to do Barry’s and you can take classes while traveling because of its multiple locations. Established in 1998 by Barry Jay, the original Los Angeles studio has developed into a workout empire. Now with 26 locations, studios can be found across the United States and in Norway and the United Kingdom.

“Barry’s is unlike any other workout,” said Eunice Shriver, a Barry’s regular for the past four years. “I live in Miami but spend a lot of time in LA so it’s awesome that I don’t have to skip a workout just because I am traveling.”

The environment at Barry’s is very encouraging and fun. Although the workout is intense, the instructors know how to have a good time and always make jokes during class. The highly qualified instructors also make it a point to learn everyone’s name and will call you out during class if you are doing something well. In every Barry’s class you can expect blaring music and sweaty happy customers.

A single class at Barry’s will cost you $30, but if you to fall in love with Barry’s, like I did, there are multiple packages available for purchase, which make the classes a little bit cheaper.

If You Go

Barry’s Bootcamp Miami Beach

  • 1835 Purdy Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. 33139
  • 786-888-1699

Barry’s Bootcamp Midtown

  • The Shops at Midtown Miami, 3252 NE 1st Ave., #105, Miami, Fla. 33137
  • 786-725-5791