Barry's Co-Owner Brian Weller Digs Peanut Butter Smoothies

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Welcome to Fitness Week: five days of workout coverage, so that you can start your New Year's resolutions off right.

Barry's Bootcamp has amassed quite the devoted following since its opening in October. Heck, you've worked out with them for our first Racked Fit Club and we see you tweeting about the ass kickings you get during their muscle group-specific schedule. There is more to this niche studio than just a solid cardio-meets-weight training workout, so we went straight to co-owner Brian Weller to get the whole Barry's Boston story.

Tell us how the studio came to fruition. Was it always part of your plan? Did another life event drive you toward fitness?
The studio came to fruition because I dragged Dustin [Martin] to a Barry's class in NYC and we both fell in love with it. At the time we both worked at an investment bank and were getting pretty burnt out and tired of the rat race. We had been looking to get into fitness for awhile and Barry's just clicked. After our first class, we began taking the steps to become franchisees and open our own studio. It was love at first sweat.

How has your prior professional background influenced the style and feel of the studio?
Being a franchise there are definitely style guidelines but overall I think you can tell that we both love and breathe Barry's; I think that passion can be felt from the maintenance staff to the trainers. People end up hanging around the studio after their workouts because of the sense of community among the guests and the Barry's staff here in Boston.

What does your studio contribute to Boston's fitness landscape?
Boston is an extremely fit city. Howver, the boutique fitness scene is just starting to take off. In other cities (LA, NY, etc.) the specialized fitness studio experience is a given, but when we opened here, the landscape was dominated by spin studios and yoga. We are the only studio that uses a unique combination of weight training and cardio. We offer a workout that is fun, challenging, and rewarding for both men and women of all fitness levels. I don't think many other studios in Boston cater so evenly to both sexes.

Have there been any challenges introducing the Barry's concept to a Boston audience?
Being a new brand in a new city has its challenges. Luckily for us Barry's Bootcamp is an amazing brand and is recognized across the world. We have seen new faces each and every week and classes are continuing to grow. It takes a little time for a friend to tell a friend, but we are seeing that come to fruition as we speak.

How does the retail component of Barry's strengthen the brand?
Our swag is awesome. We have an incredibly talented creative director who is taking the Barry's brand to new heights. The new logo and retail designs he has created speak directly to what we are. Strong, sleek, and sexy.

Most rewarding part of running a studio?
Our clients. They are truly genuine and give everything they possibly can. It is a joy and an honor to get up and teach because of how much they put into their workouts. We have only been open for three months and the stories and transformations are awe inspiring.

Earliest wake up time?
We have a 6am class and open the doors at 5:30am so the alarm goes off at 4:30am.

Hardest instructor you've taken at your own gym?
Our trainers are the cream of the crop. I wouldn't say any one trainer conducts a harder class than another, but I will say that the two days people normally say are the hardest (and best) are Thursdays (HardCore Abs) and Tuesdays (Legs & Butt). There is nothing quiet like a massive ab and leg burn!

Describe your clientele in three words.
Un-freaking-believable.

Favorite smoothie at the smoothie bar?
Simply PB + Spinach—it is unreal. It's like drinking liquid peanut butter…I would have ten a day if I could. It has nearly 30g of protein and only 250 calories, so there's no guilt factor.
· All Barry's Bootcamp coverage [Racked Boston]
· Barry's Bootcamp Boston [Official Site]
· All Fitness Week 2014 posts [Racked Boston]