10 Things You Might Not Know About The Bar Method

If you’ve taken a class with us before, you know that The Bar Method provides a fantastic, full-body workout in an uplifting and empowering community. But the things that make our studios so special, go far beyond the workout and community. Keep reading for 10 unique things you might not know about The Bar Method:

1. 123 Locations & counting

Eighteen years ago, our Founder Burr Leonard opened the first Bar Method studio in San Francisco, California. Today, there are over 120 studio locations and we continue to grow more and more each year. From Los Angeles, to Austin, to Brooklyn, and Vancouver, our goal is to have a Bar Method studio within reach of all the barre fanatics out there. Interested in opening up a studio of your own? Find out more here!

2. Female owned

Did you know that 100% of Bar Method studios are owned by a woman? Our family of female entrepreneurs are an elite group with diverse professional backgrounds, including lawyers, nurses, stay-at-home moms, teachers, financial analysts, and beyond. Each entrepreneur has joined our community to pursue their deep passion for barre. We are so thankful for our fearless female leaders who have helped The Bar Method grow to over 120 studio locations!

3. All of our exercises are approved by physical therapists

Safety is of utmost importance to The Bar Method. There are a lot of barre workout options out there, but one thing that truly sets The Bar Method apart from the rest is our focus on student safety. When The Bar Method technique was first developed, Founder Burr Leonard worked with Physical Therapists to modify the Lotte Berk method so that all of the exercises would be safe on students’ joints. To this day, we still work with Physical Therapists. Before any exercise is released to our studios, it receives a stamp of approval from a team of PT’s. This is one of the many reasons The Bar Method provides the best workout!

4. Men barre with us too!

We know there is a stigma out there that barre is only for women. This couldn’t be more wrong! In fact, The Bar Method workout is fantastic for men and it is not uncommon to see multiple men in a Bar Method class. Our classes can help men improve their flexibility, posture, mental strength, and overall strength! Find out more about The Bar Method for men in this blog post.

5. Our classes are based on interval training

When you hear interval training your mind may take you to a high-impact bootcamp style class, but The Bar Method’s classes are built on interval training too! Our classes call on multiple muscle groups to perform each exercise while preventing these muscles from releasing between reps. Rather than alternating our strength sets with slowed-down versions of the activity like most fitness routines, The Bar Method alternates with stretches. The result is increased elasticity, which enables muscles to more easily contract and expand, thus becoming functionally stronger. Due to our class format of interval training, our students will burn calories far after the 60 minutes in the studio room!

6. Our technique has rehabilitative benefits for injured students

Our long-standing practice of collaborating with physical therapists has helped take the Bar Method as close as it can get to being a form of physical therapy. Our classes are especially methodical in incorporating every possible rehab benefit into the technique and class flow. Here are just a few ways we help clients nurse their injuries: non-impact strengthening, gentle back stretching, core strengthening, focus on balance & alignment, our modification system, and the ballet barre as a rehab tool.

7. We have our own DJ

When you first heard about barre workouts, did you imagine a line of women with ballerina bodies working out to classical music? Many people are surprised in their first Bar Method class when they hear upbeat music playing some of the world’s most beloved music artists such as Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, and Prince. We work with a DJ who releases new playlists each week, filled with songs that provide a tempo fit for all the tucks, little ups, and little downs! Some of our favorite playlists are themed, such as our 80s and Beyonce vs. JAY Z playlists.

8. We offer student workshops

As we’ve already touched on, safety is one of our top priorities at The Bar Method. To ensure our students fully understand each exercise they see in class, many of our studios offer workshops on some of The Bar Method’s most difficult exercises to master. Not only do these workshops provide a wealth of knowledge, but they are a great opportunity for you to develop friendships with fellow students!

9. Our technique can improve your sex life

Yes, we just went there. In addition to making you look and feel stronger, The Bar Method technique can also improve your sex life! So, how do we do this? Our classes help you  build a fantastic degree of stamina, they make you more flexible, and most distinctively, they focus on strengthening and stretching the muscles around your pelvis during the majority of the class. Any guesses what exercises might engage your pelvis?

10. Our classes improve your coordination

Have you ever been in the middle of a workout on a treadmill and find that you are thinking about your son’s science project? At The Bar Method, our workouts allow no room for outside thoughts. This workout requires you to be present and dedicate 100% of your focus to the technique. Throughout class your instructor will guide you through each exercise describing which muscles to use for each movement, and to relax those you don’t need. Overtime, you train your muscles to work more efficiently, deepen your mind-body connection, and improve your overall coordination!

Experience all of these wonderful attributes and book a class with us today.