Barry's London honest review

I recently bought a pack of Barry’s classes and finally got to experience the legendary workouts in the Red Room. Here’s my honest Barry’s London review.

About Barry’s

Barry's, also referred to as Barry's Bootcamp, is a global fitness brand known for its high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts.

Founded in 1998 by Barry Jay in West Hollywood, California, Barry's has become famous for its signature workout, designed to be a full-body exercise combining cardio and strength training.

Workouts take place in the distinctive "Red Room," a dimly lit studio with red lighting that creates an energetic and immersive atmosphere.

Classes are led by highly enthusiastic instructors who bring the energy up a level.

With studios in major cities around the world, Barry's has contributed to the rise of the premium boutique fitness trend. In the UK, you can find several studios in London but also Manchester and Liverpool (as of June 2024).

What is the format of a Barry’s class?

The concept revolves around alternating rounds on the treadmill and on the floor.

Each class lasts 50 minutes. You start with a short warm up, then do 2 to 4 rounds of treadmill running, alternating with the same amount of rounds of bodyweight HIIT & resistance training on the floor.

Workouts change every week and each day targets specific muscle groups. For instance, at the moment, all the Thursday classes are dedicated to abs and glutes, so you can expect to do a bunch of crunches, lunges and squats on the floor.

If you can’t / don’t want to run, you can book a Double Floor spot (DF) and you’ll spend the whole class on the floor. There are usually a handful of DF spots (four at Canary Wharf) but they get booked up fairly quickly!

How much does it cost?

There are different package and membership options, and prices vary based on the location.

In London Canary Wharf, as of Spring 2024, you can get 50% off your very first class (£13). Weekly memberships start at £54 a week.

Take a look at the current price list and offers here.

Is it suitable for complete fitness newbies?

Barry's workouts are known for their high intensity and fast pace, which can be challenging for beginners.

Whilst you can take part in a class regardless of your level, you’ll probably feel more at ease and will get the most out of the class if you know the basic dumbbell exercises and have some running experience.

If you’ve been to the gym before, you’ll be fine. For your very first Barry’s class, you get a mini induction before the start, where the instructor shows you how to use the treadmill, where to position yourself on the floor (on the right of your bench, facing the mirror) and gives you a few pointers.

What do you need to wear and bring?

Wear light workout clothes, you’ll be sweating! As you’ll spend roughly half the class on the treadmill, I’d recommend shoes that are suitable for running.

Small sweat towels are provided at the front desk. There are big towels and toiletries in the changing rooms. You’ll also find a water fountain to fill up your bottle. No need to bring a padlock for the lockers.

Barry’s London review

I went to the Canary Wharf location where I attended four classes with three different instructors. Here’s my review based on my own experience.

The workouts

I went on 4 different days of the week over the course of a few weeks so I could experience upper, lower and full body workouts.

I love Orange Theory and 1Rebel classes, so I knew that Barry’s would be right up my street, but I’d say that the workouts, especially floor side, exceeded my expectations.

I’ve been training for years and I did some exercises that I had never tried before, for instance with resistance bands (which absolutely burnt my hamstrings and quads).

There’s always a great combination of bodyweight cardio such as burpees and mountain climbers with dumbbell strength exercises, from Romanian deadlifts to shoulder press.

As for the treadmill blocks, they were rather challenging, with a good mix of 30 to 60s sprints and incline running and - thankfully - jogging recovery periods between efforts.

I really enjoyed each session, but I think the Full Body with Lower Focus workout (on Tuesdays) was the best, both in terms of exercise selection and level of challenge.

I went to the early morning classes and it was a great way to start the day. I always left feeling “pumped”, accomplished and full of energy after such a workout!

The atmosphere

The instructors and the Red Room atmosphere offer the perfect combo to not only motivate you to push yourself but also to have a great time whilst doing so.

The tunes are great, the dark room makes you feel less “seen” and the instructors are hyping everyone up, it’s a really positive atmosphere all around.

Is it worth the price?

Barry’s workouts are awesome, and based on my experience I didn’t feel robbed. It was great to give Barrys a go and I’ll probably buy another pack of classes in the future when I want to spice up my fitness routine.

But objectively, £26 for a 50 minute class is expensive. If you’re becoming a regular and getting a membership it works out cheaper per class, although it’s still a premium price tag.

However the newbie class for £13 is definitely worth it and if you’ve been wanting to try a Barry’s class, you should definitely take advantage of this offer!