Is Barre Enough Exercise? What Heart-Rate Data Shows
Ever wonder if barre actually counts as cardio? I wore a Garmin chest strap and tested a 50-minute Cardio Pure Barre class to find out. Watch the full experiment below — then see how it stacks up against HupSix.
Quick Answer: No, barre alone doesn’t meet cardio fitness recommendations. It improves strength and posture, but most classes don’t deliver enough moderate or vigorous minutes to satisfy CDC and AHA guidelines.
Garmin Heart-Rate Data: Cardio Pure Barre vs HupSix
I wore a Garmin HRM-Pro Plus chest strap during a 50-minute Cardio Pure Barre class. The muscles worked — no doubt — but the heart-rate data told a different story:
-
Peak HR: 132 bpm
-
Moderate zone: 9 minutes
-
Vigorous zone: 5 minutes (counts double)
-
Total cardio credit: ≈ 19 zone minutes
That’s short of a full day’s cardio goal. To hit the CDC/AHA target of 150 minutes of moderate cardio per week (or 75 vigorous), you’d need roughly eight Cardio Pure Barre classes (150 ÷ 19 ≈ 7.9).
By comparison, a single 30-minute HupSix session typically delivers around 40–50 zone minutes — more than double barre’s output in less time.
What a Cardio Pure Barre Class Feels Like
It feels tough — you shake, sweat, and use weights and a stepper — so it’s easy to assume you’re doing cardio. But there’s a difference between perceived effort and actual heart-rate response.
That’s the trap: many workouts feel hard because of muscle fatigue or static holds, not because the heart is working at a sustained moderate-to-vigorous intensity. Using a chest-strap monitor gives you truth, not perception.
Heart-Rate Zones Explained (Why Vigorous Minutes Count Double)
The CDC, Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper (“the father of aerobics”), Dr. Benjamin Levine, and the Norwegian 4×4 research team have shown that your heart is highly adaptable — but only when it’s challenged.
-
Why count double? Vigorous minutes drive stronger adaptations in cardiorespiratory fitness, so they’re credited at 2× toward weekly goals.
-
Practical takeaway: Hitting vigorous zones consistently remodels the heart to pump more blood with less strain.
The Fountain of Youth: Cardio’s Longevity Benefits
Keep the engine strong and everything else follows. Regular vigorous cardio builds what Dr. Cooper called an athletic heart — efficient, resilient, and young. You don’t need hours to get there. If you can find a workout that gives you vigorous minutes without feeling miserable — like HupSix — you’ll hit the same adaptations in less time.
Results: Which Workout Wins?
-
Cardio Pure Barre (50 min): ≈ 19 zone minutes
-
HupSix (30 min): ≈ 45 zone minutes (typical range 40–50)
Bottom line: HupSix blew Cardio Pure Barre out of the water. It’s not that barre is bad — it’s just not cardio.
Related Reads
Read how HupSix stacks up against treadmills in Do This Instead of Running.
Want to see how it compares? Check Best Cardio Equipment Under $300.
See how HupSix supports former athletes in this guide to at-home workouts for retired athletes.
Let’s Go.
Take one class, track your heart rate, and see the results yourself. If it’s not one of the most effective and engaging cardio workouts you’ve ever done, send it back — no questions asked.
About the Author: Stephanie Harris is a certified personal trainer with over 20 years of experience training Fortune 500 executives and professional athletes. She’s the creator of HupSix, a patented, music-driven cardio system, and founder of The DanceSocks, the original over-sneaker sock made 100% in the USA.
